“The road is long, we
carry on.
Try to have fun in
the meantime.”
-
Lana
Del Rey, Born to Die
Lana
Del Rey, or Elizabeth Woolridge Grant, describes herself as a “self-styled
gangsta Nancy Sinatra”. It’s a strange description but fans have come to love
the 26-year-old’s husky bedroom voice with that hint of ominous melody. Better
than her distinct voice though, are her poignant and haunting lyrics that speak
true artistry.
Lana
began singing at clubs at 18 and was signed to a record label at 20. But her
real break came when she released her single Video Games on YouTube which
went viral and got her album Born to Die released
selling 2.8 million copies worldwide. Her music has been noted for its
cinematic sound and its references to various aspects of pop culture,
particularly that of the 1950s and '60s Americana.
She
has endorsed clothing line H&M, serving as the model for their Fall and
Winter 2012 collection. And this year, Lana became the face of the Jaguar
F-Type luxury automobile. Her creativity even comes across in her cover art, as
seen in Born to Die, the Paradise
Edition.
Perhaps,
Lana is what people have been waiting for when it comes to music – someone to
write about those heartbreaking truths of life with poise and glamour.