157-564: Electra Heart is the second studio album by Welsh singer-songwriter Marina Diamandis , released under the stage name Marina and the Diamonds. It was released on 27 April 2012 by 679 Artists and Atlantic Records . Diamandis collaborated with producers including Liam Howe , Greg Kurstin , Dr. Luke , Diplo and Stargate during its recording, and subsequently transitioned from the new wave musical styles seen throughout her debut studio album, The Family Jewels (2010). Their efforts resulted in
314-405: A Tumblr blog named "Marinabook" where she discussed a variety of topics surrounding mental health . To celebrate World Mental Health Day 2017 (and her 32nd birthday), Diamandis posted an essay about her battle with her mental health struggles. Over the years she attended various psychology courses, which earned her an alias of a "pop psychologist". American culture The culture of
471-456: A boy band organized by Virgin Records . It was during this time that she managed to leave her CV with an A&R representative, but was unable to audition at the time of the appointment as she felt sick. In 2005, she created the stage name "Marina and the Diamonds". After she came to prominence, "the Diamonds" was established as a reference to her fans instead of her backing band. Inspired by
628-515: A concept album consisting of electropop and dance-pop music, a distinct departure from her earlier projects. Lyrically, the album discusses topics of love and identity. Diamandis created the title character "Electra Heart" to represent female archetypes in popular American culture (House Wife, Beauty Queen, Homewrecker, and Idle Teen). Music critics were divided in their opinions of Electra Heart , expressing ambivalence towards Diamandis' shift in musical style and its overall production. However,
785-747: A "mix of '70s with digital fiberware ... something surreal and '70s". She has been described as a "pop enigma", an artist who "never felt like she belonged to the masses" and one with a cult following . It was written in Billboard in June 2016 that she is among "pop artists with major fanbases in the U.S. and a consistent stream of excellent music who are nonetheless kept a tier below these other musicians in terms of national presence, because they never had that one hit that everyone simply has to know them from". She told Vice News in February 2016 that "I'm not really
942-472: A Heartbreaker " because they felt she was "ugly" in the clip; it was made publicly available on 28 September, and sees Diamandis interacting with several shirtless men in a community shower. "Part 8: E.V.O.L." introduced the previously-unreleased track "E.V.O.L" on 14 February 2013. The black-and-white visual shows a brown-wigged Diamandis looking about a room with white-tiled walls. "Part 9: The State of Dreaming", premiered on 2 March, presents Diamandis lying on
1099-611: A Heartbreaker " were subsequent single releases, with the latter missing the cut-off for initial inclusion on the record. However, it was featured in the revised track listing for the American version. The two songs were minor chart entries in the UK, and the latter was certified gold in the United States for sales over 500,000 copies. Throughout 2012, Diamandis travelled for The Lonely Hearts Club Tour , which her second headlining concert tour, and
1256-514: A [pop] starry person. Stars are people who equal celebrity culture. I don't really feel part of that at all". Diamandis estimates that gay people comprise 60% of her concert audience. She attributes her status as a gay icon to her campness and sense of humour, in addition to lyrics on being a societal outsider. In 2012, she won the Best Music Award at gay magazine Attitude 's award show. She headlined an NYC Pride event in June 2016 in
1413-407: A bed while "alternating between sad eyes and a big smile". It begins with a black-and-white filter, although transitions into color after the first minute. It was followed by "Part 10: Lies" on 17 July, and employs a similar black-and-white to color technique. Diamandis is first seen looking into the camera wearing little makeup, and is later shown walking into the woods and sitting at a dinner table in
1570-599: A billion people) and the significant number of native and immigrant influences. Mainstream American culinary arts are similar to those in other Western countries. Wheat and corn are the primary cereal grains . Traditional American cuisine uses ingredients such as turkey , potatoes, sweet potatoes , corn (maize), squash , and maple syrup , as well as indigenous foods employed by American Indians and early European settlers, African slaves, and their descendants. Iconic American dishes such as apple pie , donuts , fried chicken , pizza , hamburgers , and hot dogs derive from
1727-406: A break from music after her tour. She returned to performing two months later, clarifying that she would rather work on a consistent basis than a cycle of touring and resting. In June 2016, Diamandis told Fuse that she had begun writing new material for upcoming songs. In December 2016, electronic group Clean Bandit confirmed that " Disconnect ", a song they had performed with Diamandis at
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#17330862914311884-482: A classic composition course in Middlesex University the following year, but dropped out after two months. "I created the name 'Marina and the Diamonds' 5 years ago, and I never envisaged a character, pop project, band or solo artist. I saw a simple group made up of many people who had the same hearts. A space for people with similar ideals who could not fit in to life's pre-made mold. I was terribly awkward for
2041-903: A line of T-shirts for it, but has had little involvement with it since. According to Emily Jupp of The Independent , despite various changes in musical direction, an "unconventional fashion sense" has been a constant in Diamandis' career. In the music video for the song "How to be a Heartbreaker", she "subverts the norm" by wearing more clothes than male models in the background. She reflected that "I don't think it suits me to wear very little clothing, it just wouldn't feel right. I'd rather people listen to what I have to say instead of staring at my bum". In 2011, while promoting The Family Jewels , Diamandis described her fashion styles as " vintage , cheerleader , and cartoon ". Four years later, she described her costumes then as "very badly put together vintage, kind of glittery ensemble", and her outfits for Froot as
2198-503: A long time! I really craved to be part of one thing because I never felt too connected to anybody and now I feel I have that all around me." Knowing that the Spice Girls were formed by an advertisement in The Stage , Diamandis applied for auditions listed in that newspaper. She travelled for several unsuccessful auditions, including opportunities with the musical for The Lion King and
2355-432: A longer feminist narrative. She explained that "this story can only be told by women". In 2020, Diamandis started speaking openly about growing out her grey hair on Instagram to challenge unhealthy beauty standards . "I started getting silver / grey hairs around 15 years old. I've been dyeing my hair since I was 22 because I literally thought I had no other option. Grey equalled old to me – something most women are told
2512-502: A lot of my identity was tied up in who I was as an artist and there wasn't much left of who I was". In November 2018, a second collaboration with Clean Bandit and Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi , " Baby ", was released. It peaked at number 15 in the UK. On 11 December of the same year, Diamandis performed at the Royal Variety Performance alongside Clean Bandit with their song "Baby". On 31 January 2019, Diamandis teased
2669-488: A million hearts just for fun". Cragg further opined that "Starring Role" was "heart-rending in its simplicity", and noticed prominent piano and drum instrumentation throughout the recording. Monger saw the sixth track "The State of Dreaming" as a solemn offering from the record for its intellectual lyrical content, which he described as one of several tracks that "reveal the lonely rebel, defiantly eating lunch alone, secretly wishing for acceptance." " Power & Control "
2826-574: A musical departure from Diamandis' debut studio album The Family Jewels (2010), which incorporated a new wave and indie rock -influenced sonority. She later commented that the album was specifically designed as a pop record to allow her to establish a greater prominence in the contemporary music industry. The title character "Electra Heart" portrays four female archetypes in the album: "Teen Idle", "Primadonna", "Homewrecker", and "Su-Barbie-A". Their presences on each track are not clearly defined, although Diamandis acknowledged that they are more apparent on
2983-402: A part of American naming traditions and names have been used to express personality, cultural identity, and values. Naming trends vary by race, geographic area, and socioeconomic status. African Americans, for instance, have developed a very distinct naming culture. Both religious names and those inspired by popular culture are common. A few restrictions do exist, varying by state, mostly for
