MARINA & THE DIAMONDS
Marina & the Diamonds AKA Marina Diamandis is undoubtedly one of the freshest and exciting talents to emerge within the last 6 months; her unique brand of indie-pop has been received with a deluge of critical flattering and a constantly growing fanbase. Here at AGENT2, her recent single I Am Not A Robot found its way onto the office stereo a while ago and has refused to leave ever since. Marina’s music is a quirk some mix of styles that border on the fringes of pop and her Kate Bush-ish vocal deliveries complement it perfectly.
Fresh from performing at this year’s Reading and Leeds festivals, Marina found the time to sit down with AGENT2 and discuss song writing and the upcoming NME Radar Tour shows, amongst other things.
Where did it all begin for you? When did music become a calling rather than a pleasure or pastime?
It was never really a pleasure or past time but more of a plan and a goal. The turning point was when I could move out of home at 18 and follow my own path, as opposed to the one my parents had hoped I would follow.
As a songwriter, do the lyrics come first or is music the foundation for what you create?
Oh lyrics first- every single time.
You seem to embrace many different influences and sounds within your music. I imagine the debut album will sound extremely eclectic and impossible to pigeon hole to one genre. Is this something that you’ve strived for or is it a natural trait within the music that has simply evolved?
You’re absolutely right actually. And no, it was never something I had strived for. People saw it more as a problem than an advantage in the beginning as they didn’t know how to market me. The main reason was down to the fact that I had no background or training or particular ‘love’ for music, therefore I just did whatever the hell I liked. I never thought before sitting down to write a song ‘this is going to be pop, with tribal elements’ or ‘I’m going to try and sound like ‘ xyz’ in this song. I always just build everything around the story within the lyrics. My song writing is very much like my personality- black and white and rather all over the place/ schizophrenic. So it now seems obvious that I could never have made any other type of album than this one.
You’ve now signed to a major label, are you worried about possible interference that other artists have complained about when working with a major?
No. I was with a major from the start and it was always my aim. I needed, and wanted the strength of a major to realise my objectives in music. Many people thought I had signed with Neon Gold Records but it was in fact Warner’s that I had signed with first; I then did my first 7″ single on Neon Gold.
Is there a preference for performing live or creating in a studio?
Performing live any day over studio. It depends on the producer, but I am very impatient and control-freakish in the studio.
You recently played the Reading and Leeds festivals, how was that for you? The general opinion is that those shows have won you a whole new legion of fans.
They were my favourite shows of the summer! I was so surprised at the reactions and felt genuinely moved, like something had changed…
Are you excited about the upcoming NME Radar Tour shows? What are your thoughts on the other acts that’ll be playing alongside you?
Well, I know Yes Giantess and think Local Natives music is beautiful. Golden Silvers are obviously a great, solid band and I’m really looking forward to giving the performance of a lifetime for fans who have never experienced a show before.
We are currently busy compiling our top 50 albums of the decade. What are some of yours?
The Distillers-Coral Fang, Royksopp-Junior and Metric-Fantasies.
Whilst enjoying a quiet walk one day, you happen to unearth the musical genie of the lamp. You are granted the wish of staging the ultimate gig with any three artists or bands of your choice – with you headlining, of course. Who would they be?
Metric, The Distillers and Joanna Newsom.
What can we expect from Marina & The Diamonds in 2010?
Love.
Catch Marina & the Diamonds on the NME Radar Tour throughout September and October.
Words Colin French
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