Born to Die (Lana Del Rey album)

Born to Die
Studio album by Lana Del Rey
Released January 27, 2012
Genre Pop
Label Interscope, Stranger
Producer Justin Parker, RoboPop
Lana Del Rey chronology
Lana Del Ray a.k.a. Lizzie Grant
(2010)[1]		 Born to Die
{2012)
Singles from Born to Die
  1. "Video Games"
    Released: October 10, 2011
  2. "Born to Die"
    Released: January 2, 2012

Born to Die is the second album by American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey, set for release on January 27, 2012 through Interscope Records and Stranger Records. After being signed to Interscope and Stranger in 2011, the singer released her first single from the album, "Video Games", which is considered as the one that propelled the singer's online popularity. Del Rey then started to give interviews to several newspapers and online magazines, as well as making live appearances to promote the song. Another single with the same name of album, "Born to Die", was released on January 2, 2012.

Contents

Background

I learned that there's no reason why people decide they like music when they do. Even if you're the best singer in the world, there's a good chance no one will ever hear you. You make a decision to keep singing or to stop. I’ve been singing in Brooklyn since I was 17 and no one in the industry cared at all. I haven't changed a thing since then and yet things seem to be turning around for me. Perhaps the angels decided to shine on me for a little while.
—Del Rey talking to Ryan Dombal of Pitchfork Media.[2]

Del Rey first released an EP titled Kill Kill in 2010.[3] It was the singer's first professionally produced EP, released under Lizzy Grant on an independent label with producer David Kahne.[4] Del Rey stated that "David asked to work with me only a day after he got my demo. He has known as a producer with a lot integrity and who had an interest in making music that wasn't just pop."[5] Her father, Robert Grant, helped with the marketing of the EP, which was available for purchase on iTunes for a brief period before being withdrawn for unknown reasons.[6] Later in June 2011, Del Rey was signed with Stranger Records,[7] to release her debut single "Video Games";[7] in October 2011, she was signed with Interscope Records.[8] While being interviewed by Rosie Swash of The Observer, Del Rey revealed, "I just put that song online a few months ago because it was my favourite. To be honest, it wasn't going to be the single but people have really responded to it. I get very sad when I play that song. I still cry sometimes when I sing it."[6] It was later reported that the singer would release her debut album under the labels in January 2012.[8] During an interview with French TV show Taratata, Del Rey revealed that the album would be named Born to Die.[9] Born to Die is set to be released on January 27, 2012 in Ireland,[10] January 30, 2012, in the UK, and on January 31, 2012 worldwide.[11]

Composition

Lana Del Rey has cited several artists as her musical influences, such as Britney Spears (left), Elvis Presley (center) and Kurt Cobain (right).

Del Rey stated the use of her lower vocals on the tracks claiming that "people weren't taking me very seriously, so I lowered my voice, believing that it would help me stand out. Now I sing quite low... well, for a female anyway."[12] The singer's first singles, "Video Games" and "Born to Die" were described variously as "quasi-cabaret balladry",[13] "woozy and sometimes soporific soundtrack soul",[14], "pop",[15], and "indie pop".[16] Her own description of her music is "Hollywood sadcore".[17] Tim Lee of musicOMH noted the songs are extremely similar, commenting that "her (alleged) agents clearly having stumbled upon a formula with which they can (allegedly) print money and (allegedly) further consign Lana's secretive, (allegedly) real debut LP to the annals of history. You didn't hear it from us, right?"[18] Del Rey has once described herself as a "gangsta Nancy Sinatra",[19] though she cites Britney Spears, Elvis Presly and Kurt Cobain as her musical influences.[20][21] When asked about her musical style, the singer stated:

"I would have loved to be part of the indie community. But I wasn't. I was looking for a community. I don't even know any people who are musicians. I never met that indie popular indie, whoever the fuck that is. Who IS indie? First of all, I can't really get my head around what indie music is. Because if you've heard of it, it's sort of pop music, right? Because it's, like, popular? Or is it just that it's not on the radio? It's not like I was in an indie community and then I blew up. It's like, I was living on the street and I'm not -- like, for real, you know what I'm saying?"[8]

The second track, "Blue Jeans", was influenced by hip-hop and has a minimalist beat that recalls songs by Timbaland.[22] Del Rey also raps in a few verses of the song such as "You’re so fresh to death and sick as cancer/Love you more than those bitches before".[22] "Off to the Races" has been lyrically described as "a freak show of inappropriate co-dependency",[23] with a chorus that recalls Sheryl Crow's "down and out drunken loner persona" in her 1994 single "Leaving Las Vegas".[23] Pryia Elan of NME noted the track "almost falls under the weight of this persona. There's none of 'Video Games'' measured, piano-led reflection. Instead the psychosexual rumblings of the lyrics and the dual voices she uses off set the comparatively simple musical shades on display."[23]

Promotion

Del Rey's song "Video Games" was featured for the first time on prime spot on The CW's TV-Series Ringer on September 28, 2011 during a pivotal scene, propulsing Lana Del Rey into mainstream.[24] Del Rey also promoted the album with performances in a number of live appearances, including for MTV Push,[25] and at the Bowery Ballroom, where, according to Eliot Glazer of New York, "the polarizing indie hipstress brought her 'gangsta Nancy Sinatra' swagu."[26] Matthew Perpetua of Rolling Stone commented that, despite Del Rey being nervous and anxious while performing her songs live, the singer managed to "sang with considerable confidence, though her transitions from husky, come-hither sexuality to bratty, girlish petulance could be rather jarring."[27] Del Rey also performed "Video Games" on Dutch television program De Wereld Draait Door,[28] on British music television show Later... with Jools Holland,[29] and on an intimate show at Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood, California.[30] Del Rey also gave several interviews for newspapers and online magazines such as The Quietus,[5] The Observer,[6] and Pitchfork Media,[2] while creating her own music videos for several tracks such as "Blue Jeans" and "Off to the Races".[31][32]

Singles

"Video Games" was released as Del Rey's debut single on October 10, 2011.[33] The song received mostly positive reviews from contemporary critics, who praised Del Rey's vocals and considered it as one of the best songs of 2011.[34][35] "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.[36][37][38] An accompanying music video was directed and edited by Del Rey, assembled from video clips of skateboarders, cartoons, shots from old movies, and paparazzi footage of Paz de la Huerta falling down while intoxicated.[39] The music video was considered as the one that propelled the singer's online popularity.[39] The second single is the title track "Born to Die", it was released as a digital download on January 2, 2012.[40] The music video for it leaked on December 14, 2011,[41] and was based on a concept created by the singer, while being directed by Yoann Lemoine.[42] The music video received generally favorable reviews from contemporary critics.[43]

Track listing

No. Title Writer(s) Producer(s) Length
1. "Video Games"   Elizabeth Grant, Justin Parker RoboPop 4:46
2. "Blue Jeans"   Grant, Emile Haynie, Dan Heath RoboPop 3:42
3. "Born to Die"   Grant, Parker Justin Parker, RoboPop 4:46
4. "Diet Mountain Dew"       4:40
5. "Million Dollar Man"       4:30
6. "Radio"       3:57
7. "Summertime Sadness"       4:36
8. "Carmen"        
9. "Off to the Races"       5:04
10. "This Is What Makes Us Girls"       3:28
11. "Lolita"       3:43
12. "National Anthem"       3:15

Source:[44]

References

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Lana Del Rey
Studio albums
Born to Die
Singles
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