3140-517: A particular interest in Daniel Johnston and the lo-fi production he uses. She has jokingly stated that "I probably have a bit of a different sound because I don't really know what I'm doing!", referencing her lack of formal musical training. She also cited Katy Perry as an influence, saying she learned from Perry after going on tour with her. Diamandis has synesthesia , and as a result associates particular colours with musical notes and days of
3297-551: A peak position of number 31 on the US Billboard 200 , and became Diamandis' highest-charting album in the United States at the time selling an estimated 11,000 copies. The album was eventually certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for exceeding shipments of 500,000 units. Electra Heart was supported by three singles, all of which were supplemented by music videos. " Primadonna "
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#17330862914313454-405: A perceived abandonment of her original musical inspiration, thus resulting in a relative underperformance in the country. In contrast, she felt that her American audience was more receptive of Electra Heart and her evolving public image. As of 2015, three million singles had been sold from Electra Heart . In 2021, the album's opening track "Bubblegum Bitch"—despite never having been released as
3611-516: A pop star from the age of 15"; however she also stated that she did not listen to music "properly" until the age of 19, when she took influence from acts including PJ Harvey , Fiona Apple and the Distillers . She began smoking two years later in an attempt to sound like the Distillers' frontwoman Brody Dalle , "but it never worked, and now I'm just stuck with a bad habit." She has cited Dalle and Spears as her musical influences, and has expressed
3768-589: A profound impact on American cuisine, especially Midwestern cuisine; potatoes, noodles, roasts, stews, cakes, and other pastries are the most iconic ingredients in both cuisines. Dishes such as the hamburger, pot roast, baked ham, and hot dogs are examples of American dishes derived from German cuisine. Different regions of the United States have their own cuisine and styles of cooking. The states of Louisiana and Mississippi, for example, are known for their Cajun and Creole cooking . Cajun and Creole cooking are influenced by French, Acadian, and Haitian cooking, although
3925-470: A singer "almost as if it was a disease", she worked at a petrol station for two months in order to earn money to move to London. Despite not having a musical background, Diamandis had a childhood love of writing. She first began writing music when she was 18 years old; she moved to London to attend dance school, but quit after two months. She studied music at the University of East London and transferred to
4082-451: A single week. Soul food , mostly the same as food eaten by white southerners, developed by southern African slaves, and their free descendants, is popular around the South and among many African Americans elsewhere. Syncretic cuisines such as Louisiana Creole, Cajun, Pennsylvania Dutch , and Tex-Mex are regionally important. Americans generally prefer coffee over tea, and more than half
4239-671: A single—experienced a resurgence on social media platform TikTok and subsequently was certified Gold in the United States. Notes Credits adapted from the liner notes of the deluxe edition of Electra Heart . Shipments figures based on certification alone. Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. Marina Diamandis Marina Lambrini Diamandis ( / ˌ d iː ə ˈ m æ n d ɪ s / DEE -ə- MAN -diss ; Greek : Μαρίνα-Λαμπρινή Διαμάντη , romanized : Marína-Lampriní Diamánti ; born 10 October 1985), known mononymously as Marina (often stylised in all caps ) and previously by
4396-1004: A spectrum of Inuit languages . (See Indigenous languages of the Americas for a fuller listing, plus Chamorro , and Carolinian in the Pacific territories.) Ethnic Samoans are a majority in American Samoa ; Chamorro are still the largest ethnic group in Guam (though a minority), and along with Refaluwasch are smaller minorities in the Northern Mariana Islands . American culture includes both conservative and liberal elements, scientific and religious competitiveness, political structures, risk taking and free expression, materialist and moral elements. Despite certain consistent ideological principles (e.g. individualism , egalitarianism , and faith in freedom and republicanism ), American culture has
4553-553: A tool to represent a combination of elements associated with the American Dream and Greek tragedy , and added that visuals would merge the differing concepts into a cohesive idea. Diamandis first announced Electra Heart in August 2011; it was initially planned to become a three-piece project inspired by American culture in the 1970s , although it eventually evolved into her second studio album. Diamandis originally planned to release
4710-540: A variety of subcultures . The United States exerts major cultural influence on a global scale and is considered a cultural superpower . The European roots of the United States originate with the English and Spanish settlers of colonial North America during British and Spanish rule . The varieties of English people, as opposed to the other peoples on the British Isles, were the overwhelming majority ethnic group in
4867-433: A variety of expressions due to its geographical scale and demographics. As a melting pot of cultures and ethnicities , the U.S. has been shaped by the world's largest immigrant population . The country is home to a wide variety of ethnic groups, traditions, and values, and exerts major cultural influence on a global scale, with the phenomenon being termed Americanization . Semi-distinct cultural regions of
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5024-438: A website and a mailing list to accompany it. Later that day, her web team accidentally uploaded the music video onto YouTube, resulting in an early leak of the song and music video. Diamandis released the single cover and release date soon after, possibly as a result of the early leak. Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land was released on 11 June 2021. The album was well received by critics. The album's fifth single, "Happy Loner",
5181-406: A whole new perception of what an artist is. For me, he really encouraged me because if you think of someone who has been spoon-fed pop, up until 21 years old, and you hear someone like Daniel Johnston you're like 'God, this is terrible, but I love it.' It sounds like a child has made it, like, the production is so all over the place. He's obviously got something very captivating here yet he doesn't fit
5338-537: A young person, really." Electra Heart debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart with first-week sales of 21,358 copies. It became Diamandis' first chart-topping album in the United Kingdom, although it was additionally distinguished as the lowest-selling number-one record of the 21st century in the country. It was later surpassed by Write It on Your Skin by Newton Faulkner , which debuted at number one on
5495-542: Is a bad, bad thing. Anything that symbolised this simply HAD to be covered!". Diamandis has openly spoken about dealing with depression and anxiety . Her song " Happy ", the opening song from the album Froot , discusses her battle with depression, while the whole record is dedicated to celebrating happiness. The song was preceded by tracks from previous records such as "Numb", "Are You Satisfied?", "Living Dead", and " Teen Idle ", which were written about her depression from her teenage years and twenties. In 2017, she began
5652-507: Is a holiday of diverse origins. It has become a holiday that is celebrated by children and teens who traditionally dress up in costumes and go door to door trick-or-treating for candy. It also brings about an emphasis on eerie and frightening urban legends and movies. Mardi Gras , which evolved from the Catholic tradition of Carnival , is observed in the state of Louisiana . The United States has few laws governing given names . Traditionally,
5809-462: Is also sometimes referred to as the Left Coast , indicating its left-leaning political orientation and tendency towards social liberalism . The South is sometimes informally called the " Bible Belt " due to socially conservative evangelical Protestantism , which is a significant part of the region's culture. Christian church attendance across all denominations is generally higher there than
5966-916: Is also the most supportive of free expression and the right to use the Internet . The large majority of the United States has a legal system that is based upon English common law . According to the Inglehart–Welzel cultural map , it leans greatly towards " self-expression values ", while also uniquely blending aspects of "secular-rational" (with a strong emphasis on human rights , the individual , and anti-authoritarianism ) and "traditional" (with high fertility rates , religiosity , and patriotism ) values together. Its culture can vary by factors such as region , race and ethnicity , age, religion, socio-economic status , or population density , among others. Different aspects of American culture can be thought of as low culture or high culture , or belonging to any of
