Quentin

LANA DEL REY
These boots are made for running

Why let herself lock up in a role when you can be the master of the scenario ? Yet almost anonymous, the American Lizzy Grant, 24, has not taken the risk and already presents herself as the "gangsta Nancy Sinatra".

In its character of Lana Del Rey, she puts in scene her fatal beauty, sticks a sulky pout and directs her watery eyes towards the camera, tragic actress irresistible for her clip Video Games. Archive footage dating sometimes of yesterday, punctuated by explosions on Playstation, we finds there the paradoxes of our generation, which she says condemned. Her voice is sublimated by a harp, the melody and the voice are soft and oppressive: she's like a distraught girl squeezing too hard the neck of her lover. Character almost worthy of a Lynch film, with all the cliches that implies, she dreams of being an heroine of film noir and has found the perfect trailer for her album in preparation.
It could be a blockbuster, unless she reaches actually nothing and join the ranks of disillusioned pop stars. But I wanted to interview her no matter what happens, while she is only at the beginning of this career, almost as if I had been able to discuss with Britney before with her two braids and her open blouse becomes a generational icon. I hear fatty laughters resounding thus far, the laughters of guys who, on the contrary, are on knees in front of Tyler The Creator because he understood everything about life. But while Tyler invents bitches by drinking whey in the living room of his mum, Lana Del Rey makes an open letter to the torturers of her heart, as on the most R'n'B Diet Mtn Dew. Even if she has a jazz formation, consciously or not, the big sisters Nancy, Nico, Britney, Nina, Madonna, Beyonce, Aaliyah watch. Like a queen of the bees, she surrounds herself well : her producer has worked with the Strokes, Regina Spektor... She has already two managers at her boots, it's to them that I spoke to contact their protected. Now based in London, she answer for the moment to interviews only by email. It wasn't the interview of the century, nor a discussion between friends on MSN, just an interview that she was perhaps trained to respond since her adolescence, waiting her time.

Hello Lana, are you real ?
Yes, I am as real as we can be. I'm one of those millions of girls living the dark side of the American dream. I like cars, bad boys and good music.
 

The songs that you put online so far are love stories of a morbid sadness. Do you sometimes feel grateful to all those boys that break your heart and inspire you ?
No, they do not deserve the least embrace, nor least pity. Although some of them should still be credited for all the tortured lyrics they inspire me.
 

Originally you are a jazz singer ; why this new direction rather pop and R'n'B ?
I did not make consciously the decision to go to a register more street. The inspiration for my first record, which I recorded with the producer David Khane, came to me from places where I evolved and from the boys who pleased me. All that transposed in a cinematographic style, that could serve as a soundtrack for a film noir. I lived in the Bronx during four years and later in Brooklyn, so I bathed in hip hop, and the heavy beats on this album came naturally.
 

Pop stars nowadays can still pretend to be icons ?
The only thing that pop stars make well today, it's to perpetuate the heritage of the celebrity. I believe in the power of elevating people to the rank of icons, and even living gods, if they deserve it. Elvis deserved it, he was by nature of a disturbing cool.
 

What expectations you had on Britney's new album ?
In my opinion she can not fail, she's the only real female pop star, and I'm sure she really believes in what she sings. She is driven in her own Hollywood tragedy, and it's beautiful to watch.
 

How would you describe our generation ?
Condemned.
 

If you're the new Nancy Sinatra, then who's your Lee Hazlewood ?
Reeve Carney (this guy is starring at the moment in Broadway in the role of Spiderman, note)
 

Who currently works on your album ?
Many people : movie composers with a classical formation, and hip-hop producers. The perfect mix to attain an ideal beauty.
 

Is that really you that play the harp in Video Games ?
I am afraid not, honey : it's Robopop.
 

This video is breathtaking, where does this dramatic side come from ?
I was surprised by all the attention it has received. I am a very dramatic girl. I live for the drama in all its splendor. This includes music, videos, my loves : if it's not epic, it's not worth it.

Interview "First times" : Lana Del Rey

We chatted with the pop sensation the most coveted of this second half of 2011. First time interview with Lana Del Rey.

A video emerges on the first July on the internet and sets ablaze the music world's in a few days. It is "Video Games" of Lana Del Rey, we've already spoken of her a bunch of times. A couple of months later, the phenomenon incredibly swelled up, the haters unearthed everything they could to thwart her rise in power, while Lizzy Grant (her real name) bump on her debut album (scheduled to March 2012).

While she began her first tour (it will pass to the Casino on November 7th) and is about to shoot a new clip under the direction of the frenchy Yoann Lemoine (aka Woodkid), we were able to speak with her to approach her first times.

