Marina and the Diamonds is a pop singer and songwriter. She is know for the fictional character "Electra Heart" and for her dreamy, retro style and analytical songs.
Marina and the Diamonds Biography
Marina Lambrini Diamandis, known by the stage name Marina and the Diamonds is a Welsh singer and songwriter. Her indie pop debut album, The Family Jewels (2010) was a local success. However, what really brought Marina stardom was the second album, Electra Heart (2012), which topped the UK charts and reached number 2 on the US Dance charts. Furthermore, Froot, which came out in 2015, continued the singer’s success streak with a top ten entry on the Billboard 200. In 2016, Marina began working on her fourth album.
Early Career & The Family Jewels
Marina herself described her childhood as “simple, idyllic, peaceful, very normal, poor”. She discovered her talent while in school and became obsessed with being a singer. Additionally, she was a talented writer and pursued songwriting at the age of 18. She went to two colleges in London but neither of them suited her. After numerous failed auditions, she created her stage name and started composing by herself. In 2007 she posted her debut EP Mermaid vs. Sailor on Myspace, to critical acclaim.
In 2009 she released her debut single, Obsessions and performed at various festivals. Furthermore, she released Mowgli’s Road. It gained a lot of attention due to being shared by Perez Hilton and Kanye West. Next up, Hollywood peaked at number 12 on the UK Singles Chart. Marina’s debut album, The Family Jewels reached number 5 on the UK Albums Chart. Despite getting second place on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart, the album did not achieve much recognition in the US.
Electra Heart & Froot
2011 came with another popular tune, Radioactive, about Marina’s new life in the States. In 2012, Marina and the Diamonds released the lead single from her second album. Primadonna reached number 11 in the UK. The album followed shortly. Electra Heart, a concept album, evolved around the homonymous character, embodying several female archetypes. Electra topped the UK charts and reached number 32 on the Billboard 200. Furthermore, the album spawned two more single, Power & Control and Heartbreaker.
In 2013, Marina released a new track, titled simply Electra Heart, about the death of the protagonist, meaning the ending of the tour, the campaign, and that specific part of her life. Immediately after, she began writing songs for her next album. The lead and title single, Froot, came out in 2014, with the verse “I’ve been saving all my summers for you”, promoting the upcoming album. One year later, the Welsh artist released her third album, debuting at number 8 in the US.
Photo source: Discogs