6123-736: Is an INFJ in the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator . One of her songs that is especially focused on her introverted side and appreciating solitude is "Solitaire". Diamandis dated Jack Patterson of electronic music group Clean Bandit for five years before splitting in 2020. Diamandis has frequently been an advocate of feminism and equal gender rights , sharing her social views in music, interviews and on social media. She had been named "the sound of feminism" in Nylon magazine. The singer has been critical of traditional gender roles and societal prejudice towards women in general, as well as in
6280-727: Is known as American English , which itself consists of numerous regional dialects, but has some shared unifying features that distinguish it from British English and other varieties of English. There are four large dialect regions in the United States—the North , the Midland , the South , and the West —and several dialects more focused within metropolitan areas such as those of New York City , Philadelphia , and Boston . A standard dialect called " General American " (analogous in some respects to
6437-413: Is known for her mezzo-soprano vocal abilities. As a child, she would take inspiration from the differing musical tastes of her parents – Dolly Parton , Enya and George Michael from her mother, and Haris Alexiou from her father – while also admiring pop acts of the era including the Spice Girls , Britney Spears and S Club 7 . Diamandis has said that " Madonna was the reason I wanted to be
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6594-498: Is known worldwide as "fashion's biggest night". Some cities and regions have specialties in certain areas. For example, Miami for swimwear, Boston and the general New England area for formal menswear, Los Angeles for casual attire and womenswear, and cities like Seattle and Portland for eco-conscious fashion. Chicago is known for its sportswear, and is the premier fashion destination in the middle American market. Dallas, Houston , Austin , Nashville , and Atlanta are big markets for
6751-428: Is my response to that." Diamandis stated that Electra Heart was influenced by Madonna , Marilyn Monroe , and Queen of France Marie Antoinette ; she described Madonna as being "fearless" and felt that she showcased a desire to be a successful artist beyond fame and wealth. Diamandis told Glamour that Britney Spears influenced a "double-sided" theme for the record of both "innocence" and "darkness". She described
6908-511: Is no longer the most popular sport, it is still referred to as "the national pastime ." Also unlike the professional levels of the other popular spectator sports in the U.S., Major League Baseball teams play almost every day. The Major League Baseball regular season consists of each of the 30 teams playing 162 games from late March to early October. The season ends with the postseason and World Series in October. Unlike most other major sports in
7065-630: Is notable for being Diamandis' highest-charting track on the UK Singles Chart, where it reached number 11. It is certified Silver by the BPI, gold in Austria and the United States, and platinum by the respective authorities in Australia, Denmark and New Zealand. The final product Electra Heart is a concept album lyrically united by the ideas of "female identity" and "a recent breakup". Diamandis created
7222-421: Is the antithesis of everything that I stand for. And the point of introducing her and building a whole concept around her is that she stands for the corrupt side of American ideology, and basically that's the corruption of yourself. My worst fear—that's anyone's worst fear—is losing myself and becoming a vacuous person. And that happens a lot when you're very ambitious." After returning from the United States after
7379-587: Is the fourth-leading professional team sport. Always a mainstay of Great Lakes and New England -area culture, the sport gained tenuous footholds in regions like the American South since the early 1990s, as the National Hockey League pursued a policy of expansion. Lacrosse is a team sport of American and Canadian Native American origin and is most popular on the East Coast. NLL and MLL are
7536-508: Is the principal traditionally-American holiday, evolving from the English Pilgrim's custom of giving thanks for one's welfare. Thanksgiving is generally celebrated as a family reunion with a large afternoon feast. Independence Day (or the Fourth of July) celebrates the anniversary of the country's Declaration of Independence from Great Britain, and is generally observed by parades throughout
7693-563: The Billboard 200 chart, and is her highest-charting album in the United States. Froot peaked at 10 in the UK. In early 2015, it was announced that Diamandis would perform at Lollapalooza Brazil, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and the Boston Calling Music Festival that March, April and May respectively. From October 2015 to the following October, she embarked on the Neon Nature Tour across Europe and
7850-463: The American Civil War . Although the United States has no official language at the federal level, 28 states have passed legislation making English the official language, and it is considered to be the de facto national language. According to the 2000 U.S. Census , more than 97% of Americans can speak English well, and for 81%, it is the only language spoken at home. The national dialect
8007-660: The COVID-19 pandemic . On 8 March 2020, she posted a snippet of a new song named " Man's World " on her Instagram story. The song was released on 18 November 2020. The single debuted at number 99 on the Official UK Singles Sales Chart and at number 96 on the Official UK Singles Download Chart after two days release. On 12 April 2021, Diamandis announced a new single, " Purge the Poison ", alongside
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#17330862914318164-781: The Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA). Electra Heart performed moderately on additional record charts in Europe. The record peaked at number 11 on the Swiss Hitparade , and reached number 17 on the German Media Control Charts . It charted at number 25 on the Ö3 Austria Top 40 , number 30 on the Norwegian VG-lista , and number 41 on the Swedish Sverigetopplistan . The album reached
8321-598: The Mylo Xyloto Tour headlined by Coldplay , for which she served as an opening act. On 8 August 2013, she released a music video for the previously unreleased title track " Electra Heart ". It depicted the death of the character, and symbolically ended the promotional campaign for Electra Heart . After spending one month in New York City , Diamandis announced in February 2013 that she had begun writing material for an upcoming third studio album. The single " Froot "
8478-658: The Mylo Xyloto Tour headlined by Coldplay, for which Diamandis served as the supporting act. The Lonely Hearts Club Tour was initially scheduled to begin on 4 May at the Manchester Cathedral in Manchester , although it was delayed after Diamandis sustained a vocal cord injury, and ultimately began on 18 June at The Waterfront in Norwich . The American leg of the tour began on 10 July at The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles , while
8635-599: The Reading and Leeds Festivals . She also performed at iTunes Live, releasing a second EP in July 2009 of performances from that festival. In December 2009, Diamandis was ranked in second place on the Sound of 2010 poll organized by BBC , behind Ellie Goulding . She was one of three nominees for the Critics' Choice Award at the 2010 BRIT Awards , which also went to Goulding. " Mowgli's Road "
8792-673: The South , Midwest , Southwest , Mountain West , and Pacific Northwest . Politically, the country takes its values from the American Revolution and American Enlightenment , with an emphasis on liberty , individualism , and limited government , as well as the Bill of Rights and Reconstruction Amendments . Under the First Amendment , the United States has the strongest protections of free speech of any country . American popular opinion
8949-532: The UK Albums Chart at number five and was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry . The album's second single, " Hollywood ", peaked at number 12 on the UK singles chart . Diamandis' second studio album, Electra Heart (2012), was a concept album about a character of the same name. The album explored electropop and dance-pop and became her first number one album in the United Kingdom. It
9106-556: The received pronunciation elsewhere in the English-speaking world ), lacking the distinctive noticeable features of any particular region, is believed by some to exist as well; it is sometimes regionally associated with the Midwest. American Sign Language , used mainly by the deaf, is also native to the United States. More than 300 languages nationwide, and up to 800 languages in New York City , besides English, have native speakers in
9263-568: The stage name Marina and the Diamonds , is a Welsh singer, songwriter, poet and record producer. Born in Brynmawr and raised near Abergavenny , Diamandis later moved to London to become a professional singer, despite having little formal musical experience. In 2009, she came to prominence upon placing second in the BBC 's Sound of 2010 . Her debut studio album, The Family Jewels (2010), incorporated indie pop and new wave musical styles. It entered
