Lana Del Rey. Even her name sounds purely mysterious, and glamorous. Her Americana style and intriguing and refreshing blast-from-the-past type sound catches the attention of a listener immediately- regardless of whether it's a positive or negative reaction.
I've known about Lana for quite some time now, and initially had no interest in her. Her music came across as sleepy and dull, as I heard the opening tune of Born To Die. But I came back to her a short while ago, and found an appreciation for her musicality.
Firstly, not only does she write all of her own songs- she scores them as well. Meaning she doesn't just throw together a few simple chords and write a melody over lining them, she really puts thought and consideration into how her music is going to flow.
To elaborate on her investment in her music, she doesn't just see her songs as her defining appeal. She took into consideration her looks, and the way she carries herself. She even changed her name, all in the pursuit of artistry.
Lana has faced a large amount of criticism from her recent performance on Saturday Night Live. She performed her single "Video Games". Critics slammed her performance, making snide remarks regarding her "shaky vocals" and "lack of stage presence". In my opinion, Lana gave a remarkable performance on SNL that was near perfect. Yes, she just stands there and sings but that's all she needs to do. The girl relies on her talent, not flashy mechanisms to capture the interest of an audience. The problem with the music industry nowadays, is the likes of Katy Perry and Lady Gaga. Yes, they are talented and excellent performers. But they detract from what is actually important about the music industry; the music itself. Lana on the other hand, bases her talent purely on her musicality and not overtly in your face antics to keep all eyes on her.
What do you think about LDR? Do you think she's wonderful? Do you hate her? What do you think of her performance style? Leave a comment and share your opinion!
