Lana Del Rey is one of the most mysterious and fascinating artists of the contemporary music scene. Behind the cinematic melancholy of her songs lies a personality full of surprises. Here are five things that even her most devoted fans might not know.

1. Her Real Name is Elizabeth Woolridge Grant

Born in New York in 1985, Elizabeth Woolridge Grant adopted the pseudonym Lana Del Rey in 2010, drawing inspiration from actress Lana Turner and the Ford Del Rey, a car produced exclusively in Brazil. The combination felt « old Hollywood glamour meets modern Americana, » she explained in a rare candid interview.

2. She First Recorded as Lizzy Grant

Before conquering the world with « Video Games, » Lana Del Rey released a first album titled Lana Del Ray under her real name in 2010, with only 3,500 copies sold before it was withdrawn from sale. Original pressings now sell for hundreds of dollars among collectors.

« I knew exactly who I was artistically. I just wanted the world to be ready to hear it. »

3. She Studied Philosophy at Fordham University

The artist studied philosophy at Fordham University in New York — an experience that deeply influenced her worldview and the lyrical depth of her compositions. Themes of fate, beauty, and mortality that run through her work are directly traceable to her academic years.

4. She Was a Camp Counselor

Before music took over her life, a teenage Lana Del Rey spent summers as a camp counselor in the Adirondacks. « It was the most normal, grounded experience of my life, » she has said. « I learned how to be with people, really with them. »

5. She Almost Quit Music in 2011

After the lukewarm reception of her debut album, Del Rey nearly abandoned her musical career entirely. A pivotal performance at a small Brooklyn venue, where she was discovered by a manager who would change her trajectory, was the turning point that brought us the Lana Del Rey the world now knows.