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Cover crops are crops planted primarily to manage soil fertility, soil quality, water, weeds, pests, diseases, biodiversity and wildlife in agroecosystems (Lu et al. 2000), ecological systems managed and largely shaped by humans across a range of intensities to produce food, feed, or fiber.

Cover crops are of interest in sustainable agriculture as many of them improve the sustainability of agroecosystem attributes and may also indirectly improve qualities of neighboring natural ecosystems. Farmers choose to grow and manage specific cover crop types based on their own needs and goals, influenced by the biological, environmental, social, cultural, and economic factors of the food system within which farmers operate (Snapp et al. 2005)

Soil fertility management[link]

One of the primary uses of cover crops is to increase soil fertility. These types of cover crops are referred to as "green manure." They are used to manage a range of soil macronutrients and micronutrients. Of the various nutrients, the impact that cover crops have on nitrogen management has received the most attention from researchers and farmers, because nitrogen is often the most limiting nutrient in crop production.

Often, green manure crops are grown for a specific period, and then plowed under before reaching full maturity in order to improve soil fertility and quality.

Green manure crops are commonly leguminous, meaning they are part of the Fabaceae (pea) family. This family is unique in that all of the species in it set pods, such as bean, lentil, lupins and alfalfa. Leguminous cover crops are typically high in nitrogen and can often provide the required quantity of nitrogen for crop production. In conventional farming, this nitrogen is typically applied in chemical fertilizer form. This quality of cover crops is called fertilizer replacement value (Thiessen-Martens et al. 2005).

Another quality unique to leguminous cover crops is that they form symbiotic relationships with the rhizobial bacteria that reside in legume root nodules. Lupins is nodulated by the soil microorganism Bradyrhizobium sp. (Lupinus). Bradyrhizobia are encountered as microsymbionts in other leguminous crops (Argyrolobium, Lotus, Ornithopus, Acacia, Lupinus) of Mediterranean origin. These bacteria convert biologically unavailable atmospheric nitrogen gas (N2) to biologically available mineral nitrogen (NH4+) through the process of biological nitrogen fixation.

Prior to the advent of the Haber-Bosch process, an energy-intensive method developed to carry out industrial nitrogen fixation and create chemical nitrogen fertilizer, most nitrogen introduced to ecosystems arose through biological nitrogen fixation (Galloway et al. 1995). Some scientists believe that widespread biological nitrogen fixation, achieved mainly through the use of cover crops, is the only alternative to industrial nitrogen fixation in the effort to maintain or increase future food production levels (Bohlool et al. 1992, Peoples and Craswell 1992, Giller and Cadisch 1995). Industrial nitrogen fixation has been criticized as an unsustainable source of nitrogen for food production due to its reliance on fossil fuel energy and the environmental impacts associated with chemical nitrogen fertilizer use in agriculture (Jensen and Hauggaard-Nielsen 2003). Such widespread environmental impacts include nitrogen fertilizer losses into waterways, which can lead to eutrophication (nutrient loading) and ensuing hypoxia (oxygen depletion) of large bodies of water.

An example of this lies in the Mississippi Valley Basin, where years of fertilizer nitrogen loading into the watershed from agricultural production have resulted in a hypoxic "dead zone" off the Gulf of Mexico the size of New Jersey (Rabalais et al. 2002). The ecological complexity of marine life in this zone has been diminishing as a consequence (CENR 2000).

As well as bringing nitrogen into agroecosystems through biological nitrogen fixation, types of cover crops known as “catch crops” are used to retain and recycle soil nitrogen already present. The catch crops take up surplus nitrogen remaining from fertilization of the previous crop, preventing it from being lost through leaching (Morgan et al. 1942), or gaseous denitrification or volatilization (Thorup-Kristensen et al. 2003).

Catch crops are typically fast-growing annual cereal species adapted to scavenge available nitrogen efficiently from the soil (Ditsch and Alley 1991). The nitrogen tied up in catch crop biomass is released back into the soil once the catch crop is incorporated as a green manure or otherwise begins to decompose.

An example of green manure use comes from Nigeria, where the cover crop Mucuna pruriens (velvet bean) has been found to increase the availability of phosphorus in soil after a farmer applies rock phosphate (Vanlauwe et al. 2000).

