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Assistant Arts Editor of The Miscellany News Gülfem Demiray had an exclusive interview with Marina of the one-woman band Marina and the Diamonds on March 27, before the artist performed at the After Hours show in Main Building's Multi-Purpose Room at 8 p.m.
The Miscellany News: So, you’re Marina, but who are “the Diamonds”?
Marina and the Diamonds: My surname is “diamond” in Greek and I liked the idea of, kind of, fantasy, and having an extra part to my project that wasn’t necessarily me. So, in my head the audience are the diamonds. [Laughs.]
MN: That’s so cute! On your MySpace page, you claim you’re from Ancient Greece. How so?
Marina: My dad’s Greek. Again, it’s just a fantasy; I like mythology. So yeah, that’s why I put it.
MN: How would you describe your musical style?
Marina: From something like theatrical pop, because it’s very dramatic. I’m a live show when I’m not playing; it’s like, lots of performing. So it would be theatrical or alternative pop.
MN: What do you think about the music scene in the Northeastern U.S.? How is it different than that of London?
Marina: It’s my first time here. So I mean, I think London is really varied. I really don’t know enough about the American scene, to be honest, to comment on it. I think it’s going through a good stage at the moment, it seems to a lot fresher.
MN: Do you have any influences or inspirations for music?
Marina: When I was young, I listened to a lot of No Doubt, P J Harvy, Patti Smith, Madonna, obviously, as everyone does…Kate Bush, Annie Lennox, Fiona Apple—many female musicians.
MN: How about your fashion inspirations? In all pictures of you I saw on the Internet, you always look so stylish. And I love this outfit you have on you right now!
Marina: I really like quite wild, eccentric stuff. But stuff like this [showing her necklace], it’s so cheap and tacky, but I love picking cheap stuff and melting it with good quality stuff. As for designers…I really like Vivenne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, John Galliano…I don’t really know a lot about fashion, but I think if you’ve got an eye for it you just piece things together.
MN: What are you going to sing in tonight’s performance?
Marina: I’m gonna be performing six songs, acoustically. I’m gonna be doing “Obsessions,” “Mowgli’s Road,” “I’m Not a Robot,” “The Outsider,” a new one called “Numb,” and one called “Seventeen,” and I think that’s it.
MN: In an article on Metro [a London-based newspaper], Zena Alkayat wrote that you are the “One to Watch.” Why should we watch you?
Marina: Because I’m doing exactly what I want to do. There are a lot of people in the music scene who sometimes produce great music, but it’s part of a trend or phase; whereas for me, I’ve always wanted to do this all my life. This whole '80s revival thing—it’ll come and it’ll go, but I hope that I’ll stay and continue to write songs regardless of fashions and trends.
MN: What did you do before entering the music world and recording your first single?
Marina: For four years, I went to like four different colleges and unis and lived off alone for that. Dropped out every single time. I dropped out from the last one a year ago. I started a vintage business, which was online. I went to charity shops, like thrift stores, bought really cool dresses and sold them online, and that’s how I made my living. I did music on the side, I recorded stuff on my GarageBand. It took about six months: I got signed to Warner Records. And then for the past six months, I’ve been recording my album, and did a single for Neon Gold records.
MN: Also, Paul Lester wrote for The Guardian, “We bet she was the girl with the best voice at school who shunned the choir..."
Marina: Absolutely not! [Laughs.]
MN: " …and maddened the music teacher by focusing on lads and lager rather than Rachmaninov or reading music.”
Marina: [Laughs.] Absolutely not, total lies! I was really studious so I didn’t drink lager or see guys. It’s the actual opposite of that!
MN: [Laughs.] Good to know! Do you want to say anything to Vassar students?
Marina: Thank you for having me here. I hope it’s a good show, and everyone enjoys it!
MN: Thanks a lot!
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