MUSIC
MARINA AND THE DIAMONDS WELSH POP STAR ON THE RISE by ODEMARIS BYRD PHOTOGRAPHY by ALIYA NAUMOFF
“Whether she likes it or not, Diamandis, who is currently on her world tour and often tweets about having to drive the bus herself, is rising quickly to the top of pop.”
Combine the quirkiness of Joanna Newsom, the soulful swagger of Regina Spektor, and a healthy dose of youthful cynicism, and one might have an idea of the enigma that is Welsh pop princess Marina Diamandis. Better known as Marina and the Diamonds, the 24-year-old’s debut album, entitled The Family Jewels, is a perfectly crafted pop package, laced with strong melodies and chipper synth riffs. Substantial confusion may accompany Diamandis’ throaty vocals, though, as her lyrics harbor overwhelming disdain for, well, pop music, and everything the starlet herself seems to embody.
where she sings, “I’m obsessed with the mess that’s America.” Something about this contrasting combination has caught on, as Diamandis’ lyrical cynicism and addictive hooks have garnered her a sizable amount of critical acclaim, including spots on the top U.K albums and singles charts, and a nomination for the Critics’ Choice Award at the 2010 Brit Awards.
Diamandis got into music because she has things to say and observations to make. Many of her themes include the struggle to avoid constant compromising and the notion of self-acceptance, coupled with steady bongo beats and club ready At first glance, her quasi-edgy style and flawless grooming would seem melodies. Her musical influences range from Daniel Johnston to Britney Spears, to place her in the mix with other young pop idols like Taylor Swift, Lady and she says music led her to her own strongly felt feminism. Not the Top 40 Gaga, and Katy Perry. In reality, she’s in a league all her own—one wherein radio she heard growing up in Wales, but the tunes that eventually inspired her to she feels free to fashion contradictory rules for herself and use pop music become an artist, such as PJ Harvey and Brody Dalle of The Distillers. as a vehicle to dismantle itself. Diamandis writes in her blog, “Pop is an illusion, it’s a big lie. But I totally realize that.” She has admitted to being Although she is a solo artist, Diamandis refers to herself as Marina and the allured and seduced by the celebrity culture of Hollywood since a young age, Diamonds. Her original concept was not to become a solo artist or superstar, but but she insists that she’s not a direct part of it—just a peripheral participant. to create a community of like-minded individuals who could share in a collective experience. She explains on her MySpace page, addressing her fans, “I’m Marina. Two million plays on her MySpace may challenge the validity of that assertion, You are the diamonds.” though. Diamandis is keen to maintain a separation between herself and the rest of pop culture, and often does so aggressively. (“Pop culture is better to watch Another bold, buzzed-about facet of Diamandis is her personal style, which than to be. Feel like recording a whole fucking album of banjo hits,” she states mirrors her paradoxical pop personality. She has been spotted wearing everything bluntly on her fan site.) However, that separation she insists exists seems fairly from Mickey Mouse garb to Wonder Woman inspired performance outfits. During ambiguous—for example, Diamandis’ video for the single “I Am Not a Robot” the last Fashion Week, she attended shows that included designs from Mark Fast has the young songstress done up in a bright Gaga-esque paint job and swathed and Hannah Marshall. She’s trendy, yet she uses select pieces—like her flask that in glitter as she maintains she is, in fact, “not a robot.” As the video progresses, reads, “I’m a fucking lady”—to make a point. the paint drips and runs—perhaps a commentary on stripping away a fake facade from within the polluted entertainment industry. However, there is simply no While Diamandis’ flair for the contradictory is certainly curious, the bawdy denying that the track’s lilting piano licks and Feist-y vocal delivery make for an manner in which she asserts herself commands attention. Whether she likes it or expertly constructed pop ballad. not, Diamandis, who is currently on her world tour and often tweets about having to drive the bus herself, is rising quickly to the top of pop. Hopefully, reigning As both a pop star and pop critic, Diamandis flirts with the line between admiration over a world which she regards with disdain won’t prove too big a burden. and distaste for her world. This attitude is evident in her hit single “Hollywood,” 132