Emilie Autumn

/wiki/Emilie Autumncreator

Are you suffering!?

Emilie Autumn Liddell (22 September 1979- ) is a gothic poet, singer/songwriter, violinist, harpsichordist, performance artist and author. She's self-described as that she sounds "like the best cup of English Breakfast spiked with cyanide and smashed on your antique wallpaper."

Of Emilie's life, very little is known at the moment. What we do know is that she started playing violin at the age of four, a talent that she has continued to this day, and that she voluntarily stayed away from most of the mainstream music communities (both classical and commercial) due to bad experiences and clashes within them: in fact, most of her albums were self-published by her own company. Her first album was On a Day..., a classical album released in 2000, when she was 20 or 21. The following year she put out the Chambermaid and By the Sword EPs. In 2003 her first full vocal album was released: Enchant, an album filled with a number of songs inspired by fairy tales. Also contained in this CD was the Enchant Puzzle, which no one has ever solved. This was the Enchant era, when Emilie was a faerie.

After going through an extremely awful period in her life that resulted in a suicide attempt and institutionalization, she was inspired to move in a different artistic direction, which is the current era. This began with the Opheliac EP, followed by full album Opheliac. This album was far darker than Enchant, and a reflection of Emilie's mental state, as this album was released as an agreement with herself that she'd make the album instead of killing herself. The songs are mostly about madness and suicide, particularly in water. Much of the album is influenced by Shakespeare, as is made obvious by the title. Many of the songs are not written from the perspective of Emilie, but from Ophelia herself, the Lady of Shalott, and others. Later in 2007, she re-released Enchant along with A Bit o' This and That, which was a collection of previously unheard songs, re-mixes and tracks from older EPs. Also released that year was Laced/Unlaced. Laced was a re-release of On a Day, while Unlaced was an all-new collection of instrumental songs done in her newer style. In 2009 she was able to release her autobiography, The Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls. She has also released The Opheliac Companion, which provides information and background about the songs on Opheliac.

The current era is what Emilie is most well known for. And from gaining more muffins (fans), she was able to make more and more theatrical tours which gained more and more theatrics tour by tour. Joining her on stage in the Asylum are her Bloody Crumpets, a group of lovely mad girls.

Currently touring for the album and doing the album Fight Like A Girl (FLAG)

And waiting on the release of "The Devil's Carnival" a short experimental film by the creator of Repo! The Genetic Opera aka Darren Bousman, which she recorded in 2011. She did it with the Bloody Crumpets and various other famous actors/performers including one member of Slipknot.

Discography:

Albums

  • On a Day... (1997, re-released in Laced/Unlaced in 2007)
  • Enchant (2003, re-released 2007)
  • Your Sugar Sits Untouched (2005, CD and poetry book)
  • Opheliac (2006, re-released 2009)
  • Laced/Unlaced (2007)
  • A Bit o' This & That (2007)
  • Fight Like A Girl (TBA)

Extended Plays and Official Singles

  • Chambermaid (2001)
  • By the Sword (2001)
  • Opheliac EP (2006, preview EP)
  • Liar/Dead Is the New Alive (2006)
  • 4 o'Clock (2008)
  • Girls Just Wanna Have Fun & Bohemian Rhapsody (2008)
  • Fight Like A Girl/Time For Tea (2012)

Books

Emilie Autumn provides examples of the following tropes:

I think for the most part I feel asexual, which is a kind like you are not completely attracted to either men or women, is in between spaces which is almost as to be bisexual, because you don't have a real choice. I've been with men, of course, but I love women so much (and you can see it on stage) ...and that's what men think: "oh, this is what women do?" that doesn't make me a lesbian, it's just what happened. But at the same time there's a part that I don't like, and is to don't be on only one side, because it makes me confused. And often I watch all from the outside, and I watch all as it is fine, and I respect it.