9420-994: The "inventive" melodies showcased in her songs. Diamandis' lyrical content typically analyses components of human behaviour. She has noted that she would have become a psychologist had she been unsuccessful in the music industry. The song "Savages", from the album Froot , reflects on humanity's proneness to violent acts. Rory Cashin of Slate lauded Diamandis' lyrics as "esoteric", likening her to an "emotionally intelligent outsider who knew how to perfectly articulate those weird thoughts and reactions we all have but would never admit to". Laurence Day of The Line of Best Fit considered Froot to be "an anthology of astute nihilistic , existentialist discussions". Diamandis has identified Sophia Loren , Leigh Lezark , Shirley Manson and Gwen Stefani as her fashion icons, with Asli Polat and Mary Benson being among her favourite designers. As part of Selfridges ' "Sound of Music", Diamandis and Paloma Faith designed their own window display for
9577-423: The 17th century (the population of the colonies in 1700 was 250,000) and were 47.9% of percent of the total population of 3.9 million. They constituted 60% of the whites at the first census in 1790 (%: 3.5 Welsh, 8.5 Scotch Irish , 4.3 Scots, 4.7 Irish, 7.2 German, 2.7 Dutch, 1.7 French, and 2 Swedish). The English ethnic group contributed to the major cultural and social mindset and attitudes that evolved into
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#17330862914319734-402: The 1800s, colleges were encouraged to focus on intramural sports, particularly track and field , and, in the late 1800s, American football. Physical education was incorporated into primary school curriculums in the 20th century. Baseball is the oldest of the major American team sports. Professional baseball dates from 1869 and had no close rivals in popularity until the 1960s. Though baseball
9891-742: The 1850s by merchant Levi Strauss , a German-Jewish immigrant in San Francisco, and adopted by many American teenagers a century later. They are worn in every state by people of all ages and social classes. Along with mass-marketed informal wear in general, blue jeans are arguably one of US culture's primary contributions to global fashion. Though the informal dress is more common, certain professionals, such as bankers and lawyers , traditionally dress formally for work, and some occasions, such as weddings , funerals , dances , and some parties, typically call for formal wear . The annual Met Gala in Manhattan
10048-424: The 2015 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival , would be released on their new album. It was released as a single in June 2017, and she performed it with them at Glastonbury . To mark a new stage in her career, Diamandis announced via Twitter in 2018 that she would be dropping her "and the Diamonds" moniker to release music as simply "Marina". She explained that "It took me well over a year to figure out that
10205-684: The American character. Of the total population in each colony, they numbered from 30% in Pennsylvania to 85% in Massachusetts. Large non-English immigrant populations from the 1720s to 1775, such as the Germans (100,000 or more), Scotch Irish (250,000), added enriched and modified the English cultural substrate. The religious outlook was some versions of Protestantism (1.6% of the population comprised English, German, and Irish Catholics). Jeffersonian democracy
10362-567: The Americas. Each performance was split into three acts; one for each of her albums, with most of the songs coming from Froot . Her performance at the House of Blues in Boston in November of that year was broadcast live by Yahoo . During a question-and-answer video, Diamandis said that subsequent tours would be different, as her usual tours had been "a hard lifestyle". In April 2016, she said she would take
10519-564: The Bible Belt state of Alabama . Strong cultural differences have a long history in the U.S., with the southern slave society in the antebellum period serving as a prime example. Social and economic tensions between the Northern and Southern states were so severe that they eventually caused the South to declare itself an independent nation, the Confederate States of America ; thus initiating
10676-475: The British band Coldplay . "Lies" is an electro ballad, which Michael Cragg from BBC Music felt that allowed Diamandis to "deal directly with her emotions", and opined that contributions from producer Diplo gave the song "extra gloom wobble sadness". Cragg classified "Homewrecker" as a "vampy" track which blends verses centred around spoken-word vocals with a "stompy" refrain where Diamandis declares "I broke
10833-565: The Caribbean has been the source of the earliest and largest Black immigrant group, a significant source of growth of the Black population in the U.S. and has made major cultural impacts in education, music, sports and entertainment. Indigenous cultures remains strong in both reservation and urban communities, including traditional government and communal organization of property now legally managed by Indian reservations (large reservations are mostly in
10990-521: The Deep South from the Carolinas to Florida and west to Texas. In the west, there is the southwestern "El Norte" areas originally colonized by Spain, the "Left Coast" colonized quickly on the 19th century by a mix of Yankees and upper Appalachians, and the large but sparsely populated interior West. The west coast of the continental United States, consisting of California, Oregon , and Washington state,
11147-552: The Dolls" drew inspiration from the 1967 film of the same name , and described "Hypocrates" as a "sparkling guitar-pop tune" that takes stylistic influences from 1960s pop music and details the power struggle between romantic partners. Electra Heart closes with its 12th track "Fear and Loathing", which experiments with electronic music styles; Petridis made particular note of its minimal production, which according to him, places emphasis on Diamandis' "coolly enunciated and slightly folky " vocals. On 1 March, Diamandis unveiled
11304-462: The Dolls" with overlapped commentary mentioning "Quick-Curl Barbie " and "Mod-Hair Ken "; it depicts Diamandis standing on the porch of a house with her back to the front door. It was followed by "Part 6: Power & Control" on 30 May, where Diamandis is seen engaging in a series of mind games with her romantic interest. Diamandis alleged that Atlantic Records delayed the premiere of "Part 7: How to Be
11461-563: The London Oxford Street branch in May 2010, and additionally appeared as "live mannequins" for the display. In November, Diamandis was featured on the website for the British edition of Vogue , where she contributed to the "Today I'm Wearing" column that month. In February 2011, she became a brand ambassador for Max Factor . In 2013, she launched a fashion brand named 11 Diamonds and designed
11618-595: The UK Albums Chart with first-week sales of 16,647 copies three months later. On 15 April 2016, Electra Heart was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry for exceeding shipments of 100,000 units in the United Kingdom. The record additionally reached number one on both the Irish Albums Chart and the Scottish Albums Chart ; it was recognised with a gold certification in the former territory by
11775-506: The UK album chart. In 2021, Diamandis released her fifth studio album, Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land , which debuted at number 17 in the UK, and was followed by a deluxe version in 2022. Marina Lambrini Diamandis was born on 10 October 1985 in Brynmawr , and grew up in Pandy , near Abergavenny . She has one sibling, an elder sister named Lafina. Her Welsh mother and Greek father met at Newcastle University and separated when Diamandis
11932-632: The UK charts. In October 2010, she won Best UK & Ireland Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards . To further promote The Family Jewels , Diamandis embarked on The Family Jewels Tour , which visited Europe, North America and Australia throughout 2010 and 2011. In January 2011, in an Australian radio interview, she expressed disappointment at her career, particularly in her failure to attract an American audience. She put this down to inaction by her label and American listeners' contemporary taste for "pumping beats" by artists such as Lady Gaga . In
12089-472: The United Kingdom , although at the time it was additionally distinguished as the lowest-selling number-one record of the 21st century in the country. The album was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry and the Irish Recorded Music Association . Electra Heart debuted at 31 on the US Billboard 200 with 12,000 copies sold its first week, and as of May 2015 has sold 150,000 copies in that country. " Power & Control " and " How to Be
12246-897: The United States encompasses various social behaviors , institutions, and norms in the United States , including forms of speech , literature , music , visual arts , performing arts , food , sports , religion , law , technology , as well as other customs, beliefs, and forms of knowledge. American culture has been shaped by the history of the United States , its geography , and various internal and external forces and migrations. America's foundations were initially Western -based, and primarily English-influenced , but also with prominent French , German , Greek , Irish , Italian , Jewish , Polish , Scandinavian , and Spanish regional influences. However, non-Western influences, including African and Indigenous cultures, and more recently, Asian cultures , have firmly established themselves in
