Lana Del Rey
Lana Del Rey
1985 — ?
États-Unis
Lana Del Rey, born Elizabeth Woolridge Grant, is an American singer-songwriter born in 1985. Known for her melancholic lyrics and retro aesthetic, she blends pop, indie, and cinematic elements across acclaimed albums such as 'Born to Die' (2012).
Key Facts
- Born on June 21, 1985, in New York City, as Elizabeth Woolridge Grant
- Broke through internationally in 2012 with the album 'Born to Die'
- The single 'Video Games' (2011) went viral online before her debut major album was even released
- Nominated multiple times at the Grammy Awards and the Brit Awards
- Author of the poetry collection 'Violet Bent Backwards over the Grass' (2020)
Works & Achievements
Her first major studio album, selling over 7 million copies worldwide, it established Lana Del Rey's signature cinematic and melancholic aesthetic and earned her immediate international recognition.
A darker, rock-influenced album produced in collaboration with Dan Auerbach, it showcases Lana Del Rey's ability to evolve artistically while staying true to her world of disillusionment and tragic beauty.
A politically charged and collaborative album featuring notable guest appearances (The Weeknd, A$AP Rocky, Sean Lennon), it marks a shift toward more explicit social commentary on the American climate.
Considered by many critics to be her masterpiece, the album received widespread acclaim and multiple Grammy nominations, cementing Lana Del Rey as one of the most important singer-songwriters of her generation.
An ambitious 16-track album exploring spirituality, family, and the passage of time, praised for its exceptional literary and musical depth.
A breakout single posted on YouTube, whose self-produced music video quickly surpassed 10 million views and became one of the defining viral moments of digital music culture in the 2010s.
Lana Del Rey's first published poetry collection, accompanied by an audio album read by the author herself, reflecting her deep connection to literature and her ambition to reach beyond the boundaries of pop music.
Anecdotes
Lana Del Rey first released her songs on MySpace and YouTube under the name "Lizzy Grant" before breaking through. It was the video for 'Video Games', uploaded in 2011 and viewed millions of times within weeks, that opened the doors to worldwide fame — with zero traditional promotion.
Her stage name 'Lana Del Rey' is a poetic invention: she drew inspiration from actress Lana Turner and the Ford Del Rey, a car whose name evokes a sunset on the California coast. The pseudonym reflects her fascination with 1950s and 60s America.
After a performance widely deemed disappointing on Saturday Night Live in January 2012, Lana Del Rey faced a wave of harsh criticism online. The episode is often cited as a prime example of the pressure social media places on artists in the digital age.
Lana Del Rey studied philosophy at Fordham University in New York before dedicating herself fully to music. That intellectual background comes through in her lyrics, which draw on references to American literature, Hollywood cinema, and the Beat Generation.
Primary Sources
« I was always an unusual girl. My mother told me I had a chameleon soul, no moral compass pointing due north, no fixed personality. »
« I'm not a feminist — but I do believe in the beauty of women and the way they move through the world. My idea of a true feminist is a woman who feels free enough to do whatever she wants. »
« Making a record is such a personal process. 'Born to Die' was really about my experiences in New York — the feeling of being very alive and very lost at the same time. »
« Being online and having people watch your every move is strange. I don't think it's healthy for any artist. You need space to create something real. »
Key Places
The city where Lana Del Rey grew up and launched her musical career, New York lies at the heart of her earliest artistic experiences and the shaping of her identity as a singer-songwriter.
Lana Del Rey's adopted home, Los Angeles and its imagery — Hollywood, Venice Beach, the desert — form the mythological backdrop of virtually her entire body of work.
Lana Del Rey's birthplace in upstate New York, surrounded by lakes and forests, whose serenity and isolation shaped her melancholic and contemplative sensibility.
A bohemian and iconic Los Angeles neighborhood that Lana Del Rey frequented regularly and that appears in several of her music videos, serving as a symbol of the California dream and American counterculture.
Lana Del Rey recorded some of her tracks at this legendary London studio, symbolically placing her work within the grand tradition of Western popular music.
Gallery
Lana Del Rey Seattle
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 — Mike Monaghan from Seattle, United States
Lana Del Rey by Allan Wan
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 — Allan Wan
LanaDRPrimavera310524 (32 of 147) (53765476960) (cropped)
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 — Raph_PH
Lana Del Rey (2024)
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 — Raph_PH
LanaWembley030725-89
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 — Raph_PH