Soil quality management[link]

Cover crops can also improve soil quality by increasing soil organic matter levels through the input of cover crop biomass over time. Increased soil organic matter enhances soil structure, as well as the water and nutrient holding and buffering capacity of soil (Patrick et al. 1957). It can also lead to increased soil carbon sequestration, which has been promoted as a strategy to help offset the rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels (Kuo et al. 1997, Sainju et al. 2002, Lal 2003).

Although cover crops can perform multiple functions in an agroecosystem simultaneously, they are often grown for the sole purpose of preventing soil erosion. Soil erosion is a process that can irreparably reduce the productive capacity of an agroecosystem. Dense cover crop stands physically slow down the velocity of rainfall before it contacts the soil surface, preventing soil splashing and erosive surface runoff (Romkens et al. 1990). Additionally, vast cover crop root networks help anchor the soil in place and increase soil porosity, creating suitable habitat networks for soil macrofauna (Tomlin et al. 1995).

Soil quality is managed to produce optimum circumstances for crops to flourish. The principal factors of soil quality are soil salination, pH, microorganism balance and the prevention of soil contamination.

Water management[link]

By reducing soil erosion, cover crops often also reduce both the rate and quantity of water that drains off the field, which would normally pose environmental risks to waterways and ecosystems downstream (Dabney et al. 2001). Cover crop biomass acts as a physical barrier between rainfall and the soil surface, allowing raindrops to steadily trickle down through the soil profile. Also, as stated above, cover crop root growth results in the formation of soil pores, which in addition to enhancing soil macrofauna habitat provides pathways for water to filter through the soil profile rather than draining off the field as surface flow. With increased water infiltration, the potential for soil water storage and the recharging of aquifers can be improved (Joyce et al. 2002).

Just before cover crops are killed (by such practices including mowing, tilling, discing, rolling, or herbicide application) they contain a large amount of moisture. When the cover crop is incorporated into the soil, or left on the soil surface, it often increases soil moisture. In agroecosystems where water for crop production is in short supply, cover crops can be used as a mulch to conserve water by shading and cooling the soil surface. This reduces evaporation of soil moisture. In other situations farmers try to dry the soil out as quickly as possible going into the planting season. Here prolonged soil moisture conservation can be problematic.

While cover crops can help to conserve water, in temperate regions (particularly in years with below average precipitation) they can draw down soil water supply in the spring, particularly if climatic growing conditions are good. In these cases, just before crop planting, farmers often face a tradeoff between the benefits of increased cover crop growth and the drawbacks of reduced soil moisture for cash crop production that season.

Weed management[link]

Thick cover crop stands often compete well with weeds during the cover crop growth period, and can prevent most germinated weed seeds from completing their life cycle and reproducing. If the cover crop is left on the soil surface rather than incorporated into the soil as a green manure after its growth is terminated, it can form a nearly impenetrable mat. This drastically reduces light transmittance to weed seeds, which in many cases reduces weed seed germination rates (Teasdale 1993). Furthermore, even when weed seeds germinate, they often run out of stored energy for growth before building the necessary structural capacity to break through the cover crop mulch layer. This is often termed the cover crop smother effect (Kobayashi et al. 2003).

Some cover crops suppress weeds both during growth and after death (Blackshaw et al. 2001). During growth these cover crops compete vigorously with weeds for available space, light, and nutrients, and after death they smother the next flush of weeds by forming a mulch layer on the soil surface. For example, Blackshaw et al. (2001) found that when using Melilotus officinalis (yellow sweetclover) as a cover crop in an improved fallow system (where a fallow period is intentionally improved by any number of different management practices, including the planting of cover crops), weed biomass only constituted between 1-12% of total standing biomass at the end of the cover crop growing season. Furthermore, after cover crop termination, the yellow sweetclover residues suppressed weeds to levels 75-97% lower than in fallow (no yellow sweetclover) systems .

In addition to competition-based or physical weed suppression, certain cover crops are known to suppress weeds through allelopathy (Creamer et al. 1996, Singh et al. 2003). This occurs when certain biochemical cover crop compounds are degraded that happen to be toxic to, or inhibit seed germination of, other plant species. Some well known examples of allelopathic cover crops are Secale cereale (rye), Vicia villosa (hairy vetch), Trifolium pratense (red clover), Sorghum bicolor (sorghum-sudangrass), and species in the brassicaceae family, particularly mustards (Haramoto and Gallandt 2004). In one study, rye cover crop residues were found to have provided between 80% and 95% control of early season broadleaf weeds when used as a mulch during the production of different cash crops such as soybean, tobacco, corn, and sunflower (Nagabhushana et al. 2001).