12403-798: The United States include New England , the Mid-Atlantic , the South , the Midwest , the Southwest , and the West —an area that can be further subdivided into the Pacific States and the Mountain States . According to cultural geographer Colin Woodward there are as many as eleven cultural areas of the United States, which spring from their settlement history. In the east, from north to south: there are Puritan areas ("Yankeedom") of New England which spread across
12560-546: The United States as of May 2015. On 13 April 2019, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), denoting shipments in excess of 500,000 units in the United States. Elsewhere in North America, the record peaked at number 50 on the Canadian Albums Chart . In August 2012, Diamandis commented that she believed consumers in the United Kingdom had misinterpreted her comical effort with
12717-411: The United States. The latter project debuted at number 138 on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 4,000 copies, and on Billboard ' s Top Heatseekers and Top Rock Albums charts, where it peaked at number 2 and 49 respectively. Later in 2010, Diamandis released three more singles from the album; " I Am Not a Robot ", " Oh No! " and " Shampain ", which peaked at 26, 38 and 141 in
12874-457: The United States] and sold out my tour and I've never really done that before. People are getting the humour. It's such a relief to be here for six weeks because it feels effortless. When I first changed [musical direction] people said, 'She's sold out' and they totally didn't get the humour. It's a tongue-in-cheek record but it also deals with the truth about love and commercialism and just being
13031-507: The United States—some are spoken by indigenous peoples (about 150 living languages ) and others imported by immigrants. English is not the first language of most immigrants in the US, though many do arrive knowing how to speak it, especially from countries where English is broadly used. This not only includes immigrants from countries such as Canada , Jamaica , and the UK , where English is
13188-660: The West, especially Oklahoma , Arizona and South Dakota ). The fate of indigenous cultures after contact with Europeans is quite varied. For example, Taíno culture in U.S. Caribbean territories is undergoing cultural revitalization and like many Native American languages, the Taíno language is no longer spoken. By contrast, the Hawaiian language and culture of the Native Hawaiians has survived in Hawaii alongside that of immigrants from
13345-510: The World , set to be released on 29 October 2024. In the interview, she spoke of the book's inspiration, revealing that the poems had started out as lyrics; however, after an experience with " magic mushrooms ", she realised that they were poems, and she began to write poetry "every single day" throughout 2022. In the same interview, she announced that she was working on her upcoming album as well, stating she had "been writing for six months", but that she
13502-627: The activities vary. However, they usually consist of a football game, played on the school's home football field, activities for students and alumni, a parade featuring the school's marching band and sports teams, and the coronation of a Homecoming Queen . American high schools commonly field football, basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, soccer, golf, swimming, track and field, and cross-country teams as well. The United States observes holidays derived from events in American history , Christian traditions , and national patriarchs . Thanksgiving
13659-490: The adult population drinks at least one cup of coffee per day. Marketing by U.S. industries is largely responsible for making orange juice and milk (now often fat-reduced) ubiquitous breakfast beverages. During the 1980s and 1990s, the caloric intake of Americans rose by 24%; and frequent dining at fast food outlets is associated with what health officials call the American " obesity epidemic ." Highly sweetened soft drinks are popular; sugared beverages account for 9% of
13816-557: The aftermath of the Orlando nightclub shooting , wearing a rainbow-striped cape. Diamandis plays down her popularity in the gay community in order to avoid sounding like a "cliché pop star", and hopes for a time when acceptance will mean that people do not label themselves by their sexuality. Despite being familiar with Greek Orthodoxy , Diamandis states that she was not raised Christian and identifies as an atheist . She considers herself an introvert and revealed on Twitter that she
13973-454: The album artwork for the standard version of Electra Heart , which depicts a blonde Diamandis wearing several hair rollers . The singer later revealed that because of the dye, her hair started to fall out, so she got a boy's haircut and wore a wig. Becky Bain from Idolator complimented its " retro film stock look" and opined that it "is just a snapshot from some 1970s exploitation movie ", while Bradley Stern from MuuMuse jokingly referenced
14130-429: The album as an "expensive-sounding failure" that suffered from its lack of decisiveness. Writing for Pitchfork , Laura Snapes questioned the decision of creating the "Electra Heart" character for the record, and suggested that it was unnecessary. She elaborated that "duller and more unbearable" tracks were unavoidable, and expressed particular disappointment because she thought that Electra Heart could have become "one of
14287-514: The album retrospectively earned the status of a cult classic , with Rolling Stone listing it among the 50 greatest concept albums of all time. The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart with first-week sales of 21,358 copies. In doing so, it earned Diamandis her first chart-topping album there. The album was eventually certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for exceeding shipments of 100,000 units. Electra Heart performed moderately on international charts, including
14444-431: The album track "Homewrecker" when stating that she "looks like a proper Suzy Homemaker ! (Or should I say Suzy Homewrecker?)" The artwork for the deluxe version features the same picture of Diamandis, although it is tinted purple. The track listing for the standard version was confirmed on 1 March, while the track listing for the deluxe version was announced on 5 March. A limited edition box set of Electra Heart contained
14601-407: The album. "Primadonna" was announced as the lead single from the record on 13 March 2012, and was released through the iTunes Store in the United States on 20 March. Robert Copsey from Digital Spy spoke favourably of the track, complimenting its overall production and Diamandis' portrayal of its female archetype. It peaked at number 11 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Diamandis' fifth song to enter
14758-405: The average American's daily caloric intake. The American fast food industry, the world's first and largest, is also often viewed as being a symbol of U.S. marketing dominance. Companies such as McDonald's , Burger King , Pizza Hut , Kentucky Fried Chicken , and Domino's Pizza among others, have numerous outlets around the world, and pioneered the drive-through format in the 1940s. In
14915-512: The caption "Writing songs in Paris". On 24 January 2020, she posted a photo on Instagram with the caption "Album 5". On 7 February 2020, Diamandis released "About Love" from the soundtrack for the movie To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You . On 14 February 2020, she announced her upcoming April tour, The Inbetweenie Tour . However, on 16 March 2020, she announced that this tour would be cancelled due to
15072-406: The close-up of a blonde Diamandis while the introduction of "The State of Dreaming" is played; it introduced the archetypes "housewife", "beauty queen", "homewrecker", and "idle teen" on 15 December. "Part 4: Primadonna" served as the music video for the lead single from the record on 12 March 2012. Uploaded on 18 May, the black-and-white "Part 5: Su-Barbie-A" is set to the introduction of "Valley of
15229-538: The country as well. Bilingual speakers may use both English and Spanish reasonably well and may code-switch according to their dialog partner or context, a phenomenon known as Spanglish . Indigenous languages of the United States include the Native-American languages (including Navajo , Yupik , Dakota , and Apache ), which are spoken on the country's numerous Indian reservations and at cultural events such as pow wows ; Hawaiian , which has official status in
15386-571: The country, Ireland and Italy in the Northeast , and Japan in Hawaii . Latin American culture is especially pronounced in former Spanish areas but has also been introduced by immigration, as have Asian American cultures (especially in the Northeast and West Coast regions). Caribbean culture has been increasingly introduced by immigration and is pronounced in many urban areas. Since the abolition of slavery,
15543-481: The country, professional baseball draws most of its players from a "minor league" system, rather than from university athletics . American football , known in the United States as simply "football", now attracts more television viewers than any other sport and is considered to be the most popular sport in the United States. The 32-team National Football League (NFL) is the most popular professional American football league. The National Football League differs from
