Music Del Rey: Meet 13 curiosities of “Born to Die”, which turns 13

The birthday candles are lit. At least at the table of Lana Del Rey – And the artist’s numerous fans. The reason is the celebration of the 13 years of Born to Diealbum released on January 27, 2012.

With hits like “Video Games”, “Summertime Sadness” and the title track “Born to Die”the album represents not only a milestone in the singer’s career, but a true transformation in pop music.

Known for the aesthetics that explores nostalgia and melancholy, dreams and frustrations, Born to Die brought to the genre elements of classical, electronic and hip-hop music. The album is full of references, had a special help and was cited as inspiration by big names in contemporary music. Next, know details and curiosities about Born to Die.

13 Curiosities about Born to Die, by Lana Del Rey

1. Premiere of Lana Del Rey

Released in 2012, Born to Die It was New York’s first album Elizabeth Woolridge Grant as Lana Del Rey. Before that, the artist had produced other projects using different names. This is the case, for example, Sirens – Under the pseudonym May Jailer – and Lana Del Ray Aka Lizzy Grant – Signed as Lizzy Grant.

Name Lana Del Rey It was thought to value the artistic identity that the singer sought. “Lana” was chosen inspired by the actress Lana Turnerone of the muses of classic Hollywood cinema; The “del Rey” complement came from the Ford car model as a way to evoke luxury and sophistication. This choice not only reflected in the aesthetic style of the album, but also helped her create a brand around her image.

2. The American dream (and sadness)

Born to Die was described by Lana Del Rey like a sadcore About Hollywood. In this way, the servant addresses themes that mix the nostalgia and style of the 1950s in a melancholy and somewhat frustrated sound environment.

There is always a melancholy in me. This feeling has been accompanying me all their lives. But I do not suffer. I prefer to say that I learned to get along with my sadness. The memory of these years inspires my songs now, “the singer told Spiegel.

There is also room to question the famous American dream and the insatiable search for success and prosperity. One example is the track “National Anthem”who talks about love and power with direct references to historical figures like the president John F. Kennedy and your wife Jacquelinerepresenting the glamor and the superficial perfection that the American dream projects.

The music video, which mixes elements of fiction and reality, has been acclaimed by its visual representation of inequality and materialism, showing that reality is not as perfect as history tries to make it look and suggesting that behind brilliance and glamor Great existential crisis.

3. Unpline single

The first taste the fans had to Born to Die It was in 2011 with the release of the song “Video Games”. The song is accompanied by a clip directed and edited by the singer herself with scenes filmed by computer and old videos taken from the internet.

Lana revealed that initially she had not planned to launch “Video Games” as a single. However, she and the label realized the positive reception of the public:

“I started to publicize the song because it was my favorite. To be honest, it would not be single, but people really understood the song,” he told the The Guardian at the time.

4. Support from The Weeknd

If today Lana Del Rey It is one of the most influential names in the world of music, at the beginning the artist had to run after recognition. And she had a little help from Abel Tesfayeno one else, none other than The Weeknd.

After the launch of “Video Games” On Youtube, the musician helped promote music. He posted the clip on his account at Tumblr for 11 consecutive days and ended up bridging a radio DJ BBC to know and play the track daily.

Friendship gave fruit. The first of them in 2015, when the two gathered for the recording of “Prisoner”launched by The Weekend on the album Beauty Behind The Madness.

5. Complements

The original version of Born to Die brought 12 tracks, being “Video Games” and “Born to Die” released as singles before the album. The album still gained complements over time.

The Deluxe version brought three more songs: “Without You”, “Lolita” and “Lucky Ones”. The special version Born to Die: The Paradise Edition added eight new songs, which were also released separately on EP Paradise in November 2012.

In 2013, Lana still launched the short film Tropic with the songs “Body Electric”, “Gods & Monsters” and “Bel Air”.

6. References to Lolita

Among the many references that Lana Del Rey brings in Born to Dieone of the main is Lolitaa 1955 novel written by the Russian American Vladimir Nabokov. The protagonist of the story is Humbert Humberta teacher of French literature who feels an obsessive passion for Dolores Haze, Lolita12 years old.