In a recent study released by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists examined how rye seeding rates and planting patterns affected cover crop production. [1] The results show that planting more pounds per acre of rye increased the cover crop's production as well as decreased the amount of weeds. The same was true when scientists tested seeding rates on legumes and oats; a higher density of seeds planted per acre decreased the amount of weeds and increased the yield of legume and oat production. The planting patterns, which consisted of either traditional rows or grid patterns, did not seem to make a significant impact on the cover crop's production or on the weed production in either cover crop. The ARS scientists concluded that increased seeding rates could be an effective method of weed control.^[1]

Disease management[link]

In the same way that allelopathic properties of cover crops can suppress weeds, they can also break disease cycles and reduce populations of bacterial and fungal diseases (Everts 2002), and parasitic nematodes (Potter et al. 1998, Vargas-Ayala et al. 2000). Species in the brassicaceae family, such as mustards, have been widely shown to suppress fungal disease populations through the release of naturally occurring toxic chemicals during the degradation of glucosinolade compounds in their plant cell tissues (Lazzeri and Manici 2001).

Pest management[link]

Some cover crops are used as so-called "trap crops", to attract pests away from the crop of value and toward what the pest sees as a more favorable habitat (Shelton and Badenes-Perez 2006). Trap crop areas can be established within crops, within farms, or within landscapes. In many cases the trap crop is grown during the same season as the food crop being produced. The limited area occupied by these trap crops can be treated with a pesticide once pests are drawn to the trap in large enough numbers to reduce the pest populations. In some organic systems, farmers drive over the trap crop with a large vacuum-based implement to physically pull the pests off the plants and out of the field (Kuepper and Thomas 2002). This system has been recommended for use to help control the lygus bugs in organic strawberry production (Zalom et al. 2001).

Other cover crops are used to attract natural predators of pests by providing elements of their habitat. This is a form of biological control known as habitat augmentation, but achieved with the use of cover crops (Bugg and Waddington 1994). Findings on the relationship between cover crop presence and predator/pest population dynamics have been mixed, pointing toward the need for detailed information on specific cover crop types and management practices to best complement a given integrated pest management strategy. For example, the predator mite Euseius tularensis (Congdon) is known to help control the pest citrus thrips in Central California citrus orchards. Researchers found that the planting of several different leguminous cover crops (such as bell bean, woollypod vetch, New Zealand white clover, and Austrian winter pea) provided sufficient pollen as a feeding source to cause a seasonal increase in Congdon populations, which with good timing could potentially introduce enough predatory pressure to reduce pest populations of citrus thrips (Grafton-Cardwell et al. 1999).

Diversity and wildlife[link]

Although cover crops are normally used to serve one of the above discussed purposes, they often simultaneously improve farm habitat for wildlife. The use of cover crops adds at least one more dimension of plant diversity to a cash crop rotation. Since the cover crop is typically not a crop of value, its management is usually less intensive, providing a window of “soft” human influence on the farm. This relatively “hands-off” management, combined with the increased on-farm heterogeneity created by the establishment of cover crops, increases the likelihood that a more complex trophic structure will develop to support a higher level of wildlife diversity (Freemark and Kirk 2001).

In one study, researchers compared arthropod and songbird species composition and field use between conventionally and cover cropped cotton fields in the Southern United States. The cover cropped cotton fields were planted to clover, which was left to grow in between cotton rows throughout the early cotton growing season (stripcover cropping). During the migration and breeding season, they found that songbird densities were 7–20 times higher in the cotton fields with integrated clover cover crop than in the conventional cotton fields. Arthropod abundance and biomass was also higher in the clover cover cropped fields throughout much of the songbird breeding season, which was attributed to an increased supply of flower nectar from the clover. The clover cover crop enhanced songbird habitat by providing cover and nesting sites, and an increased food source from higher arthropod populations (Cederbaum et al. 2004).

