Marina Lambrini Diamandis, a.k.a. Marina and the Diamonds, is slowly creeping up on the world. Born and raised in Wales, this singer-songwriter has been around since 2009, when she released her first EP.  Soon after, her first full-length album, The Family Jewels, came out, followed by Electra Heart in April 2012.  Electra Heart topped the UK and Ireland charts immediately with included notable tracks including as “How to Be a Heartbreaker” and “Primadonna.”  Diamondis’ style ranges anywhere from new wave to indie pop to dance pop. She claims a wide range of inspiration, from Britney Spears to Madonna to Nirvana.  Her fans, known as the Diamonds, are very dedicated. Even her stage name, Marina and the Diamonds, refers to her loyal followers.

Both of Marina and the Diamond’s albums include ample tracks (16 or 17), and most of them are extremely upbeat, filled with electronic background noise and a full band backing up her on-track vocals. Diamandis has a very widespread variety of how she uses her voice and the tempo and tone of the song.  Her vocal talents vary from rock-oriented with gravelly, deep tones, such as “How to Be a Heartbreaker” and “Teen Idle” to  high-pitched, airy-sounding songs like “I am Not  Robot.”

Even if you are a hardcore techno fan, you could probably find at least one of her songs that will sound good to you. Although sometimes she can seem very girly and a bit whiny, she always makes up for it in the beat surrounding her vocals or on the next track. If you are into more pop music but still like a form of hipster style, Marina may be the kind of stuff you’ll like. If you want something a bit like Lana del Rey or Lorde, you may want to give a few of her songs a listen. Try “Teen Idle,” “Fear and Loathing,” “Oh No!” or “Lies.”