First life before Lana Del Rey ?
I was born in Manhattan but I grew in Lake Placid in the north of the state of New York. A very calm city in the countryside, of something like 2000 habitants. I remained there until my 14 years then I left to change school.
 

Because you were bored ?
Not because I was bored no, rather because I had put myself in troubles ! I went out every nights, my parents ended up by sending me to a private school.
 

First musical memories ?
My father (Rob Grant, a real estate broker who made his fortune later in the business of internet domain names, note) very often put the Beach Boys in his Ford Thunderbird. I also used to sing with my mom. My two parents sing.
 

First record bought ?
Are you sure you want to know ? (laughs) It was a cassette single "Gangsta's Paradise" by Coolio ! It was a good song !

First concert ticket bought ?
I think I never really went to a concert... I know it sounds weird... I'll see my friends play in the city, but I've never been to a real show of someone famous. I think it's mainly because I had no money. Now I should be able to go without paying...

First job ?
I was a waitress in Lake Placid from my 15 years in a restaurant. I did that until my 20 years almost. It was in a steakhouse. I rather liked that I believe, I was a very good waitress ! If my career stops, I could get back to serve pancakes in the morning with a big smile.

First bender ?
I was fourteen, in the woods of Lake Placid. It did not end too badly that night. I had the impression of reaching the paradise. It became a problem only slightly later (laughs).

First steps into music ?
I also didn't know what I wanted, if it is not sing. I began surveying the "open mic" evenings (free scenes where everyone can participate) in New York during which you can get on stage to sing a single song. I participated to a songwriting contest then in Brooklyn. And I did not win, but one of the judges was working for an indie label and I ended up signing with them, 5 Points Records. Lastly I was their only artist, at the time.
 

First song released ?
It was an EP released in 2009 called Kill Kill and which contained the song of the same name as well as two other songs, "Yayo" and "Gramma (Blue Ribbon Sparkler Trailer Heaven)".

It was a good first experience ?
It was pretty strange. I worked with incredible people (including producer David Kahne, who has worked with Paul McCartney, The Strokes, The Bangle...) who thought I was good, it has finally validated my idea of music. Then my first album was forgotten on a shelf even before its release. It was finally released, but only for three months before being removed. It was quite difficult, I was proud of this record, but apparently that did not go.
So I continued to make music alone in my corner and I signed on my new label only four weeks ago (Stranger Records releases its first double single, Polydor will release the album in France) ! It was a long and difficult journey, but it looks like things are getting a little easier for me right now.
 

First show performed ?
I was about 18 years old, a guy from one of the open scenes proposed me to open his concert the next day. I took my guitar and played about thirty minutes, at Layla Lounge in Williamsburg. It was strange, my music was dark, a little jazzy, that did not go at all with the rest of the evening. However people listened to me religiously and I said myself that I maybe held something.
 

Do you remember your first interview ?
Yes I remember ! It was for Index Magazine. What is quite funny is that the second interview took about three years to arrive !
 

Do you remember the first time where you said yourself that you had the possibility of making a real career ?
When David Kahne wanted to work with me. We had sent via my label my demos to five different producers and he had called me. In the United States it's a big name, he made unbelievable records with unbelievable groups. Therefore I told myself that I could have my little career, make music that I like and turn across Europe.
 

And the first time when the buzz around you scared you ?
Two or three months ago I became very nervous to what was happening because I didn't understand very well. Since I had spent so long to do these new songs I hoped that people would start to like them. But I did not expect such strong reactions. And to an amount of people who violently hated my music. I did not sign up for this. I thought I would have preferred not having a career at all rather than have to meet such hard oppositions. Build his career is already hard enough.
 

You understood the controversy that has swollen ?
To be honest I'm still confused about this. People are starting to say that I have changed, that there's a big machine behind me while I repeat, I signed my deal with a label only four weeks ago and I still do the same kind of music, trying to make it as beautiful as possible. "Video Games" was my favorite song but it's long and very personal, I did not think people would like it so much. Especially since my first album was also like that, so I didn't understand why people started to love when they weren't paying attention to the previous record.
 

First people to whom you turn to have an opinion on your music ?
My lawyer (laughs) ! He is also one of my managers, so he knows about music. And my managers are primarily my friends, I love them, it seems logical to turn to them.

First big mistake in your career ?
It's hard to say. I know that I made a mistake but I don't know where. If all goes well now, I have the impression that the road has been hard. But I always did the music I wanted to do. But I feel that I made the wrong choice at a one time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtGXW3kqdnMhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RDdsWm3uRU