Lana Del Rey is a well-known American singer-songwriter who pioneered the ‘sadcore’ genre. Her songs focus on the sad things in life, and she sings about love, loss, and death.
Del Rey was a complex child who faced many emotions towards the fear of death and, in her teen years, turned this into songwriting.
Her interest in the subject has made her stand out in the music industry, and she has become known globally for her sad music.
Here are 32 astonishing facts about Lana Del Rey that will leave you wanting to know more about this complex singer.
Elizabeth Woolridge Grant is Lana Del Rey’s birth name, and Lizzy is her nickname.
Del Rey was born on June 21, 1985, in Manhattan, New York City, USA, and is of Scottish descent.
She is the eldest of 3, with a younger sister, Caroline, and a younger brother Charlie.
Rob Grant, Del Rey’s father, became an internet millionaire by investing in domain names.
As a child, Del Rey developed a fear of being mortal, which took a toll on her mental health, causing anxiety and depression.
This sadness towards the thought of her loved ones eventually dying caused her to turn to alcohol.
Del Rey attended Catholic school and grew up in a religious setting.
Her interest in singing started when she joined her school choir.
At age 15, she was sent to a boarding school where her uncle worked to help her with her alcohol addiction.
After graduating at 18, Del Rey lived with her uncle, who taught her to play guitar on Long Island.
In 2004, Del Rey got a place at Fordham University, where she majored in philosophy.
May Jailer was Del Rey’s first stage name.
She made her first album titled Sirens under her former stage name when she was at Fordham University.
Del Rey’s first public performance was in 2006 while she was still studying.
In 2007, she was given a $10,000 recording contract from 5 Points Records.
Del Rey used the money to relocate to a trailer park in North Bergen, New Jersey, to work with her producer David Kahne.
Shortly after her first album release, she initially changed her stage name to Lana Del Ray with an ‘a’.
“Video Games” was her first song released under her new stage name Lana Del Rey.
Del Rey went viral with her song “Video Games,” gaining over 20 million views on YouTube within five months of being uploaded. It also became song of the decade at the Q Awards in London.
Songs from the Sirens album were leaked onto YouTube in 2012; this showed much of her progress in the music industry.
In January 2012, Del Rey signed up with Next Model Management.
Her second studio album, Born to Die, was top of the charts on the iTunes store in 18 countries and topped the charts in 11 countries.
The music video for the Born to Die album was shot in the Palace of Fontainebleau, France, and it was the first-ever music video to be allowed access for shooting inside.
The millionth copy of Born to Die was sold in the US in March 2014.
The letter ‘M’ is tattooed on her left hand for her grandmother Madeline as Del Rey was very close to her.
As well as the M tattoo, Del Rey has multiple tattoos, most of which are words or phrases.
In 2019, Del Rey became engaged to singer Clayton Johnson.
Del Rey has been nominated for 6 Grammy Awards and a Golden Globe Award.
As of July 2022, Lana Del Rey has released eight studio albums.
Del Rey is known as the ‘Queen of Sadcore,’ a genre of music associated with her music.
She has received multiple awards; 2 Brit Awards, 9 GAFFA Awards, 2 MTV Europe Music Awards, and a Satellite Award.
She might not come across as the sporty type, but she is a football fan and supports Liverpool FC.
Del Rey built a musical career from the ground up with her family’s support and created what is considered a new genre of music.
It has been disputed over the years whether she really made it herself or whether her father funded her creativity and the debate still goes on.
Her somber lyrics stem from a troubled childhood, but they have intrigued many worldwide, and her music has become very popular globally.
She has gone on to win many awards and make her mark in the music industry.
Her unique approach to life and her 60s vibe in fashion has made her stand out in the musical world.
