From simple life to international icon
Lana Del Rey, real name Elizabeth Woolridge Grant, was born on 21 June 1985 in New York City and grew up in rural Lake Placid. She developed a fascination for music in her youth, especially jazz, soul and classic American pop from the 1950s and 1960s. After moving to New York, she began performing under various stage names before celebrating her international breakthrough in 2011 with the song Video Games. Her stage name, which combines Spanish and American influences, reflects her fascination with nostalgia and aesthetics — elements that also characterise her music and her artistic identity.