15700-644: The crowd at halftime . Basketball is another major sport, represented professionally by the National Basketball Association . It was invented in Springfield, Massachusetts , in 1891, by Canadian-born physical education teacher James Naismith . College basketball is also popular, due in large part to the NCAA men's Division I basketball tournament in March, colloquially known as "March Madness". Ice hockey
15857-456: The day and the shooting of fireworks at night. Christmas Day , celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ , is widely celebrated and a federal holiday, though a fair amount of its current cultural importance is due to secular reasons. European colonization has led to some other Christian holidays such as Easter and St. Patrick's Day to be observed, though with varying degrees of religious fidelity. Halloween , also known as All Hallows' Eve,
16014-408: The deluxe version of the record, four photo art cards, a ring, perspex , necklace, and pocket mirror. Diamandis released 11 music videos through YouTube during the promotional campaign for Electra Heart . She claimed that their production led her record label into bankruptcy, but stated that they would be released and "finish this era the way I want to." The first, titled "Part 1: Fear and Loathing",
16171-579: The dishes themselves are original and unique. Examples include Crawfish Étouffée , Red beans and rice , seafood or chicken gumbo , jambalaya , and boudin . Italian, German, Hungarian, and Chinese influences, traditional Native American, Caribbean, Mexican, and Greek dishes have also diffused into the general American repertoire. It is not uncommon for a middle-class family from Middle America to eat, for example, restaurant pizza, home-made pizza, enchiladas con carne, chicken paprikash , beef stroganoff , and bratwurst with sauerkraut for dinner throughout
16328-420: The ethereal vocal exhilaration of Florence Welch ." Stack opined that Electra Heart was a healthy combination of up-tempo recordings and genuinely-delivered ballads , and placed additional praise on the female archetypes explored throughout the album. The Guardian writer Alexis Petridis was confident that "there's clearly an interesting pop star " emerging from Diamandis, but suggested that her creativity
16485-443: The example of self-produced outsider musician Daniel Johnston , Diamandis decided to compose her own music and stop going to auditions. She taught herself how to play the piano. She self-composed and produced her earlier demos with GarageBand , and independently released her debut extended play Mermaid vs Sailor through Myspace in 2007. She met with fourteen music labels, only being offered one deal, which she also believed
16642-542: The fabric of American culture as well. Since the United States was established in 1776, its culture has been influenced by successive waves of immigrants , and the resulting " melting pot " of cultures has been a distinguishing feature of its society . Americans pioneered or made great strides in musical genres such as heavy metal , rhythm and blues , jazz , gospel , country , hip hop , and rock 'n' roll . The " big four sports " are American football , baseball , basketball , and ice hockey . In terms of religion ,
16799-416: The final product as being "a bit cringe" and reflective of her personal experiences, although noted that its promotional campaign would be "pink and fluffy". Electra Heart is a pop , electropop , and dance-pop record with inflections of new wave , pop-punk , dubstep , rock , and Italo disco . It has been described as a concept album detailing "female identity" and "a recent breakup". It represents
16956-541: The launch of her debut studio album The Family Jewels (2010), Diamandis considered creating a character which would become the centerpiece of her follow-up project. She commented that she was inspired by the " Tumblr generation" to photograph herself in several places across the United States, appearing as a different persona in each picture to mimick the anonymity of the "mini-stars of the internet". The final product became "a cold, ruthless character who wasn't vulnerable", which she later named "Electra Heart" and detailed as
17113-899: The lower ends of the Dutch MegaCharts and the Belgian Ultratop in Wallonia , respectively peaking at numbers 92 and 132 in each region. However, it reached number 31 on the Official New Zealand Music Chart and number 32 on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart in Oceania. Electra Heart debuted at number 31 on the US Billboard 200 , and reached number two on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums component chart. It had sold 150,000 copies in
17270-492: The mainland U.S. (starting before the 1898 annexation ) and to some degree Asian immigrants. Indigenous Hawaiian influences on mainstream American culture include surfing and Hawaiian shirts . Most languages native to what is now U.S. territory are endangered, and the economic and mainstream cultural dominance of the English language threatens the surviving ones in most places. Some of the most common native languages include Samoan , Hawaiian , Navajo , Cherokee , Sioux , and
17427-417: The majority of Americans are Protestant or Catholic . The irreligious element is growing. American cuisine includes popular tastes such as hot dogs , milkshakes , and barbecue , as well as many other class and regional preferences . The most commonly used language is English, though the United States does not have an official language. Distinct cultural regions include New England , Mid-Atlantic ,
17584-947: The national box and outdoor lacrosse leagues. Many of the top Division I college lacrosse teams draw upwards of 7–10,000 for a game, especially in the Mid-Atlantic and New England areas. Soccer is very popular as a participation sport, particularly among youth, and the US national teams are competitive internationally. A twenty-six-team (with four more confirmed to be added within the next few years) professional league, Major League Soccer , plays from March to October, but its television audience and overall popularity lag behind other American professional sports. Other popular sports are tennis , softball , rodeo , swimming , water polo , fencing , shooting sports , hunting , volleyball , skiing , snowboarding , skateboarding , ultimate , disc golf , cycling , MMA , roller derby , wrestling , weightlifting , and rugby . Relative to other parts of
17741-513: The national average. This region is usually contrasted with the mainline Protestantism and Catholicism of the Northeast , the religiously diverse Midwest and Great Lakes , the Mormon Corridor in Utah and southern Idaho , and the relatively secular West . The percentage of non-religious people is the highest in the northeastern and New England state of Vermont at 34%, compared to 6% in
17898-653: The new album by posting a picture on her Instagram with the caption "8 Days". The day after, she revealed in an interview that the new album would come out sometime in early 2019. On 6 February 2019, it was revealed that the title of the lead single of the album would be " Handmade Heaven ", which was subsequently released two days later. Her bipartite fourth studio album Love + Fear was then released in two halves on 4 and 26 April 2019. On 29 April 2019, Diamandis embarked on her Love + Fear Tour with six UK gigs, including sold-out dates in London and Manchester. In July 2019, she
18055-454: The normal mold and people still love him. I thought 'if he can do it then I can,' that's when I started to produce things myself and play live, even though I wasn't even great on the piano. It's all about emotion and if you have heart, and people connect to that, they see right through us." Diamandis has a musical style consisting of indie pop , art pop , electropop , synth-pop , experimental pop , bubblegum pop , and disco-pop . She
18212-601: The northern Great Lakes to the northern reaches of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers ; the New Netherlands area in the densely populated New York metropolitan area ; the Midland area which spread from Pennsylvania to the lower Great Lakes and the trans-Mississippi upper midwest; Greater Appalachia which angles from West Virginia through the lower midwest and upper-south to trans-Mississippi Arkansas, and southern Oklahoma;
18369-841: The other three major pro sports leagues in that each of its 32 teams plays one game a week over 18 weeks, for a total of 17 games with one bye week for each team. The NFL season lasts from September to December, ending with the playoffs and Super Bowl in January and February. Its championship game, the Super Bowl , has often been the highest rated television show, and it has an audience of over 100 million viewers annually. College football also attracts audiences of millions. Some communities, particularly in rural areas, place great emphasis on their local high school football team. American football games usually include cheerleaders and marching bands , which aim to raise school spirit and entertain