See also[link]

• Agroecology
• Allelopathy
• Biological control
• Green manure
• Nitrogen cycle
• Nitrogen fixation
• Organic matter
• Soil contamination

Further reading[link]

• Midwest Cover Crops Council. [2] Resources for growers, researchers, and educators.
• Hartwig, N. L., and H. U. Ammon. 2002. 50th Anniversary - Invited article - Cover crops and living mulches. Weed Science 50:688-699.
• Sullivan, P. 2003. Overview of cover crops and green manures. ATTRA, Fayetteville, AR. [3]
• University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program. UCSAREP cover crop resource page. [4]

References[link]

• Blackshaw, R. E., J. R. Moyer, R. C. Doram, and A. L. Boswell. 2001. Yellow sweetclover, green manure, and its residues effectively suppress weeds during fallow. Weed Science 49:406-413.
• Bohlool, B. B., J. K. Ladha, D. P. Garrity, and T. George. 1992. Biological nitrogen fixation for sustainable agriculture: A perspective. Plant and Soil (Historical Archive) 141:1-11.
• Bugg, R. L., and C. Waddington. 1994. Using Cover Crops to Manage Arthropod Pests of Orchards - a Review. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment 50:11-28.
• Cederbaum, S. B., J. P. Carroll, and R. J. Cooper. 2004. Effects of alternative cotton agriculture on avian and arthropod populations. Conservation Biology 18:1272-1282.
• CENR. 2000. Integrated Assessment of Hypoxia in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. National Science and Technology Council Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, Washington, DC.
• Clark, Andy (ed.). 2007. Managing Cover Crops Profitably, 3rd ed. Sustainable Agriculture Network, Beltsville, MD.
• Creamer, N. G., M. A. Bennett, B. R. Stinner, J. Cardina, and E. E. Regnier. 1996. Mechanisms of weed suppression in cover crop-based production systems. HortScience 31:410-413.
• Dabney, S. M., J. A. Delgado, and D. W. Reeves. 2001. Using winter cover crops to improve soil quality and water quality. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 32:1221-1250.
• Ditsch, D. C., and M. M. Alley. 1991. Nonleguminous Cover Crop Management for Residual N Recovery and Subsequent Crop Yields. Journal of Fertilizer Issues 8:6-13.
• Everts, K. L. 2002. Reduced fungicide applications and host resistance for managing three diseases in pumpkin grown on a no-till cover crop. Plant dis 86:1134-1141.
• Freemark, K. E., and D. A. Kirk. 2001. Birds on organic and conventional farms in Ontario: partitioning effects of habitat and practices on species composition and abundance. Biological Conservation 101:337-350.
• Galloway, J. N., W. H. Schlesinger, H. Levy, A. Michaels, and J. L. Schnoor. 1995. Nitrogen-Fixation - Anthropogenic Enhancement-Environmental Response. Global Biogeochemical Cycles 9:235-252.
• Giller, K. E., and G. Cadisch. 1995. Future benefits from biological nitrogen fixation: An ecological approach to agriculture. Plant and Soil (Historical Archive) 174:255-277.
• Grafton-Cardwell, E. E., Y. L. Ouyang, and R. L. Bugg. 1999. Leguminous cover crops to enhance population development of Euseius tularensis (Acari : Phytoseiidae) in citrus. Biological Control 16:73-80.
• Haramoto, E. R., and E. R. Gallandt. 2004. Brassica cover cropping for weed management: A review. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 19:187-198.
• Hill, E.C., M. Ngouajio, and M.G.Nair. 2006. Differential responses of weeds and vegetable crops to aqueous extracts of hairy vetch and cowpea. HortSci. 41:695-700.
• Jensen, E. S., and H. Hauggaard-Nielsen. 2003. How can increased use of biological N-2 fixation in agriculture benefit the environment? Plant and Soil 252:177-186.
• Joyce, B. A., W. W. Wallender, J. P. Mitchell, L. M. Huyck, S. R. Temple, P. N. Brostrom, and T. C. Hsiao. 2002. Infiltration and soil water storage under winter cover cropping in California's Sacramento Valley. Transactions of the Asae 45:315-326.
• Kobayashi, Y., M. Ito, and K. Suwanarak. 2003. Evaluation of smothering effect of four legume covers on Pennisetum polystachion ssp. setosum (Swartz) Brunken. Weed Biology and Management 3:222-227.
• Kuepper, G., and R. Thomas. 2002. "Bug vacuums" for organic crop protection. ATTRA, Fayetteville, AR.
• Kuo, S., U. M. Sainju, and E. J. Jellum. 1997. Winter cover crop effects on soil organic carbon and carbohydrate in soil. Soil Science Society of America Journal 61:145-152.
• Lal, R. 2003. Offsetting global CO2 emissions by restoration of degraded soils and intensification of world agriculture and forestry. Land Degradation & Development 14:309-322.
