Lana Del Rey

Vocalist Lana Del Rey makes atmospheric, orchestral, retro-'60s-sounding pop that showcases her torchy image and sensuous singing style. A native of Lake Placid, New York, Del Rey released the single "Kill Kill" under her given name, Lizzy Grant, in 2009 before remaking herself into the pop femme fatale character Lana Del Rey. A video for the single "Video Games" appeared online in August of 2011 and drew considerable buzz, as did a secret show she performed at Brooklyn's Grasslands Gallery that September. Del Rey's EP, featuring the songs "Video Games" and "Blue Jeans," was released in fall 2011. Amidst a heavy dose of hype, her debut album Born to Die was announced by Interscope for release early the following year. Del Rey cemented the anticipation around the album with an appearance on Saturday Night Live, becoming the first artist since Natalie Imbruglia in 1998 to perform on the show before the release of her debut album. Born to Die hit number one in several European countries, reached number two on the U.S. charts, and eventually sold several million copies worldwide. By the end of 2012, Del Rey had released her next work, a mini-album titled Paradise, with a trailer single called "Ride." ~ Matt Collar, Rovi