18526-416: The pop landscape and music industry. Her second album Electra Heart focused on exploring the feminine psyche and the ways women are embodied in American cultural stereotypes , with the track " Sex Yeah " often described as a "feminist statement". A few years later, Diamandis decided to work with an exclusively all-female team on her fifth studio album Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land in order to produce
18683-532: The primary language, but also countries where English is an official language, such as India , Nigeria , and the Philippines . According to the 2000 census, there were nearly 30 million native speakers of Spanish in the United States . Spanish has official status in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , where it is the primary language spoken, and the state of New Mexico ; numerous Spanish enclaves exist around
18840-565: The rain. The final music video "Part 11: Electra Heart " introduced the previously-unreleased title track; the clip itself contains footage from the earlier music videos. It symbolically ended the promotional era for Electra Heart , with Diamandis having tweeted "Goodbye, Electra Heart!" on 8 August, the same day the video was released. Inspired by the six-single promotional campaign for Katy Perry 's Teenage Dream (2010), Diamandis planned to release six singles from Electra Heart ; however, three tracks were released before she finished promoting
18997-687: The recipes of various immigrants and domestic innovations. French fries , Mexican dishes such as burritos and tacos , and pasta dishes freely adapted from Italian sources are consumed. The types of food served at home vary greatly and depend upon the region of the country and the family's own cultural heritage. Recent immigrants tend to eat food similar to that of their country of origin, and Americanized versions of these cultural foods, such as Chinese American cuisine or Italian American cuisine often eventually appear. Vietnamese cuisine , Korean cuisine , and Thai cuisine in authentic forms are often readily available in large cities. German cuisine has
19154-432: The record as a "side project" under an entity separate from Marina and the Diamonds, although her management disapproved. The track "Living Dead" was the first recorded during its production, and approximately 22 songs were recorded for potential inclusion on the album. She later commented that the record was dedicated to "dysfunctional love", elaborating that "rejection is a universally embarrassing topic and Electra Heart
19311-588: The right to name your child or yourself as you choose has been upheld by court rulings and is rooted in the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment . This freedom, along with the cultural diversity within the United States has given rise to a wide variety of names and naming trends. Creativity has also long been
19468-464: The sake of practicality (e.g., limiting the number of characters due to limitations in record-keeping software). Fashion in the United States is eclectic and predominantly informal. While the diverse cultural roots of Americans are reflected in their clothing, particularly those of recent immigrants, cowboy hats and boots , and leather motorcycle jackets are emblematic of specifically-American styles. Blue jeans were popularized as work clothes in
19625-431: The second half of the disc to be mildly disappointing, although concluded that this was excusable because the overall record "[balances] the ironic and the heartfelt, the quirky and the mainstream, the real and the fake with remarkable aplomb." Tim Stack of Entertainment Weekly complimented Diamandis for her ability to "rival Katy Perry for catchy hooks, command with the swagger of Gwen Stefani , and even come close to
19782-488: The songs' titles for being lacklustre, which she sarcastically stated caused listeners "physical pain", and was disappointed that the character "Electra Heart" was a scapegoat for expressing "all the worst parts of Marina Diamandis that she didn't want to become." A decade after their original review, Clash reflected on their original scoring of 1/10 as "particularly unpleasant – cruel, rude, and actually pretty offensive. Yuck." "It's been so instant that I've come over [in
19939-876: The start of her career, Diamandis was compared to other British female singer-songwriters, with Paul Lester from The Guardian writing that she had a " zeitgeist -y female essence". Though she took exception at such comparisons, and said that all she shared with Kate Nash was "a vagina and a keyboard". During the Electra Heart era, she called comparisons to Perry, Lady Gaga , and Lana Del Rey "really annoying", preferring to be classed as herself. Her vocals have been compared to those of Karen O , Regina Spektor , Kate Bush , Florence Welch , Britney Spears, and Siouxsie Sioux , with an androgynous timbre akin to those of Annie Lennox and Heather Small . When reviewing The Family Jewels , Joe Copplestone from PopMatters noted that Diamandis' vocal delivery occasionally overpowers
20096-448: The state of Hawaii; Chamorro , which has official status in the commonwealths of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands ; Carolinian , which has official status in the commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands ; and Samoan , which has official status in the commonwealth of American Samoa . The cuisine of the United States is extremely diverse, owing to the vastness of the country, the relatively large population ( 1 ⁄ 3 of
20253-451: The summer of 2011, Diamandis and Swedish recording artist Robyn performed as the opening acts for American recording artist Katy Perry 's California Dreams Tour . On 30 September, Diamandis released the track " Radioactive " through the iTunes Store . It peaked at number 25 on the UK Singles Chart. Her second studio album was preceded by its lead single " Primadonna " in April 2012. The song
20410-488: The time". In October, Diamandis finalized a recording contract with 679 Recordings (eventually renamed 679 Artists ), a subdivision of Warner Music Group . Diamandis' debut single "Obsessions" was released on 14 February 2009 through Neon Gold Records, while her first extended play The Crown Jewels EP followed on 1 June. That summer, she performed at BBC Radio 1 's Big Weekend, the Glastonbury Festival , and
20567-423: The titular character "Electra Heart" as a protagonist for the project. She portrays the personas "Housewife", "Beauty Queen", "Homewrecker", and "Idle Teen", which represent several female archetypes of stereotypical American culture. The project was released on 27 April 2012, and debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart with first-week sales of 21,358 copies. It became Diamandis' first chart-topping album in
20724-445: The top 40 in the United Kingdom. "Power & Control" was released through the iTunes Store in the United Kingdom on 20 July 2012 and served as the second single from Electra Heart . It peaked at number 193 on the UK Singles Chart. In July 2012, it was announced that "How to Be a Heartbreaker" would be released as the second single in the United States and the third single in the United Kingdom. Diamandis commented that she had written
20881-433: The top medal winners. Homecoming is an annual tradition in the United States. People, towns, high schools and colleges come together, usually in late September or early October, to welcome back former residents and alumni . It is built around a central event, such as a banquet , a parade , and most often, a game of American football , or, on occasion, basketball , wrestling or ice hockey . When celebrated by schools,
21038-462: The tour itself ended on 29 May 2013 after a performance at the Rumsey Playfield in New York City . Electra Heart received mixed reviews from music critics. At Metacritic , which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 57, based on 16 reviews. Writing for AllMusic, James Christopher Monger compared the record to
21195-458: The track while Electra Heart was being pressed in the United Kingdom, and consequently missed the cut-off for initial inclusion on the record; however, it was featured in the revised track listing for the American version. The song was released through the iTunes Store on 7 December 2012, and peaked at number 88 on the UK Singles Chart. In February 2012, Diamandis announced the launch of her headlining The Lonely Hearts Club Tour . It ran alongside
21352-524: The vinyl release following on 23 September 2022. On 22 May 2022, Diamandis announced while performing in London that Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land would be her last album with Atlantic Records . She had been signed to the record label for the past 14 years. On 31 January 2023, Diamandis began to tease new work via social media. Throughout the year, she published multiple poems on her accounts. On 2 April 2024, through an interview with Rolling Stone , Diamandis announced her upcoming poetry book, Eat
21509-550: The visual aspects of the album. Alexis Petridis from The Guardian compared the lyrical content used throughout the pop punk-inspired opener " Bubblegum Bitch " to "the self-fulfilling I-will-be-huge prophecy" that was developed in The Fame by Lady Gaga . The following track " Primadonna " is a pop number that contains a "surging beat" and an "anti-chorus structure", which according to James Christopher Monger from AllMusic blends styles reminiscent of Swedish singer Lykke Li and