    • Ambiguously Bi / No Bisexuals: The Other Wiki likes to try to unfairly police EA's identity by claiming she actually is bisexual or pansexual. Considering Wikipedia's...*ahem* history with Emilie, this is likely not to be trusted. Also, identity-policing asexuality is often a Berserk Button for many aces, so it will be interesting to see how EA reacts to this claim (if she ever does).
  • Aesop: Her one true message over her entire career has been one of Anti repression and taking control of your own life. (In a meta and in most of her songs sense)
  • Bedlam House: The Asylum book contains letters from a girl in one of these places. Also her song "4 O'Clock" and "Miss Lucy Had Some Leeches" are both about the girls in these places.
  • Be Yourself: What If and How Strange and arguably her empowerment/anti repression message.
  • Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: The whole premise of "Gentlemen Aren't Nice".
  • Blessed with Suck/Cursed with Awesome: "Thank God I'm Pretty"
  • Bunny Ears Lawyer: Despite flouncing around on stage dressed as an inmate in a Victorian Asylum, or in years gone by a faerie, there is little denying that Emilie is a top notch violinist.
  • Broken Bird: All of Opheliac, no exceptions.
  • Break Up Song: "How Strange", "Save You", "Rose Red", "Chambermaid", "Ever", "Heard It All", "If You Feel Better", "What If", "I Know Where You Sleep", "Misery Loves Company", "Liar", "Photographic Memory".
  • Careful with That Axe - several songs feature this on Opheliac. Examples include "I Want My Innocence Back" and "I Know Where You Sleep", both featuring harsh yelling towards the end and "Liar" is practically made of this trope.
    • And the acoustic version of "Mad Girl".
    • The chorus in "Opheliac" is this.
  • Clock Punk/Steampunk: Probably not intentionally, but her neo-Victorian style and persona from Unlaced and Opheliac came at the same time the Steampunk style is becoming very popular in goth circles and among cosplayers. She's often listed as a steampunk music artist as a result. Her current style also includes a lot of clockwork motifs, especially live. She has also described things that she makes and sells on eBay as "steampunk".
  • Celibate Hero: Does not have the time, does not want the time.
  • Cloudcuckoolander: She spends her time being an inmate in a Victorian Asylum and used to be a faeire. Seriously.
  • Child Prodigy: Basically came out of the womb playing the Violin. (Technically since the age of 4)
  • Colbert Bump: The Unicorn hat became far harder to find after Emilie wore one.
  • Cover Version: She's done a fair share of covers. The covers that she has done are "I Don't Care Much" from Cabert, "I Know It's Over" originally by The Smiths, "All My Loving" by The Beatles, a harpsichord cover of "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life", "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" by Cyndi Lauper and Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" which she sings on tour, "Gloomy Sunday" (without the second ending [which she refers to in "The Art of Suicide"]) orignally by László Jávor and Rezső Seress, "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" by The Flaming Lips, and "Asleep" by The Smiths.
  • Concept Album:
    • Enchant: about a faerie falling in love with a human and the resulting mess.
    • Opheliac disk 1: Scorned Women, Ophelia, Anti Suicide, Escapism, and Sexism/Anti Misogyny
    • Opheliac disk 2: Sexism/Anti Misogyny, Escapism, Suicide, and Insanity.
    • Unlaced: concept is how she went mad and inside the asylum made into music
    • Laced: Her favourite Baroque and Renaissance pieces on her baroque era violin.
  • The Cracker: Ti GER-M@TE , the dude who decided to hack Emilie's site on her birthday. Apparently, he also did Google a while ago.
  • Creator Breakdown: Had a major one between Enchant and Opheliac which led to her attempting suicide and being put into a psych ward during the recording of Opheliac.
  • Creepy Monotone: "I Want My Innocence Back".
  • Dark and Troubled Past: From just not fitting in anywhere in the musical stratosphere for years to various situations which lead to the song Gothic Lolita...
  • The Determinator: Emilie Autumn wants book about life = Emilie autumn writes book about her life, Emilie Autumn wants to release music = starts her own recording company, Emilie wants people to hear her message = tours for four years straight WORLD WIDE!!
