Elle

In the meantime

Before it leaked, were there rumours that this was the type of song we should expect, or was everyone as stunned as I was?

She is unreasonably gorgeous

This week, Lana Del Rey's first major release, Born to Die, turns 3. Definitely the fans' favorite era, the album was promoted with eight singles, a big amount of beautiful videos that went incredibly viral on Tumblr, two tours, interviews, a re-release/EP, a short film and more. The album sold more than 5 million copies and it's still charting all around the world. It was met with mixed reviews from critics, but half of them were paying attention to Del Rey's personal life instead of the album itself. Now that we're in 2015, Born to Die is among Billboard's best albums of the decade (so far) and it is waiting for more magazines and half-decade lists to praise it just like it deserves.   "Born to Die", the album's second single is the perfect opener – sonically and thematically. You can hear the beautiful violins and loud trip hop beats while she's singing about a young girl fantasizing and trying to survive in a world of dangerous, drug addict men. The song peaked at No. 9 in the UK and its iconic video was an internet sensation. The first promo single and fan-favorite "Off to the Races" is a masterpiece in terms of production and lyrics. While the title track is slow and depressive, "Off to the Races" is a violent alt-hip hop song about an "old bad man" and her sick relationship with him. The lyrics are more than romantic or sexual – they express how maddening love can be. The story-teller "Blue Jeans" features one of the most interesting lyrics from the album. This aggressive trip hop/soft rock song was released as the third single, accompanied by two videos. The first one is a home-made vintage film while the second is a beautifully directed, black and white work of art with a deep meaning. "Blue Jeans" became a Top 40 hit in some Europe countries and it is, without a doubt, one of Lana's most memorable songs/videos. We need to take a moment to think about the perfection of "Video Games", the album's lead single. The mystery behind it and its iconic video. The Top 10 hit was the beginning of a worldwide star, the creation of something important. It was just a simple yet intriguing video, but the whole Internet was talking about it. The majestic melody, romantic lyrics and powerful chorus make "Video Games" her best ballad. Going back to the trip hop/alternative hip hop sound, "Diet Mountain Dew" is a sexy retro song about a pretty girl wondering if her love for this bad man will last forever. The fifth single, "National Anthem", was a commercial failure due its lack of airplay and performances. Its lyrics are clever and open to a big amount of interpretations. In the controversial, high-budget video, Lana plays Marilyn Monroe and Jacqueline Kennedy, while American rapper ASAP Rocky is JFK. It was named one of the best music videos of the decade. "Dark Paradise" was released as the sixth single in order to promote the album, its re-release and the Paradise Tour. Just like the rest of the album, "Dark Paradise" has a very melancholic and dramatic melody. Its music video never saw the light of the day. "Radio" is probably the only optimistic song on Born to Die. The lyrics discusses themes such as hard-working, fame and overcoming. With "Carmen", the second promo single, the album goes back to its dark sound – but this one is definitely the darkest. Del Rey sings about this 17-year old girl Carmen that everybody loves with soft and gloomy trip hop beats in the background. "You said I was the most exotic flower," is the opening line of the jazzy "Million Dollar Man". The fans love when Lana performs this song live – it's an even jazzier version and her vocals are almost always on point (and sometimes they're just funny). The worldwide hit, "Summertime Sadness" is the eleventh song on Born to Die, and the second co-written by the amazing Rick Nowels. The indie pop/trip hop/shoegazing ballad was a hit in Europe in 2012 – it reached the No. 1 spot in Poland and became the 21st best-selling single in the UK that year. In 2013, French DJ Cedric Gervais had his breakthrough with his first single; a Grammy-winning progressive house remix of Lana's "Summertime Sadness". Both the original version and the remix were Top 10 hits in North America, Oceania, South America and Europe. The last song on the standard edition of Born to Die is the rebellious "This Is What Makes Us Girls". The outro of the song is just an epic way to end this incredible album. The deluxe version includes the ballads "Without You" and "Lucky Ones" and the sexy "Lolita".  
VIDEOS
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
PHOTOSHOOTS/COVERS
 

 
What's your favorite song from Born to Die? Least favorite?
Favorite thing about this incredible moment for popular music?
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clGpZdf3bwY
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

My brother said she sounded "like a dying cat" when I first started listening to her.
A few months later I borrowed his iPod and found the album.
 