• Lazzeri, L., and L. M. Manici. 2001. Allelopathic effect of glucosinolate-containing plant green manure on Pythium sp and total fungal population in soil. Hortscience 36:1283-1289.
• Lu, Y. C., K. B. Watkins, J. R. Teasdale, and A. A. Abdul-Baki. 2000. Cover crops in sustainable food production. Food Reviews International 16:121-157.
• Morgan, M. F., H. G. M. Jacobson, and S. B. LeCompte. 1942. Drainage water losses from a sandy soil as affected by cropping and cover crops : Windsor lysimeter series c. Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, 1942. p. [731]-759 : ill., [New Haven].
• Nagabhushana, G. G., A. D. Worsham, and J. P. Yenish. 2001. Allelopathic cover crops to reduce herbicide use in sustainable agricultural systems. Allelopathy Journal 8:133-146.
• New Farm, The. Plans for no-till cover crop roller free for the downloading. [5]
• Patrick, W. H., C. B. Haddon, and J. A. Hendrix. 1957. The effects of longtime use of winter cover crops on certain physical properties of commerce loam. Soil Science Society of America 21:366-368.
• Peoples, M. B., and E. T. Craswell. 1992. Biological nitrogen fixation: Investments, expectations and actual contributions to agriculture. Plant and Soil (Historical Archive) 141:13-39.
• Potter, M. J., K. Davies, and A. J. Rathjen. 1998. Suppressive impact of glucosinolates in Brassica vegetative tissues on root lesion nematode Pratylenchus neglectus. Journal of Chemical Ecology 24:67-80.
• Rabalais, N. N., R. E. Turner, and W. J. Wiseman. 2002. Gulf of Mexico hypoxia, aka "The dead zone". Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 33:235-263.
• Romkens, M. J. M., S. N. Prasad, and F. D. Whisler. 1990. Surface sealing and infiltration. Pages 127-172 in M. G. Anderson and T. P. Butt, editors. Process studies in hillslope hydrology. John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.
• Sainju, U. M., B. P. Singh, and W. F. Whitehead. 2002. Long-term effects of tillage, cover crops, and nitrogen fertilization on organic carbon and nitrogen concentrations in sandy loam soils in Georgia, USA. Soil & Tillage Research 63:167-179.
• Shelton, A. M., and E. Badenes-Perez. 2006. Concepts and applications of trap cropping in pest management. Annual Review of Entomology 51:285-308.
• Singh, H. P., D. R. Batish, and R. K. Kohli. 2003. Allelopathic interactions and allelochemicals: New possibilities for sustainable weed management. Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences 22:239-311.
• Snapp, S. S., S. M. Swinton, R. Labarta, D. Mutch, J. R. Black, R. Leep, J. Nyiraneza, and K. O'Neil. 2005. Evaluating cover crops for benefits, costs and performance within cropping system niches. Agron. J. 97:1-11.
• Teasdale, J. R. 1993. Interaction of light, soil moisture, and temperature with weed suppression by hairy vetch residue. Weed sci 41:46-51.
• Thiessen-Martens, J. R., M. H. Entz, and J. W. Hoeppner. 2005. Legume cover crops with winter cereals in southern Manitoba: Fertilizer replacement values for oat. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 85:645-648.
• Thomsen, I. K., and B. T. Christensen. 1999. Nitrogen conserving potential of successive ryegrass catch crops in continuous spring barley. Soil Use and Management 15:195-200.
• Thorup-Kristensen, K., J. Magid, and L. S. Jensen. 2003. Catch crops and green manures as biological tools in nitrogen management in temperate zones. Pages 227-302 in Advances in Agronomy, Vol 79. ACADEMIC PRESS INC, San Diego.
• Tomlin, A. D., M. J. Shipitalo, W. M. Edwards, and R. Protz. 1995. Earthworms and their influence on soil structure and infiltration. Pages 159-183 in P. F. Hendrix, editor. Earthworm Ecology and Biogeography in North America. Lewis Pub., Boca Raton, FL.
• Vanlauwe, B., O. C. Nwoke, J. Diels, N. Sanginga, R. J. Carsky, J. Deckers, and R. Merckx. 2000. Utilization of rock phosphate by crops on a representative toposequence in the Northern Guinea savanna zone of Nigeria: response by Mucuna pruriens, Lablab purpureus and maize. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 32:2063-2077.
• Vargas-Ayala, R., R. Rodriguez-Kabana, G. Morgan-Jones, J. A. McInroy, and J. W. Kloepper. 2000. Shifts in soil microflora induced by velvetbean (Mucuna deeringiana) in cropping systems to control root-knot nematodes. Biological Control 17:11-22.
• Zalom, F. G., P. A. Phillips, N. C. Toscano, and S. Udayagiri. 2001. UC Pest Management Guidelines: Strawberry: Lygus Bug. University of California Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Berkeley, CA.

