Member of the Month (March/April): Anthem

[Sitar 22,171]

The time has come! This is always much easier to accomplish than I convince myself, I really should do them sooner...Anyway. It's Anthem time! Always exciting getting some new-gen LanaBoarders who seem to be widely appreciated in on this practice and let them join the great fraternity of members who resent me for my procrastination (but no longer @@Bekim for his sidebar stealing, thx admin!). Preauxceed with praising her (HER! a girl! wtf!).

 

Member of the Month (March/April): Anthem

 

What did you do on the day you answered this questionnaire?
I went to class, then met with some people to talk about graduate school, tried and failed miserably to print an AKA digipak, and now I am home making lunch. Hopefully going to do something fun tonight with my friends as today starts my spring break.

 

SH: Boy am I glad that spring break is still conceivably happening and you didn't answer anything too date-specific...But my procrastination is just a cute quirk of this tradition, right?
 
What's something not many people know about you or that we would be surprised to learn about?
Well I don't really think you all know much about me so this whole questionnaire will probably be a surprise for you guys.

 

Oh but since I decide not to post a picture and given the typical demographic of a LB user I feel like I should clarify that I am a straight girl. 

 

SH: And she skipped the selfie question #catfish
 
What are your hobbies or passions?
I have a few. I love finances and helping people out with them. I volunteer at a clinic that helps out individuals in the community with their financial problems. I also really enjoy goofing off with photoshop and making fan art or banners or whatever. I want to learn how to build nice looking websites one day. I am also really interested in social media as I honestly have only used Facebook in the past, so Twitter and Tumblr are so interesting. Beyond that, I love music and will hopefully one day be a singer. I am taking the spring to work on my voice with classes and write, and hopefully in the summer will have something to share. I'm self teaching myself guitar and piano as well.
 
What is your favorite memory?
Hmm this is tough. I'll go the safe/boring route and say when I saw Lana in concert. It was so surreal seeing a person who has been such an inspiration to you and that you had only seen in videos and pictures before right in front of you. I got a little starstruck to be honest. I can't wait to see her again this summer and hopefully she stays after the show again because last time I didn't wait and I regret it. Other favorite memories is just cheesy stuff with my boyfriend - I won't bore you guys.

 

SH: Anthem so far - 1) Doesn't post a picture. 2) Vaguely hints at personal autobiography. 3) Is K...?
 
Lana's junior and high school years have been rather chaotic from what we know. How were/are yours?
They were lonely to be honest. I had no real friends in middle school so out of desparation for companionship I got mixed up with a rough crowd my freshman year. I almost made some very poor decisions, but I moved away and met some much better people from Sophomore year on. Though I always talked to people in class, I never really made a close friend until my senior year. I was very closed off, scared of putting myself out there out of fear of rejection, so I just went to school and came home every day. I think I well wasted that part of my life but I don’t dwell on it too badly anymore.

 

SH: 4) Or is literally Lana.
   
Who is the person you admire most and why?
My dad actually. He gave up pretty much everything to be a good father to myself and my sister and its something I could never pay back or stop being appreciative for. He is the reason I didn't make some really awful decisions a long time ago and is always so supportive of me no matter what I choose to do.

 

SH: Daddy...The pieces are coming together.
 
Do you have a LanaBoards BFF?
I'm not sure I have one specific BFF, but some people I've enjoyed talking with/reading their posts would be @@ilovetati @@longtimeman @@PinUpCartoonBaby @Heartcore. I also really connect with a lot of @@Electric Body's posts and I just think @@BENTLEY is really cool too. I have tons more I could name but for the sake of not having a huge list I'll stop here. I find most people on LB pretty cool and am glad I joined and can interact with y'all.
 
Drag me (SitarHero).
Why the actual fuck do you make this awkward ass demand every month. Is this some reverse-psychology bullshit where dragging you is supposed to make me feel better about myself? Well I don't need you telling me what do to or using me for your weird ass psychological experiments. As if you are relevant enough to even have an opinion about.

..........   Dude I tried.  

 

SH: I am satisfying everyone's secret desire to think about me for 5+ seconds, seethe!

 
If your balls were a celebrity couple, who would they be?
If it counts, Hermione and Ron. They don't exist but if they did they'd be magic.
 

