Biography for
Lana Del Rey More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

21 June 1986, Lake Placid, New York, USA

Birth Name

Elizabeth Woolridge Grant

Nickname

Lizzy

Height

5' 6½" (1.69 m)

Mini Biography

Vocalist Lana Del Rey makes atmospheric, orchestral, retro-'60s-sounding pop that showcases her torchy image and sensuously husky singing style. A native of Lake Placid, New York, Del Rey released the single, "Kill Kill", under her given name, Lizzy Grant, in 2009, before remaking herself into the pop femme fatale character, Lana Del Rey. A video for the single, "Video Games", appeared online in August of 2011 and drew considerable buzz, as did a secret show she performed at Brooklyn's Grasslands Gallery that September. Del Rey's EP, featuring the songs "Video Games" and "Blue Jeans", was released in fall 2011. Amidst a heavy dose of hype, her debut album, "Born to Die", was announced by Interscope for release early the following year. Del Rey cemented the anticipation around the album with an appearance on "Saturday Night Live" (1975), becoming the first artist since Natalie Imbruglia, in 1998, to perform on the show before the release of her debut album.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Anonymous

Trivia

Her stage name came from a series of managers and lawyers over the last 5 years (as of 2011) who wanted a name that they thought better fit the sound of the music. It's a combination of the late old Hollywood actress Lana Turner and the Ford Del Rey (car).

Has described herself as a "self-styled gangsta Nancy Sinatra"; and cites Britney Spears, Thomas Newman, Eminem, Elvis Presley, Antony and the Johnsons, and Kurt Cobain as her musical influences.

Her debut single, "Video Games", attained worldwide success, reaching number one in Germany and top-ten positions in Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, Ireland, Scotland, Switzerland and the United Kingdom (as of December 2011).

Personal Quotes

[on being a fan of Britney Spears] I'm not really interested in a ton of female musicians but there is something about Britney that compelled me - the way she sings and just the way she looks.

I'm a writer first and a singer second.

Fashion is inspired by youth and nostalgia and draws inspiration from the best of the past.

I'm not a natural performer or exhibitionist. When I was younger, I hated the focus, and it made me feel strange.

I used to wonder if it was God's plan that I should be alone for so much of my life. But I found peace. I found happiness within people and the world.

When I was very young I was sort of floored by the fact that my mother and my father and everyone I knew was going to die one day, and myself too. I had a sort of a philosophical crisis. I couldn't believe that we were mortal.

A lot of the time when I write about the person that I love, I feel like I'm writing about New York.

I have a personal ambition to live my life honestly and honor the true love that I've had and also the people I've had around me.

Having a simple career as a musician who liked music was good enough for me.

I have taken taking my music to labels for years, and everyone just thought it was creepy. They thought the images with the music were weird and verging on psychotic.

I love to sing and I really love to write, but in terms of being onstage, I'm not that comfortable, which I think is sort of clear.

I write my own songs. I made my own videos. I pick my producers. Nothing goes out without my permission. It's all authentic.

I've been writing since I was really young, so I considered myself a writer for a really long time.

I'm personally more struck by visual things more than musical.

When I was young I felt really overwhelmed and confused by the desire not to end up in an office, doing something I didn't believe in.

In New York I pretty much live in diners - I order French Fries, Diet Coke floats and lots of coffee.

I don't know that much about who directs what movies, but I'm definitely inspired by the look of old movies; I find them to be really beautiful.

I'm always just surprised when someone writes something about me.

When I walk outside, people have something to say about it.

I don't really have any gimmicks. I don't actually do anything that's strange. I don't even wear weird things.

I knew I wanted to do something creative. I didn't think I'd have the luxury of doing something like that, because I didn't know anyone who had pursued anything they really adored, but I had dreams for singing or writing.