 
 

I actually really like the lyrics to this, makes me wish they were real 

Itoughtthechikenwaslovely.gif

I actually really like the lyrics to this, makes me wish they were real 

I actually really like the lyrics to this, makes me wish they were real 

In the meantime

Why am I not surprised @@Trash Magic started this thread?

Well lose the other half and we can worship you like a God in the sky

HONEYMOON POSTER

 

I wanted to do a poster for the upcoming album so I did using a very exclusive  image of Lana for L'Uomo by Francesco. Hope you like it as I do

 



 

(right click for bigger size if needed)

 

 

EDIT: Here's the original image  http://i.imgur.com/UEKEMVi.jpg

Yo I saw that ~Majic~ you did with C U L8r Alligator, just cut some parts out and experiment if you're up for it

@@BENTLEY
 
You drive up in a summer sky, blue bentley
Death reflect-tec-tecting in his eyes
Thought about all the women who loved me
I said, "oh no!"
He said, "get inside"
I said, "oh no!"
He said, "get inside"
I got into his summer sky, blue bentley Sun reflect-tec-tecting in my eyes Thought about all the fun I had lately I said, "Uh huh" I said "I want to drive" I said, "Uh huh I want, I want to drive" We drive, We drive You say you wanna go swimming in my ring It's green and shimmering Like my lipstick, the colour of dawn Like my lipstick, the colour of dawn We got out of his summer sky, blue bentley Death reflect-tec-tecting in the sky Held my hand to the ocean he lead me I said, "uh huh, I want, I want to die" "Uh huh, I want, I want to die."  
    WOW! I absolutely adore this. I can't stop replaying it - it has that jazz sound of hers I love. I also always adore her layered harmonies. So haunting and beautiful.

The film he described that she's created sounds amazing.. I would love to see Lana in something like that. She's so dramatic and was adoreable in Poolside, she would do great in something as such.

The new remix is beautiful! I've already had it on repeat now, like I do with most of your stellar remixes. You never fail to please
 
You should consider doing something for Bentley, I'd love ya forever

I second this

It's been mentioned upthread, but I had a free afternoon yesterday and watched all of this

 
It felt like it blew away lots of the cliches about her as a performer.

1.) Video Games - Live at Amoeba Music:

I really liked this performance because of her hair, and I really like the way she sings from 4:11-4:27. The crowd was seemed very intimate and nice, and it's so sweet how it looks like she's about to tear up from 4:30-4:35
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2.) National Anthem - Live at iTunes Festival:

Loved her voice here-especially the high notes and the low musky notes  . Also love how it's a more quiet performance (less instruments, can hear her voice more clearly.) Of course I love the other National Performances with the full band too.
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3.) Body Electric - Live in Istanbul:

REALLY liked her dress and flower crown here, and her legs look stunning as usual   . Great performance, and I love 2:07-2:19 where she grinds on the pole and is still able to keep her voice really high until 2:19
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4.) Born To Die - Live in Vancouver:

The way she sang Born To Die was interesting to me, it reminded me somewhat of her Born To Die Coachella Performance (Weekend 2). I was also this concert and it was perfect because it was raining while she was performing. I definitely felt the energy when she sang "let me fuck you hard in the pouring rain" while it rained  .
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5.) Cola - Live in Prague:

Love her dress in this one as well, such a nice color with her hair  . This is one of my favorite performances of Cola, specificially around 3:55-4:05 when she does her high notes  . Her performance of Cola in Olympia, Paris was similar to this one I thought, and some notes were stronger in Prague and others were stronger in Olympia.
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For the sake of touring and live performances, I appreciate that Lana doesn't feature others in her songs. I like that Lana can deliver 100% of the song live than have 50% of the live performance lost to a recording from the other artist who would not be available to perform live on Lana's tour.
 
Hope that made sense.

The film he described that she's created sounds amazing.. I would love to see Lana in something like that. She's so dramatic and was adoreable in Poolside, she would do great in something as such.

In the meantime

In the meantime

that vine tho