What I love about Welsh singer-songwriter Marina Diamandis—who fittingly goes by Marina & the Diamonds—is that she's never afraid of being a little kitschy. Make no mistake, though: Marina's art is never kitsch for cuteness' sake. She's got a message about the perils of celebrity, and she smartly uses pop culture as the lens to convey it. Marina's sophomore album, Electra Heart, has been making some waves, and with the release of new single "How to Be a Heartbreaker," a white-hot tour, and today's feature on Glee, she's proving to be a force to be reckoned with. We chatted with Marina about her album's concept, her massive Britney Spears obsession, and more. Tune in...
Hi, Marina! I love the Electra Heart album! "How to Be a Heartbreaker," the current single, has been doing pretty well, and now you're gonna have the song performed on Glee by Lea Michele and the cast. How's that for you?
It's a big deal for me, actually! Even though this album is, in an alternative sense, maybe more mainstream for me, I'm excited to have this song showcased by a show that's so well-known. It's a good look.Are you a fan of the show?
I don't get to watch it much because I'm on the road a lot these days, but it's cool to be recognized by a show that's mostly prominent in the U.S., since I'm from the U.K.
Here's the video for "How to Be a Heartbreaker":
You're finishing up your Lonely Hearts Club tour with [London-based dark-pop upstart] Charli XCX, who's definitely on a lot of critics' one-to-watch lists. So how did that work out? Are you guys friends? Do you plan on possibly recording together?
We don't really work together, but when you're looking for a supporting act on tour, you have to really think of someone who people in your fan base would like. She's a lovely person and we're good friends, so it works out well.
Check out this special behind-the-scenes video from Marina's U.S. headline tour:
You both have really cool style. I've heard you describe your own personal style before as kind of a vintage cheerleader cartoon. To me, that's a very specific image that epitomizes teenage nostalgia. How did you decide that would be your look?
It was a thing that was quite present on my first album [The Family Jewels], because that's when my obsession with Americana really began. But now it's something that's much more feminine, like a play on the female elements of pop culture. I love pop culture so much, and I'm really interested in suggesting it. So I take from that how women often have provocative images in pop culture. I expanded on that with the heart on my face, the hair, and like, this idea of a home-wrecker and what that could mean.
Along those lines I've read that Britney Spears is a big influence on you, which is interesting because I think that's what's behind Electra Heart: the story of a person who is grappling with fame and is young and innocent, but has some darkness as well. So why Britney?
It's the ethos of the character Electra Heart that I created. Like the song "Bubblegum Bitch" kind of represents that in a way because it's a satire; like Britney, it's so double-sided. She kind of had the virgin-whore complex. How can one still be innocent but have their own lives on the side? Especially as a teenager [like Britney once was] when you're in the spotlight. I sort of picked that apart and let that inspire me. My label was like, "Go work with Dr. Luke," and that's how I ultimately approached Electra Heart's creation: as if I was going into the system, so to speak.
"Teen Idle" on Electra Heart really explores that theme well. Why does pop music's machinery inspire you?
I know! You can't say that it's about Britney, but it is! Because I love Britney so much, I suppose it's more like a parody of that kind of life. And as far as pop goes, I wanted to open myself up to that. It's much easier to get a message out through that lens, and I wanted to use that to my advantage. I love pop music because you can really see what's currently happening in society.
And what are some of your other pop-culture obsessions?
I love Breaking Bad, Mad Men. Pop stars in general. Can I say any designers? Brian Lichtenberg is the greatest. John Waters' movies are amazing. That 1960s cult classic Valley of the Dolls, it's kind of sh-t, isn't it? But the visuals are so good it's worth it.
Catch Glee tonight on FOX at 9/8C!
Photos by: Casper Balslev
