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Life is NOT about finding yourself.
It's about creating - and reinventing yourself.
{Short Thread}: How Elizabeth Woolridge Grant became Lana Del Rey
It's about creating - and reinventing yourself.
{Short Thread}: How Elizabeth Woolridge Grant became Lana Del Rey
Lana Del Rey's father was a copywriter.
Her mother was an account executive at the same agency.
The family moved from NYC to Lake Placid when she was one.
When she was 15 her parents sent her to a Connecticut prep school to "resolve" a drinking problem.
Her mother was an account executive at the same agency.
The family moved from NYC to Lake Placid when she was one.
When she was 15 her parents sent her to a Connecticut prep school to "resolve" a drinking problem.
She was an anxious teen.
"When I was very young I had a sort of a philosophical crisis. I couldn’t believe that we were mortal. For some reason that knowledge sort of overshadowed my experience. I was unhappy for some time. I got into a lot of trouble. I used to drink a lot."
"When I was very young I had a sort of a philosophical crisis. I couldn’t believe that we were mortal. For some reason that knowledge sort of overshadowed my experience. I was unhappy for some time. I got into a lot of trouble. I used to drink a lot."
Between high school and college, she waited tables while her uncle taught her guitar.
Soon enough she was writing her own songs. And she performed them in nightclubs.
In her early days, she went by "Sparkle Jump Rope Queen" and "Lizzy Grant and the Phenomena.
Soon enough she was writing her own songs. And she performed them in nightclubs.
In her early days, she went by "Sparkle Jump Rope Queen" and "Lizzy Grant and the Phenomena.
At 19 she enrolled at Fordham University. She majored in philosophy, with an emphasis on metaphysics because it
"bridged the gap between God and science... I was interested in God and how technology could bring us closer to finding out where we came from and why."
"bridged the gap between God and science... I was interested in God and how technology could bring us closer to finding out where we came from and why."
While in college, she recorded two albums as May Jailer.
She ended up meeting the influential people from record labels before she graduated.
She ended up meeting the influential people from record labels before she graduated.
"When she first came to us, she was playing plunky little acoustic guitar, [had] sort of straight blonde hair, very cute young woman.
A little bit dark, but very intelligent. We heard that. But she very quickly kept evolving."
A little bit dark, but very intelligent. We heard that. But she very quickly kept evolving."
After graduation she released a three-track EP as Lizzy Grant.
Meanwhile, Del Rey was working a day-job in the non-profit world. She was doing community outreach for the homeless and addicts.
Meanwhile, Del Rey was working a day-job in the non-profit world. She was doing community outreach for the homeless and addicts.
When asked about her decision to reinvent herself as Lana Del Rey, she said
"I wanted a name I could shape the music towards. I was going to Miami a lot. Lana Del Rey reminded us of the glamour of the seaside.
It sounded gorgeous coming off the tip of the tongue."
"I wanted a name I could shape the music towards. I was going to Miami a lot. Lana Del Rey reminded us of the glamour of the seaside.
It sounded gorgeous coming off the tip of the tongue."
Her self-titled debut album was under Lana Del Ray (as opposed to Rey).
Her copywriter dad helped with marketing.
Lana met met her managers 3 months after Lana Del Ray was released.
They helped her get out of her current record contract where "nothing was happening."
Her copywriter dad helped with marketing.
Lana met met her managers 3 months after Lana Del Ray was released.
They helped her get out of her current record contract where "nothing was happening."
In 2011 she uploaded self-made music videos on YouTube.
These has a unique look and feel, from a combination of vintage footage mixed with her singing on a webcam.
The "Video Games" video ended up going viral.
This is what led her to sign a deal with two major record labels.
These has a unique look and feel, from a combination of vintage footage mixed with her singing on a webcam.
The "Video Games" video ended up going viral.
This is what led her to sign a deal with two major record labels.
Del Rey performed two songs on SNL in January 2012.
She received a bad press and moans from the public.
People said the performance uneven and vocally shaky.
She received a bad press and moans from the public.
People said the performance uneven and vocally shaky.
2 weeks later her album Born to Die was released. It reached #1 in 11 countries.
Born to Die was the 5th-best-selling album of 2012, selling 3.4 million units.
Still, critics were divided.
Born to Die was the 5th-best-selling album of 2012, selling 3.4 million units.
Still, critics were divided.
Lesson: You'll never please everyone. So do your thing. Don't be afraid to fail and iterate. Success is found in failure
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