Lana Del Rey (@lanadelrey) is a somewhat surprising star. Relatively reserved and poignant during interviews and brooding at times, she seems as bemused by her rise to fame as the rest of us. Though she appeared to come out of nowhere with “Video Games”, her career actually began at the age of 17, releasing under the moniker Lizzy Grant (her real name). Only after changing her identity, moving to London and, more importantly, maturing her sound, did things truly begin to happen.
What came out of the transition was something difficult to describe. Brilliant in its instrumental transitions and somehow both romantic and tragic, “Video Games” meshes the grime of Hollywood with the innocence of being young. In its simplicity, it manages to project more genuine heartache and meaning than the vast majority of music released today. In particular, the song’s beauty combined with the video’s raw, cut images has a very striking effect – one that stuck with me.
Not all of the press and reaction has been positive, of course, and many people continually cite her manufactured persona as misleading and disingenuous. Specifically, I enjoyed Amy Klein’s commentary, which you can read here. Perhaps the most interesting thing I’ve found online, though, is a pretty fantastic interview she did in June of 2010 with Steve Bateman. Even prior to her first big single, Lizzy Grant is curiously alluring and speaks with the wisdom of an old-soul. I highly recommend you read through.
