Elizabeth Woolridge Grant, better known by her stage name Lana Del Rey, is a vocalist renowned for crafting atmospheric, orchestral, and retro-'60s-sounding pop music that showcases her distinctive torchy image and sensuously husky singing style.
Born in New York City to Patricia Ann Hill, an account executive, and Robert England Grant Jr., a copywriter turned entrepreneur, Del Rey has English and Scottish ancestry. Raised in Lake Placid, New York, she was destined for a life in the spotlight.
Prior to adopting her iconic persona, Del Rey released the single "Kill Kill" under her given name, Lizzy Grant, in 2009. She later rebranded herself as the pop femme fatale character, Lana Del Rey.
In August 2011, a video for the single "Video Games" surfaced online, generating considerable buzz. The song's success was further amplified by a secret show Del Rey performed at Brooklyn's Grasslands Gallery that September.
Del Rey's EP, featuring the tracks "Video Games" and "Blue Jeans", was released in fall 2011. As anticipation for her debut album mounted, Interscope announced the release of "Born to Die" for early the following year.
To cement the hype surrounding her album, Del Rey made a memorable appearance on Saturday Night Live, becoming the first artist since Natalie Imbruglia in 1998 to perform on the show prior to the release of her debut album.
