Diamond in the Rough

Back in 2010, BBC listed Marina and the Diamonds as a sound you should check out that year; she was listed just below Ellie Goulding.


Her name, Marina and the Diamonds, is a bit confusing. It is just her first name, Marina, and "the Diamonds" part is her last name translated from her Greek last name. She mentions on her MySpace page that her fans are "the Diamonds." She released her first album, The Family Jewels in 2010 with the singles: "Hollywood," "I Am Not A Robot," and "Oh No!" All of these are, I believe, very evidenced of her youth and potential as an artist, but not her best. She has great messages, but she sounds like an angsty Regina Spektor.

So when her new album, Electra Heart, was released this past Tuesday, I was a little hesitant. But I'm glad I gave her a second chance. Because the entire album is great. I mean it is a big turn around from her first album. If you enjoyed Katy Perry's debut album, One of the Boys, or preferred that more garage-pop-punk sound, then this album is the one for you.

I seriously cannot stop listening to the most recent single, "Primadonna"

And it even sounds awesome in the acoustic version found here.

She has definitely developed her voice more and has a more solid sound. Other songs to note are: "Power and Control," "Starring Role," "Lies," and my other favorite that you might have heard on the dance floor is "Radioactive."

My rating? Marina will get bigger this year.  For "Primadonna" this COULD get big.

"All I ever wanted was the world, I can't help that I need it all, the primadonna life, the rise and fall."