SH: mic DROP

 

When did you become a fan of Lana? What was it about her that attracted you to her?
February 19th, 2012. A friend of mine had always called me Lana (lay-nuh) as a nickname. She messaged me one day joking that a singer had "stole" my name. I looked Lana up and found the Born to Die video first. I played it on repeat. It was just so different to anything I had heard before (I used to listen to literally just top 40 bullshit) and the visuals for it were mesmerizing. I found Blue Jeans and Video Games next and then started my first ever celebrity obsession. I don't know why I love almost every song she has ever made, maybe its her voice, but I know she won't ever put out anything I don't like even a little.

(My friend doesn't call me Lana anymore because it would make me feel like some weird poser even though its pronounced different. So yeah in the end Lana kind of did steal my name haha)
 
Which Lana album is your favorite: Ultraviolence, Paradise, Born to Die, Lana Del Ray AKA Lizzy Grant, Sirens, or From the End/Quiet Now?
I can't decide between Paradise and Lana Del Ray, I love them both so much. I'd put UV and BTD on the same level as well, and I don't like May Jailer stuff that much.

 

SH: idt anyone has ever answered Sirens lmaoo
 
Favorite Lana song? Why?
Yayo. Its so hypnotic, especially the AKA version. I have recently gained a new enjoyment out of the Paradise version too though not as much as the AKA, and the acoustic. There is something so mysterious about it and I love some of the imagery. The bridge has my favorite Lana lyric as well. Some others worth noting are Cola, Angels Forever, Daytona Meth, National Anthem, Born to Die, and Summertime Sadness.
 
Least favorite Lana song? Why?
So hard to say. I just don't like songs where I see a ton of missed potential, like Big Eyes.
 
If given the opportunity to meet Lana for an hour, what would you do/say?
I'd really want to hear more about her time in Brooklyn and ask about some of the gaps in her timeline that we know, if she would want to talk about it. Since I'm from the south myself, I'd love to know if she really lived in Alabama and how she liked it there if she did. I would want to know more about her musical process too and how she writes and gets inspired for her lyrics and visuals. Finally, I'd reassure her that she is very talented and not to take any of the crazy stuff people say about her to heart because I feel like she doesn't deserve all the crap people give her. I'm sure she knows but she also a frail ego at times so I'm sure she'd love to hear it either way.
 
Would you rather love and be loved or know all God knows?
Love and be loved. There is no other feeling like knowing you are 100% truly loved by another person.

 

SH: Me and @@evilentity
 
Has Lana affected your everyday life in any way?
Yes. She is one of my biggest inspirations for wanting to get into music which has literally taken over my brain lately. Also, she was the "gateway" so to speak for me really finding my true musical taste, which has been very important.
 
Of all the unreleased videos and songs we have knowledge of, what do you thirst for most?
To be honest, I think they are all laptop demos or really rough versions so I'm not thirsting for much. I don't care about more versions of the same song either because in the end its still the same song. I'd almost rather never hear a song like Roses than have it and it be bad or weird. I'd be more interested in the PWYC video or even just hearing the idea Lana had for a Black Beauty video.

 

But y'know, those Paradise instrumentals would be nice, specifically Cola. Or the AFFA/Hollywood/etc group's instrumentals too.

 
What is the best part of being a Lana fan? The worst?
Well the best part is knowing I have great music to listen to all the time. If she steps up her video game (lol) I know she can create some more beautiful things in the future. Also, in some ways I just really relate to her, though everyone says that. But its really rare for me to connect with a person so to me it is special.

The worst is watching someone you admire and are a fan of get needlessly torn down all the time. And the constant fear that maybe it will all get too much for her and she will stop making music one day or continue to be so uninspired.
 
What is your favorite Jackson Novem song?
I haven't listened to Jack's songs in a while so I can't say. I know he did a cover of PWYC that was pretty good so maybe that?

 

SH: Wow stan! #jacktakeover
 
Who are your favorite artists?
Lana, Marina and the Diamonds, Pink Floyd, and Mazzy Star. 
 
What is your favorite movie? Book? Song?
Movie - Drive, Perdues dans New York, The Last Unicorn
Book - It by Stephen King
Song - Into Dust by Mazzy Star, Yayo, and a cheesy 80s song that reminds me of my dad being there for me during a rough time

 

SH: I'm assuming you mean this masterpiece!

