Inspirations and Obsessions

In terms of inspiration, what do you get from, uh, what did you get from New York that you don't get now or the other way around?
I mean, you do get inspired when you are on the road and you are on the run, um.
I think when you are moving around a lot, you, I personally, find a lot inspirations being at home and in New York and in Brooklyn, and it's where my friends are.
And, I just like the, I just felt inspired by the city, so yeah.
You, you once said that um about Cony Island, you once said it's a place people go to, to escape.
Eh, what's your currently your place to go to escape?
Actually I go to Glasgow and Scotland. It's where my best friends are now. Um just certain musicians, and I go stay with them when I am um, touring~
So it's kinda of, something funny that's happened.
And I used to go there but now……
How did you get to meet these people?
Um, we met I mean there has been a cool causality that we just met online and just started to talk and really like each other’s music.. So, yeah~
Um, you were born in 1986, just like me? Oh right, ah haha~
A lot of images you use in video clips and in live performances as well, are from way before that. (yeah)
Where does that come from? The thing?
I think a lot of reasons why I chose clips from, like the era of the 50s and the 60s is , mainly because I actually just liked the quality of the film that the directors used during that time, um.
It's not something about the message of the clips that I used, in terms of the videos, um if that's what we are talking about.
It's just about the images, it's not about what they represent?
Yeah it's more about what strikes me visually, um just what I find, to be beautiful. And that is sort of , that leads to my narrative, like, I don't have very strong narrative going throughout my song
It's more just, what appeals to my eye, visually, so……
Can you explain what that is?What does the image needs to evoke a reaction with you?
I mean like, it depends on it depends on the clip doesn't it? Like there is different things I mean there is a reason why I chose Tim's clip from the Holland's teashop.
You know the clips of the kids by the swimming pool for Video Games.
Um, you know like, I thought, I felt I felt, that the spirits of the kids he shot in body the same energy visually that my song did, sonically.
So they were a perfect match for each other.
So I felt, you know, that, you know that's one reason why I chose that clip.
And also I liked the colors, the muted greens and the blues. They reminded me of summertime.
But because they were so faded they also lended a sense of nostalgia.
And, um, you know, then there's also other clips I go, the actress that I used, um, the movie (没听清）who I just thought, was the right person to put in the movie just because she was someone who really enjoys her fame
And like, that's visible, That's just you know, again, it's something makes sense. It's just um, I just like it.
It's a subconscious choice huh?
Yeah It's a subconscious choice.
Sometimes I do deliberates, sometimes I do things more deliberately but often I'm just guided by my intuition hmm.
Is it in any way a reflection of your music?
Yeah it could be as simple as the color scheme of the film or, I don't know, just the way someone smiles in certain clip.
It doesn't have to be, like directly related to the lyrics
People are always searching for a meaning（yeah）perhaps there's none.
Yeah there's a meaning in the way they mean something to me, and that's, sort of extend of it.
That should be enough.
Well, that’s what is, for some people.
About your song writing, what are your recurrent obsessions of song writing?
My recurrent obsessions, I guess my strongest recurrent theme is, um, honoring love even when it’s lost.
And, um, I guess just staying strong in the midst of true love lost.
And, staying hopeful and soft even when things get really difficult and hard, as they do, for everyone.
Um, so, like, thematically, that’s something I find like, come up a lot, which I did not realize until I’m doing the interviews. And, yeah.
About doing the interviews, what did you learn about yourself that you haven’t realized before because you haven’t discussed it so much?
I guess you started to understand how people see you, like um you started to understand like how people see you right off the bat without knowing you.
And um, just how the choices you make can create an instant impact and when that is, like the visuals and the music combined, um some people really love it and some people are really turned off by it. But everyone’s different.
The thing happened with Video Games. It turned out to be so a huge success and you have to tour more now, but you also have to deliver an album in January (yeah), do you have enough time?
Yeah I do. I mean cause I’m ready, cause I’ve written the album and I knew exactly what I wanted for this album.
Um I need, like, I need time to work on the production of the last quarter of the album. And then, you know, to go through the mixes of everything, which is sort of tedious.
But um, I do have time. Although I feel like mixing on the road.
So you’re too busy to take time for yourself next a couple of months?
Wow, I mean, take time for your art is taking time for yourself isn’t it?
The gift, definitely, yeah.
One question because we’ve done too much time.
Lana……and Lizzy, are they the same people or they reserve some characteristics some for the one and some for the other?
Um they are very much the same person, like when I started singing, I just considered I was doing an art project, like I was um you know I was writing songs and making videos. I just considered it’s been an art project
And in 2008, I was going to release my first album under Lana Del Rey but because it got shelved for 2 years, I waited and you know, it looks like there’s a big gap in time and I dropped from 1 year to another.
But it always the plan, just sort of create a song that can visual work that I found to be beautiful.
But um it’s the same person just the different name.
And how much of that shelved record resonates in direction that’s coming up?
Oh a lot of it. My inspirations are the same and you know I still use a lot of orchestra and influences I was working with the Philadelphia Orchestra, and I’m also like bringing hip hop beats underneath the soul.
I did the same thing for the last record. It’s just sort of the next step.
So I feel it is much of the same way of I was always like to do, so.
You’re 25 now, right? (um-hm)
How far do you plan now ahead?
How far do I plan ahead. These days, not far, because I sort of, did everything I wanted to do you know. I mean this record I really like and with the video for Born To Die, new single, two weeks ago, and um, now these things are coming to be finished, I feel like, um, really satisfied.
Everything that comes up with me now, I just take it day by day.