21666-446: The week. A self-described " DIY musician" and " indie artist with pop goals", Diamandis considers her music to be " alternate pop ". Paul Lester wrote in 2008 that Diamandis' musical direction was "hard to fathom", given the frequency with which she alternated "simple keyboards-based ballads" and "quirky new wave-inflected numbers". Whereas The Family Jewels incorporated prominent elements of new wave music , Electra Heart
21823-429: The works of American singers Kesha and Lady Gaga, and favourably summarised it as "a brooding, sexy, desperate, overwrought, and infectious record that's both aware and unashamed of its contrivance." Michael Cragg of BBC Music felt that the recurring concept of failed romance established "a strange dichotomy" that created a sense of cohesiveness, and elaborated that it "[pulls] you sharply into her world." He considered
21980-567: The world, the United States is unusually competitive in women's sports, a fact usually attributed to the Title IX anti-discrimination law, which requires most American colleges to give equal funding to men's and women's sports. Despite that, however, women's sports are not nearly as popular among spectators as men's sports. The United States enjoys a great deal of success both in the Summer Olympics and Winter Olympics , constantly finishing among
22137-476: The year's most acclaimed pop albums." Representing The Observer , Kitty Empire assumed that Diamandis' collaborations with Dr. Luke and Greg Kurstin were evidence of "a big label push". She compared the disc to the works of Perry and Britney Spears, although felt that Lana Del Rey was more successful in embodying the themes of "love, identity, femininity and America" than Diamandis' generic production values allowed. Emily Mackay from The Quietus criticised
22294-548: Was a foundational American cultural innovation, which is still a core part of the country's identity. Thomas Jefferson's Notes on the State of Virginia was perhaps the first influential domestic cultural critique by an American and was written in reaction to the views of some influential Europeans that America's native flora and fauna (including humans) were degenerate . Non-indigenous cultural influences have been brought by historical immigration, especially from Germany in much of
22451-471: Was certified gold in the US and UK, and respectively produced the successful singles " Primadonna " and " How to Be a Heartbreaker ". Diamandis' Europop -inspired third studio album, Froot (2015), became her third top 10 album in the UK and her first top 10 entry on the US Billboard 200 . In 2018, she was featured on Clean Bandit 's single " Baby ", which made the top 20 in the UK. Her fourth studio album, Love + Fear (2019), charted at number five on
22608-658: Was detailed as an electropop track by Emily Mackay from The Quietus , while Laura Snapes from Pitchfork commented that Diamandis repeatedly delivers the lyrics "I am weak" with an "increasingly ephemeral voice" as it progresses. Snapes also felt that "Living Dead" was a more "vulnerable moment" from Electra Heart , and compared it to the "snappy [and] taut" works of English duo Soft Cell . Monger recognised inspiration from American singer Lana Del Rey in "Teen Idle" and felt that it represented "the feral blood of an army of disenfranchised high-school loners coming into their own". Bradley Stern from MuuMuse suggested that "Valley of
22765-554: Was four years old. Following the separation, her father returned to Greece but would occasionally visit, while she remained in a bungalow in Wales with her mother. She described her childhood as "simple and idyllic" and "peaceful, very normal, poor". Diamandis admitted to being a " tomboy " as a child, playing football every day and spending more time with the opposite sex. As a child, Diamandis attended Haberdashers' Monmouth School for Girls . She said, "I sort of found my talent there... I
22922-493: Was heavily inspired by electropop musical styles. Diamandis opined that the United States was more welcoming of said musical transition than the United Kingdom, and suggested that the American audience embraced the humour behind the latter "tongue-in-cheek record". Froot is a pop record, with elements of europop and pop rock . Many of the artists listing Marina Diamandis as an influence include Bridgit Mendler , Camila Cabello , Billie Eilish and Kim Petras . At
23079-621: Was released as the lead single from the album on 20 March 2012, and peaked at number 11 on the UK Singles Chart . Follow-up singles " Power & Control " and " How to Be a Heartbreaker " were respectively released on 20 July and 7 December, and reached numbers 193 and 88 in the United Kingdom. Promotional single " Radioactive " charted inside the top 40 in several countries. The album was additionally promoted by Diamandis' headlining The Lonely Hearts Club Tour , which visited Europe and North America from May 2012 through May 2013. "Electra Heart
23236-405: Was released on 10 October 2014, her 29th birthday, and announced as the title track. The album was announced to be released on 3 April 2015, with a new track from the album being announced each month. However, due to an Internet leak, the release was brought forward. Entirely produced by Diamandis and David Kosten , the album was praised for its cohesive sound. Froot debuted at number 8 on
23393-449: Was released on 13 November 2009, with Diamandis describing it as "uncommercial". Despite this, it received attention after its video was shared by the likes of Perez Hilton and Kanye West . "Mowgli's Road" was followed by " Hollywood " on 1 February 2010, which reached number 12 on the UK Singles Chart , and was eventually certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Diamandis' debut studio album The Family Jewels
23550-473: Was released on 15 February 2010. It debuted at number five on the UK Albums Chart with first-week sales of 27,618 copies, and was eventually certified gold by the BPI. A 2012 press release from Atlantic Records noted that the album had sold 300,000 copies. Atlantic Records signed Diamandis to Chop Shop Records in the United States in March 2010. Through the label, she released her third extended play The American Jewels EP , and The Family Jewels in
23707-436: Was released on 3 December 2021 to coincide with the deluxe version of the album which released on 7 January 2022. On 1 October 2021, Diamandis announced on Instagram that she started working on her sixth studio album. On 27 April 2022, Diamandis announced that Electra Heart would be getting an expanded version, which was called Electra Heart: Platinum Blonde Edition. The album was released digitally two days later, with
23864-486: Was released on 8 August 2011, and sees Diamandis cutting her long brown hair and singing the track on a balcony during the nighttime. It was followed by "Part 2: Radioactive " on 22 August, which depicts a blonde-wigged Diamandis travelling across the United States with her romantic interest. The track was released through the iTunes Store on 23 September, and peaked at number 25 on the UK Singles Chart on 15 October. The black-and-white clip "Part 3: The Archetypes" shows
24021-418: Was restricted by the heavy integration of alter egos and an implied determination for commercial success, which he commented failed to reflect Diamandis' inventiveness. Simon Price from The Independent accepted that the record was "too professional to be truly terrible", although noted that Diamandis' revamped public image as a "British Katy Perry" lacked ingenuity. NME columnist Priya Elan summarised
24178-507: Was scheduled to play a number of music festivals across Europe and the UK, before taking the tour to North America with 19 dates across the US and Canada in September and October. This would then be followed by a second run of UK dates and a short European tour. She was featured on Gryffin 's song (also featuring Model Child) "If I Left the World " , released on 23 October 2019. On 16 January 2020, Diamandis posted two photos on Instagram with
24335-405: Was still not far along in the process. In an interview with Attitude in July 2024, Diamandis confirmed that the album is currently set to be released in 2025. On 3 June 2024, it was announced that Diamandis, along with Anitta and Altégo will support Kylie Minogue at her BST Hyde Park performance on 19 July 2024. "[Daniel Johnston] really opened me up to a whole new world of music and
24492-649: Was the one who always skived off choir, but I had an incredible music teacher who managed to convince me I could do anything." At the age of 16, she moved to Greece to be with her father and "to connect with [her] heritage and learn to speak the language ," and sang Greek folk songs with her grandmother. Having earned an International Baccalaureate at St. Catherine's British Embassy School in Athens , she returned to Wales two years later. She and her mother then moved to England, settling in Ross-on-Wye . Obsessed with becoming
24649-475: Was the only one which would not dictate her image. She came to the attention of Neon Gold Records ' Derek Davies in 2008, which managed her for six months, and was hired as the supporting act for Australian recording artist Gotye . Davies reflected "She just had something that really resonated with me. Even with the quite limited production of her early bedroom demos, she had this powerful yet vulnerable vocal and writing style that didn't sound like anyone else at
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