  • Deadly Euphemism: Guess what "Time For Tea" refers to? Hint: it's not tea.
  • Deadpan Snarker: does this while singing, constantly.
  • Driven to Suicide: Mentioned in Shalott, 306, The Art Of Suicide, Opheliac.
  • Do Not Call Me Paul: She insists that her name is not nor has it ever been Emily Fritzges, despite fans receiving packages from her with this exact name on them. Mention this on her forum and you will be banned, but with use of the word filter Emily becomes Emilie and Fritzges becomes Liddell anyway.
  • Double Entendre: From Marry Me: "And when dining on peacock, I know I won't swallow"
  • Doing It for the Art: Alternative violinindustrial rock opera girl power continuer and so much more.
  • Dye Hard: Emilie's pink or red hair that changes shade from dye to dye or wig to wig is currently integral to her image.
    • Gel Hard she now wears a mohawk for her Fight Like A Girl tour shows.
  • Exactly What It Says on the Tin: "Naked Feminist Poetry" is 25 minutes of... well, guess.
  • Executive Meddling: The story behind this t-shirt: When Emilie Autumn was first trying to find a record deal, she had to talk with several record label executives, and every one of them invariably tried to rail her towards a more mainstream image. One of them was apparently so obnoxious and dismissive of anything she could say, Emilie allegedly abandoned the reunion to cool off and she came back after having write on the t-shirt she was wearing "Sorry, was I thinking again?". She eventually recorded her first albums under her own label, and between the first pieces of merch she sold was a replica of said tee.
  • The Fair Folk: Part of what inspired the "Enchant" album.
  • Fan Girl: For The Smiths and Morrisey in particular.
  • Gratuitous Panning:
    • "Shalott" has the harpsichord on the left and the vocals on the right.
    • Present in her cover of "Bohemian Rhapsody", faithfully to the original.
  • Hypocritical Humor: "Gentlemen Aren't Nice," in which the singer complains about her lover's displeasure "just because I won't agree to take his arm/And I occasionally forget his name."
  • I Call It Vera: All of EA's violins have names- The Dove, her baroque violin, Merlin, her modern Victorian violin, and Elgar, her electric violin.
  • Ironic Echo: "Liar" is Emilie repeating back an ex-lover's words in a much more vindictive light.
  • Ironic Nursery Tune: "Miss Lucy Had Some Leeches", "4 O Clock"
  • Incredibly Long Note: Liar also sung as Liaiiaiiiaiiiiiaiaiaiaiaiaaiairrrrrrrrr
  • The Insomniac: "4 O'Clock" discusses her issues with insomnia.
  • I'm a Man, I Can't Help It: She does NOT approve of this excuse at all (Gothic Lolita, Let The Record Show)
  • Instrumentals: Has a double disk dedicated to this.
  • Lolicon: Viciously deconstructed in "Gothic Lolita".
  • Limited Special Collectors' Ultimate Edition: To date the only releases that have no re-release are the Chambermaid and By the Sword E Ps (but the two are on A Bit o' This and That). Most are just a limited edition digipack, and then a jewel case, but the re-release of Enchant has a story to bridge the gap between it and Opheliac and no Enchant puzzle. Then there is Opheliac. Oh God, Opheliac. First there was the two disc digipack. After it sold out, Emilie released a one disc jewel case version and after fans demanded the content from disc two of the limited edition a two disc digipack. Two years after the album was released in Europe, the album got a wide release in the US, with three more tracks exclusive to the issuing, and, finally, a third issuing with all tracks from the previous US edition, four songs recorded for that edition, excerpts from The Asylum, live videos and a video with her and her friend, fLee.
  • Lyrical Dissonance: Lots and lots. "Marry Me", "The Art Of Suicide", "Shalott" and "Miss Lucy Had Some Leeches" spring to mind.
    • Also "My Fairweather Friend."
    • Don't Blame Me And HOW!
    • "Gaslight" in a similar way to "The Art Of Suicide/Shalott"
    • "4 O'Clock" a song about how insomnia is slowly killing her to the tune of a lullaby.
  • Madness Mantra: "God Help Me" 48 times in the end of a song counts.
    • "Are You Suffering?" except sung as an Ironic Echo of what an ex lover used to say to her.
    • "I Want My Innocence Back" is also repeated an extreme amount of times.
    • "I Want It" in the Angelspit remix of "Liar" is pretty significant as it changes the focus of the song all the way around.
    • "4'Clock" definitely..
  • Madonna-Whore Complex: Lampshaded in Opheliac