The most explicit reference is the song “Lolita”which addresses topics such as seduction, manipulation and desire. But it doesn’t stop there. In the track “Off to the Races”the artist sings “Light of My Life, Fire of My Loins” [luz da minha vida, labareda em minha carne]first sentence of the book.

There is still the verse “Gimme Them Gold Coins, Gimme Them Coins” [me dê aquelas moedas de ouro, me dê aquelas moedas]a reference to the coins that Humbert Give Lolita in the novel. Lana’s passion for the book is so much that she has the name “Nabokov” tattooed in one arms.

7. Lou Reed and the feat that almost happened

Still in the theme of references, Lana sample “Come and take a walk on the Wild Side” [venha dar um passeio pelo lado selvagem] in “Born to Die”. The verse was inspired by the song Walk on the Wild Side, released by Lou Reed on the album Transformer (1972).

The artist’s relationship with the musician has another curious chapter: Lana Del Rey invited Lou Reed for a track collaboration “Brooklyn Baby”released by her in 2014 on the album Ultraviolence. Reed accepted the invitation. However, the day they would be, he died as a result of a liver disease.

8. Legion of producers

The production of Born to Die It is signed by names like PATRIK BERGER, Jeff Bhasker, Chris Braide, Emile Haynie, Justin Parker, Rick Nowels, Daniel Omelio and Al shux. Although Haynie – Famous for the works with Eminem and Bruno Mars – Be one of the main, the mix of visions was designed to have the album have different nuances.

This was this charcoal to incorporate the elements of classical, electronic and hip-hop music that give the album a unique identity. Another important detail is that Born to Die It brings many references to American culture, more specifically from New York, but the production was completed in London.

9. Iconic cover

The cover of Born to Die he brought Lana Del Rey with a look described simultaneously as confident and vulnerable. Taken by Nicole Nodlandthe photo was built to evoke the feeling of glamor and decay that Lana It addresses over the tracks.

The image is visually inspired by photos of large Hollywood icons of the 1950s, as Marilyn Monroewho lived a prosperous life, but also marked by pain and early death.

10.

Despite the success and popularity of Born to Diethe album was not unanimously received by critics. While some experts praised the originality and complexity of the disc, others were more skeptical, accusing Lana To be another artist of “manufactured image”, an analysis full of machismo.

In the reviewer Metacriticfor example, the disc received an average of 62 points (on a scale that goes up to 100). Over time – and the commercial success of Lana Del Rey – Vision became different. A flagrant example is the site Pitchforkwhich evaluated Born to Die With grade 5.5 at the time of launch, but years later revised the evaluation to 7.8.

11. Billie Eilish’s influence and compliments

If in the world of criticism the reactions were less friendly, in the world of artists Born to Die It’s a milestone. Known for transforming the pop that came after it, the album made room for themes such as loneliness, sadness and suffering that were approached otherwise in music.

The impact of the disk is size that was cited as one of the most important by Billie Eilish.

Born to Die (2012) of my girl Lana. I feel that this album changed the music and especially changed music to girls and the potential of what is possible, “said the artist.

She also cited Born to Die as one of the inspirations for Hit me hard and soft (2024)

12. Commercial success

After 13 years of launch, the commercial success of Born to Die It is even more evident. The album became the first debut work of a female artist to stay for over 400 weeks on the trendy list Billboard 200of the best selling albums in the US.

Born to Die It also accumulates several success certificates around the planet, including platinum certificate in the United States and Brazil, as well as a triple platinum in the United Kingdom.

With over 19.5 million copies, the album is also among the 40 female albums with the most sales in history

13. New horizons for pop

In the midst of so much success and influence, Born to Die He left a great legacy, especially for pop music. As it did not fit exactly in the labels of the mainstreamthe mix of classic, orchestral and electronic elements, along with introspective and dark letters, helped define what many called “alternative pop” in the early 2010s.

Lana It did not follow the typical trends, but created a formula of its own that would be followed by many artists who would come later, as Lord, Halsey and the one already mentioned Billie Eilish.

The “tragic glamor” also became one of the trademarks of Lanareflecting that luxury is not just a matter of wealth, but a reflection of the emotional pain that accompanies fame.

Unlike other artists who celebrate wealth and status, Lana It puts these themes in a context of destruction and vulnerability, making glamor to become ephemeral and often futile. Always from an intimate perspective that makes it more real or “people like us.”

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