Marina And The Diamonds

This week's VIP artist: Marina and the Diamonds, SOLO singer from Wales/Greece (and my personal favorite)

Who Is Marina and the Diamonds?

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Marina Diamandis is a solo artist who goes by her stage name, Marina and the Diamonds. Half Welsh and Half Greek, Marina decided she wanted to be a singer at the age of 18 and worked to make her dream come true. She taught herself how to use Garageband and started producing her own songs, recording them, and performing them for anyone who would listen. She tried out for talent shows, and even tried out for a Reggae boy band...clearly that didn't work out too well for her. In 2008, Marina was finally recognized by Neon Gold Records, a label which has been the start for artists such as Ellie Goulding, Gotye, Haim, Icona Pop, Tove Lo, and many other talented artists. She released her debut album at Neon Gold, titled "The Family Jewels", and since then has released two more albums, "Electra Heart" and "Froot", both with different labels.

Marina is a very outspoken person, and stands up for what is right. She writes the majority of her music herself, including the entire album Froot. Marina takes no shortcuts when it comes to creating the perfect "pop" album, and that is why she is this week's VIP artist.

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3 SONGS YOU NEED TO CHECK OUT

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***special edition! for the 3 featured songs this week, I have selected 1 song from each of Marina's 3 albums. So follow me on the journey (🔑of more success🔑) through The Family Jewels, Electra Heart, and Froot.

1. I AM NOT A ROBOT

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I Am Not A Robot is one of my FAVORITE songs from Marina's first album The Family Jewels. The production on this entire album is different than your average pop album. The use of actual instruments is much more prevalent, which I really appreciate. Marina has stated in the past that this is one of her favorite songs, and when she performs it live, you can really feel it. The video itself is simple, yet compelling. Check out I Am Not A Robot and enjoy all of these aspects!

2. LIES

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Electra Heart offers many wig-snatching-bops, but coming in at #1 "most likely to leave you bald" is Lies. The album as a whole is probably her most "pop"y sounding of the three, as she worked with some of the industry's best producers including Dr. Luke and Diplo, both featured on this track. I was going to use the acoustic version of this song, which is BEAUTIFUL and heartfelt, but I just can't get past the amazing production on this song. Everything about Lies is incredible; the lyrics, the production, her voice. EVERYTHING. Good pop songs come and go, but Lies remains as an AMAZING song to have on repeat.

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seriously. wig. GONE.

3. BLUE

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Although this is not my personal favorite from Marina's most recent album Froot, it is still a VERY good song nonetheless. I picked this because it is just an awesome upbeat song that can fit anyone's taste, so I think you will enjoy it and appreciate it. It should get WAY more credit for being a great pop song with DEPTH to it. It has actual meaning, unlike a majority of hits played on the radio today. Plus, it is a great song for your workout playlist! Enjoy!

LIVE SHOWS

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This picture is a personal picture taken the first time I saw Marina. I have had the AMAZING opportunity to see Marina live twice (first my senior year of high school, and again this past summer). On both occasions, the concert was at the same venue in Pittsburgh, about a 5 hour drive from where I live. And on both occasions, after driving the 5 hours, I waited in line for 7+ hours to get as close to the stage as possible.

It is so hard to put the energy that there was at her shows into words. It seemed like almost everyone there was a die hard fan. People were dressed up like her, wearing her apparel, and drawing hearts on their cheeks. It was like a whole other world. And Marina is an incredible performer. She is extremely theatrical with her shows and puts so much effort into making sure the fans have an incredible experience. From the props to the outfits, her concerts are much much more than just a live show. On her most recent tour, Marina has even broken down her live shows into 3 acts, 1 act from each album. This theatrical aspect makes the entire experience amazing as it takes you on a journey throughout her career. Marina has this bond with her fans that is hard to find with many artists out there today. Because of this, her live shows are just that much more special. Everyone there feels like a family, and we are all there to appreciate the incredible talent of our favorite artist, Marina.

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VIP RATING:

Ok. I will try to be as unbiased as possible when making this decision. Something that I really appreciate about Marina as an artist is that she is honest in her song writing. And she actually writes the majority of her songs (and ALL of Froot), something pretty uncommon in the music industry nowadays. She really connects to her audience and doesn't hold back. The fact that she taught herself how to sing, play the piano, and produce her own songs is pretty awesome in my eyes. Marina isn't afraid to take risks, not just in her music but in her whole life. For all of these reasons, I give marina a rating of:

9.99/10

(.01 off of a perfect score...just to be fair)

Let me know what you think about Marina!

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