She knows she either is
A devil or an angel with no in between
She speaks in the third person

So she can forget that she's me

  • Male Gaze: Used on her in her first "Devils Carnival" promo video.
  • Misogyny Song: "Girls! Girls! Girls!" is this - sarcastically, of course.
  • Mood Whiplash: The first minute or so "Opheliac" is nice classical-esque instrumental work. Then she starts singing, lyrics are a bit off but it's still more or less pleasant. Then the chorus kicks in and she starts screaming.
  • Motor Mouth: Have you read her interviews...
    • I Know Where You Sleep.
  • Neoclassical Punk Zydeco Rockabilly: Enchant is already pretty difficult to describe, since it combines jazz, pop, and violins. For the time she released Opheliac she began to describe her music as "victoriandustrial" and "violindustrial".
  • New Sound Album: Opheliac was completely different in sound to Enchant, Opheliac having more industrial and metal influences. Despite the great change in sound, the reception to Opheliac was mostly positive, and now it's far more common for people to prefer the newer sound than the Enchant-era
  • Nice Hat: She has quite [dead link] a few.
  • Nightmare Fetishist: As any depressive worth their salt would be, Emilie too preys on the stuff of nightmares and makes them into lovely harpsichord- and violin-backed songs.
  • Noodle Implements: An interview in Fiend magazine has the answers to an undisclosed question posed to Emilie: "Crumpets, Angela Lansbury and a very large broom."
  • Nostalgic Music Box: The sound of one is the beginning of her song Gothic Lolita. The music-box starts to skip as the backing track gets more eerie. It Gets Worse.
    • "4 O'clock" Plays with this.
  • Non-Appearing Title: Her instrumentals, as well as songs such as "Rapunzel", "Juliet", and "Shalott".
  • The Ophelia: Master trope of Opheliac. Autumn described an "Opheliac" as a "medical condition like an insomniac" characterised by, well, craziness. The only difference between Ophelia and an Opheliac is that, in her words, "Ophelia's dead."
  • Obsession Song: Be Silent Be Still, Opheliac and Liar has these under tones.
  • One-Woman Wail: Touched on in a few of her songs, like Rose Red and the Blackbird remix of What If. In EA's case it's literally one woman, as she performs all of the main and backing vocals for her songs.
  • Pachelbel's Canon: The Other Wiki notes that as a child she would mentally play the piece each night to suppress her auditory hallucinations. The influence of it can be heard in several of her songs: "Save You" contains a few bars of the melody, and the ostinato from the piece is present in "Ancient Grounds" and "Let the Record Show".
  • Precision F-Strike: Used a lot in of cause "Opheliac"
    • Misery Loves Company: Pray for me you fuckers if you fucking dare
    • I Know Where You Sleep: I (fucked) you/I can never live it down, never live it down
    • Thank God I'm Pretty: Everybody thinks that I'm a fucking suicide girl
    • God Help Me: Don't make me choose, I've got too much to fucking lose!
    • Marry Me: So I'll fuck who I choose for I've nothing to lose ..
      • One or two show up in the recently released single:
    • Fight Like A Girl: Just a body to be beaten, fucked and if I'm lucky, left for dead.
    • Time For Tea: But when I am bad I am FUCKING GORGEOUS!
  • Perky Goth: Because goths have more fun, after all.
  • Piss-Take Rap: The rapping section on "Opheliac," (the song), while not as bad as other examples, is still quite odd.
  • The Power of Friendship: Expressed in her relationship with the Bloody Crumpets.
    • "Across the Sky" is about this.
  • "The Reason You Suck" Speech: "I Know Where You Sleep" is just one long verbal bitchslap.
    • Don't Blame Me and how.
  • Rockstar Song: "Heard It All" to a degree.
  • Rock Opera: Fight Like A Girl AKA FLAG is her re telling her The Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls through songs she's creating right now.
  • Sarcasm Mode: "Girls!Girls!Girls!", "Thank God I'm Pretty", "If You Feel Better", "The Art Of Suicide" but she uses sarcasm in a lot of her songs..and in her day to day life.
  • Sanity Slippage Song: "Opheliac", "God Help Me", "Misery Loves Company", "4 O Clock", "The Art Of Suicide", "Swallow", "Liar", "Shalott" and probably a couple more.
    • and of cause, "Unlaced" the album is a sanity slippage instrumental album, particularly the title track.
  • Scunthorpe Problem: The word filter on her forum changes 'fans' to 'muffins.' This would be okay, except for when talking of, say, burlesque fans or anything similar.

