If pop music is about reinvention, then Emmelie de Forest is certainly ahead of the curve. Today the Eurovision 2013 winner released her new single “Hopscotch” — an upbeat dance number that eschews the folksy feel of her previous efforts, including “Only Teardrops” and “Hunter and Prey”. The banging, clanging and hand-clapping of “Hopscotch” gives way to a new Emmelie. She’s some sort of Danish harajuku girl — sexy, sassy, cavalier and hellbent on stomping out Emmelie’s Mother Earth persona. It’s all sorts of urban and written with the radio in mind.

For many Eurovision fans this shift is going to feel uncomfortable. That’s partly because the extended metaphor of the song is a bit forced— hopscotch, as life, is unpredictable and full of inevitible stumbles. Emmelie carries on anyway, fully aware that mixing it up will stir critics and haters alike.

It’s partly about risk-taking: “Had enough of the comfort zone, I breathe in and I touch the stone, Don’t know where this whole thing goes, I jump to find out.” Read: Emmelie is kind of ready to move away from her “Only Teardrops” sound. Reading between the lines, it sounds like she has been advised against this: “They say that I’m insane, But I say it’s just a game.”

Win or lose, Emmelie is used to change. As you’ll recall, producers redid her face for the cover of “Rainmaker”, casting away apple-cheeked and cute for angular and sexy. And then with “Drunk Tonight” — the title itself suggests a step away from innocence — she slipped into a bikini. (Maybe all this change explains why not everyone recognises her).

In the end, the success of “Hopscotch” seems less important to Emmelie than the long-term potential of mixing things up. For musicians as those playing hopscotch, taking a risk is often the best way to get ahead.

Are you feeling the new sound?

Hopscotch text / lyrics — Emmelie de Forest

I live my life like I’m on a hopscotch
Square one, square two, square three and again
I live my life like I’m on a hopscotch
Going for the perfect ten
I live my life like I’m on a hopscotch
Square one, square two, square three and again
I live my life like I’m on a hopscotch
Going for the perfect ten

White lines on the concrete
Feel the ground underneath my feet
I let the wind in front of me
I hear it calling

Had enough of the comfort zone
I breathe in and I touch the stone
Don’t know where this whole thing goes
I jump to find out

They say that I’m insane
But I say it’s just a game

I live my life like I’m on a hopscotch
Square one, square two, square three and again
I live my life like I’m on a hopscotch
Going for the perfect ten
I live my life like I’m on a hopscotch
Square one, square two, square three and again
I live my life like I’m on a hopscotch
Going for the perfect ten

Holding on and I don’t look back
Want to feel like a maniac
Might end up with a broken leg
I know tomorrow
Everything will be washed away
By the rain of yesterday

Taking on a brand new day
I jump to find out
They say that I’m insane
But I say it’s just a game

I live my life like I’m on a hopscotch
Square one, square two, square three and again
I live my life like I’m on a hopscotch
Going for the perfect ten
I live my life like I’m on a hopscotch
Square one, square two, square three and again
I live my life like I’m on a hopscotch
Going for the perfect ten

I won’t go back to zero
The way I feel all
The skies are clear
So I laugh, I live, I love
I won’t go back to zero
The skies are clear so
Right leg, left leg, both legs and hop

I live my life like I’m on a hopscotch
Square one, square two, square three and again
I live my life like I’m on a hopscotch
Going for the perfect ten
I live my life like I’m on a hopscotch
Square one, square two, square three and again
I live my life like I’m on a hopscotch
Going for the perfect ten

The skies are clear so
The way I feel oh
I laugh, I live, I love….

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Charles
Charles
8 years ago

Too Charlie XXX meets Icona Pop in such a messy way for me …
Still I prefer listening to what this girl has to offer considering it’s always unpredictable … than same-thing-same-thing from that golden boy who is just here to have fun and entertain since he’s only 16 … he should be playing the hopscotch instead lol

mawnck
mawnck
8 years ago

Wow, I actually like this one! Go Emmelie!

Huh
Huh
8 years ago

Apart from this recent change of musical style, she gets more sexier and sexier as seen from her social media accounts. She is no longer that girl we know back in 2013. Still a winner but changed or evolved into something else. I have nothing agaist it. But it is up to the fans to decide whether they would like this new change in music style and appearance or not.

Graph
Graph
8 years ago

The verses are really good but the chorus is painful to listen to.

cheesecake
cheesecake
8 years ago

Not a fan of this.

CROMATOGRAFÍA
8 years ago

Hey guys. I don’t know if I can do this, but I was inspired by that song and I wrote a post on my blog. I’m kind of new on it and I write in spanish, so if you are from my country, you want to read something in spanish or you have at least an A2, come and read what I posted. 🙂

http://cromatografiadeafinidad.blogspot.com.es/2015/08/i-live-my-life-like-motherhopscotch.html

Otna
Otna
8 years ago

LOVE it, so catchy <3

Ariana
Ariana
8 years ago

I like this song but I miss Only Teardrops…..

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
8 years ago

I am not a fan of hers at all but that song was just strange.

#MarioVision ~ The Little Mermaid Princess Em Is Back :)
#MarioVision ~ The Little Mermaid Princess Em Is Back :)
8 years ago

Really catchy song…I like it.. 🙂
Its fresh new sound from Emmelie.. 🙂
She is experimenting with new music and it works 4 her 🙂
It was long since Em releases any new song…Since the fall of last year that she last released *Drunk Tonight*..
I’m waiting 4 her brand new upcoming 2nd album <3 🙂
It's been already 2 years + counting since Em released her debut album before her triumph victory in Malmo's Vision.. 🙂

Sparrow
Sparrow
8 years ago

Generic. Generic. Generic. *yawn*

Dasni
Dasni
8 years ago

It’s like a step back from “Drunk Tonight”! This sounds a bit cheap and it’s kinda like it’s forced: “We need to make a song in few hours today” feeling, you know?

For me, not a good song 🙁 #NotEmelieFanRightNow

Miss Uncongeniality
Miss Uncongeniality
8 years ago

It is cheap and uncomfortable as a bad copy of Prada shoes. It sounds like a teletubbie’s version of Icona Pop doing some snow job to a desperate homeless. it is as mediocre as the story of her supposed connection with Queen Victoria… Emmelie, my dear, no more vodka and prozac cocktails for you, bad girl!

Callum Nowacki
Callum Nowacki
8 years ago

This is a great song!

Daniel
Daniel
8 years ago

Love it!!
Well Done Emmelie

person person
person person
8 years ago

Very catchy, hope this song goes big. 🙂

Gollum
Gollum
8 years ago

Love it!
I don’t know if she wants to go away from the Only Teardrops, she really likes that song. But she is still as cute as always!

Gav
Gav
8 years ago

Love it. Fun fun fun.

Mar
Mar
8 years ago

It’s better than I thought it would be, based on the Instagram vid, but that’s not saying much. I’m digging the lyrics, but the chorus is insufferable.
At least now I know how to say rayuela in english.

Adam
Adam
8 years ago

very interesting 🙂 its something i never expected from her but i like this style. I don’t like the word “hopscotch” tho tbh, as a native english speaker the word just sounds to mouthy for a song

fikri
fikri
8 years ago

i, on principal, hates all songs which chorus’ includes counting random stuffs but lee totally sold the shit outta this song with his write-up haha.

Jan
Jan
8 years ago

The song is AMAZING! <3

I actually like it better than 'Only Teardrops' or 'Drunk Tonight'!

Hex
Hex
8 years ago

I dont like it…

davve
davve
8 years ago

I really like it!