 
What was the last book you read?
A songwriting book by Jimmy Webb. The last novel I tried to read was A Tale of Two Cities and I lost interest after a while. I just can't read novels like I used to and it makes me sad.
 
Recommend us a song that we just have to listen to!
I listen to like the same songs all the time so you should recommend something for me I like dark and dreamy.

Can't go wrong listening to Among My Swan by Mazzy Star (that’s an album, not a song), and as pretentious as it sounds I recommend Pink Floyd to all. There is a reason their albums are loved so much even after all this time. Dark Side Of The Moon is essential and Wish You Were Here is my all time favorite album. They are very dark and atmospheric and should be listened to by the album, not just one song.

For a song, Lykke Li and David Lynch's "I'm Waiting Here" is my most recent "gem" that might sit well with you all.

 

SH: Buy Too Bright by Perfume Genius
 
If you ever became a musician, what would you make your stage name?
I think my name, Alayna, might be unique enough to work, though some country singer is trying to use it at the moment. It would depend on if I were in a band or solo. Anthem has almost become an identity to me, so I might consider using it in a stage name/band name.
 
What comes after “Lana Del Rey” in your music library?
Lykke Li
 
Put your iPod/music library on shuffle and tell us which 10 songs are played. Don't skip, don't cheat!
I'm God - Clams Casino
Holocene - Bon Iver
Gramma - Lana Del Rey
Off to the Races - Lana Del Rey
505 - Arctic Monkeys
Blue - Marina and the Diamonds
Valley of Sadness - Lana and Marina mashup
Devotion - Kitten
Obsessions - Marina and the Diamonds
Why I Wait - Kitten

I did do this twice because the first time was like 6 Lana songs in a row and then a few of Marina's I just got a new computer and pretty much just have Lana/Marina and a few others.

Do you hate anyone? If so, why?
Nope. To hate someone you have to put energy into it and I have too much stuff to worry about in my life to actively dislike another person. I let people I don't like do what they do and don't worry about it. They are the ones that will have to live with it.
 
What are the small things in life that make you as happy as a clam?
That feeling of accomplishment when you actually get things done on your to-do list instead of procrastinating three weeks on it.

 

SH: Shade @ my MOTM tactics wow...
 
What is a characteristic / trait you see in others that you wish you had?
Being open about who I am at the core. I'm still scared of really being me sometimes and its frustrating. I find people on LB really inspirational as far as being a good example of showing themselves, so thanks for that guys.
 
What are your pet peeves or deal-breakers when it comes to friends/relationships?
Being overly selfish or rude to other people.
 
What would you say is your favorite physical trait + personality trait in potential partner?
I've never been too picky on physical traits as long as the guy is clean and hasn't let himself go too much as far as weight. I like a handsome smile though. For personality, I think being very rational and willing to call me out when I do stupid things is important. And showing lots of affection.

do u like pies
yas
 
what is ur favourite kind of pie
Pumpkin Cheescake and Key Lime
 
BONUS: Is there anything you'd like to tell the community of LanaBoards?
Thanks guys for being such a great community. There isn't a single one of you I don't like to some extent and I really have enjoyed getting to talk to such a diverse and outspoken group (compared to the people I interact with on a regular basis). You are all awesome 

 

[lmdr 9,894]

Interesting - luv it Xx

[Anthem 1,556]

I got excited for half a second when I saw the sidebar thinking Lana gave an exciting interview or something. 

 

 

 I love the commentary btw. 

[HEARTCORE 18,829]

i loved this + ily anthem

[longtimeman 7,914]

A great interview with a cool person! congrats, and thanks for the shoutout

[Subversive 2,213]

Anthem you're so lovely   

[PARADIXO 31,446]

I got excited for half a second when I saw the sidebar thinking Lana gave an exciting interview or something. 

SAME LMAOOOO

 

Great interview

[Anthem 1,556]

You all are too sweet! 

[Sitar 22,171]

I got excited for half a second when I saw the sidebar thinking Lana gave an exciting interview or something. 

 

 

 I love the commentary btw. 

 

Didn't she? #ontoyou

[BENTLEY 3,492]

Aw, that was nice. Thanks for the mention. Love you

[FKAbrandon 388]

Sweet interview.

I like pies too