"She swung her burlesque muffins high..."

  • Self-Backing Vocalist: Any voice heard on any of her songs is Emilie.
  • So Beautiful It's a Curse: "Thank God I'm Pretty".
  • Studio Chatter: "Let The Record Show" starts with a three-second conversation: "How was that?" "Good."
  • Subdued Section: "Remember", everything except for the drum machine cuts out in the third verse.
  • Subverted Rhyme Every Occasion: "Miss Lucy Had Some Leeches", as an adaptation of "Miss Susie Had a Steamboat".
  • Surprisingly Gentle Song: "Shalott" and "The Art of Suicide" on Opheliac. Still full of Lyrical Dissonance, though, considering that both are about death.
    • "Gaslight" would fall into this.
  • Shout-Out: Everything from her Britney Spears mike to her "Hells Is Others" on Misery Loves Company, helped by her thoroughly studying everything she wants to do.
  • Silly Love Songs: "Remember", "Juliet", "Across The Sky", "Castle Down", "Crazy He Calls Me", "All My Loving".
    • Subverted in "Opheliac", "Shalott".
  • Take That Me: The lyrics of "Shalott": "And she cried out, 'So the story fits/but then, I could have guessed it all along/and now some drama queen is gonna write a song for me.'"
    • The lyrics of "Swallow": "I'll tell the truth/ all of my songs/ are pretty much/ the fucking same."
    • During some of her videos she does lampshade how insane her stage shows, outfits and otherwise are.
  • Take That: Basically Opheliac with few exceptions.
  • There Are No Therapists: Well, actually, there are, but they're terrible at their jobs. In Emilie's case, she was sexually abused during her institutionalisation, but no-one would believe her because "you're the crazy girl and he's the doctor with the million dollar education".
  • And That Little Girl Was Me:
    • Opheliac invokes this

she can forget that she's me

    • And then, in "Time for Tea"...

I am that little girl, I have that little curl/Right in the middle of my forehead...

She speaks in third person so that she can forget she's me

Her concerts contain examples of:

Emilie: Veronica is... a very nice tea table.

Contessa: But I am not, I am not, I repeat, I repeat, I repeat, I am not insane!
[The Crumpets laugh hysterically]
Emilie: [after a well-timed pause] She eats people.

  • Spell My Name with an "S": The present captain's name alternates between 'Captain Maggot' and 'Captain Maggots' depending on who you ask and when you ask them.
  • Steampunk
  • Sweet Polly Oliver: In the Fight Like A Girl tour, Emilie spends several songs dressed up as a boy. Not very convincingly, but there you are.
  • This Is for Emphasis, Bitch: You're in MY house now, bitch!
  • Throw It In: The Rat Game was started because Veronica was told to keep the audience at a show in Germany entertained while Emilie solved a problem and she came up with the idea to make out with a girl. This was instantly a very popular idea on the forum and Emilie decided to keep it.
  • Vitriolic Best Buds/Vitriolic Couple: Emilie and Veronica.
    • Only on stage though, in real life, they are both some of the sweetest people you will meet.
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