External links[link]

• [6] "Cover Crops," Cyclopedia of American Agriculture, v. 2, ed. by L. H. Bailey (1911). A short encyclopedia article, early primary source on varieties and uses of cover crops.

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Martin Crawford is Director of the Agroforestry Research Trust, a British charity which conducts research into temperate agroforestry.

Martin Crawford has spent over twenty years in organic agriculture and horticulture and is director of The Agroforestry Research Trust, a non-profit-making charity that researches into temperate agroforestry and all aspects of plant cropping and uses, with a focus on tree, shrub and perennial crops. It produces several publications and a quarterly journal, and sells plants and seeds from its forest gardens.

Books[link]

• Creating a Forest Garden: Working with Nature to Grow Edible Crops

External links[link]

• "Agroforestry Research Trust". http://www.agroforestry.co.uk. 

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Lana Del Rey
Del Rey at a promotional event in Seattle
Background information
Birth name	Elizabeth Woolridge Grant
Also known as	Lizzy Grant Lana Rey Del Mar May Jailer
Born	(1986-06-21) June 21, 1986 (age 26)[1] New York City, New York, United States
Origin	Lake Placid, New York, United States
Genres	Indie pop,[2] adult alternative,[2] chamber pop,[3] sadcore[4]
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, fashion model
Instruments	Vocals, guitar[5]
Years active	2007–present
Labels	Interscope, Polydor, Stranger
Website	lanadelrey.com

Elizabeth Woolridge Grant^[6] (born June 21, 1986), better known by her stage name Lana Del Rey, is an American singer-songwriter. Raised in upstate New York, Del Rey moved to New York City at age eighteen, where she attended college and began writing music and performing in clubs.

In 2008, Del Rey contracted with an independent label and recorded a self-titled debut album which was briefly available on iTunes in 2010; Del Rey ultimately bought back the rights to the album and it was withdrawn soon after.

In June 2011, she released the song "Video Games" on the Internet, accompanied by a self-made music video that went viral in the following months. The song was later released as a single in October, leading up to Del Rey's major-label debut album, Born to Die, which was released on January 31, 2012 through Interscope Records. Born to Die debuted at number one in seven countries, including the United Kingdom^[7] and Australia. The album has spawned two worldwide top 10 hits: "Video Games" and "Born to Die".

Del Rey's music has been noted for its cinematic sound and its references to various aspects of pop culture, particularly that of 1950s and '60s Americana.^[8] Del Rey has been described as a "self-styled gangsta Nancy Sinatra",^[9] and cites Britney Spears,^[10][11][12] Eminem,^[13][10] and Antony and the Johnsons amongst her musical influences.^[10]

Biography[link]

Early years[link]

Del Rey was born Elizabeth Grant in New York City and grew up in Lake Placid, New York.^[14][15] When she was 14, she attended Kent School, a boarding school in Connecticut.^[16][17] She has Scottish ancestry, and is the daughter of domain investor Rob Grant, who supported her in her early career as a singer.^{[18][19][20][21]} Del Rey attended Fordham University in New York City, studying philosophy.^[22]

At age 18, her uncle taught her how to play guitar, beginning with basic chords: "It was G, C, A, D minor, A minor and some diminished chord as well. Some trick, some shortcut," Del Rey recalled. "I realized I could probably write a million songs with those six chords, so I moved to New York and I took a couple of years to just write whatever I wanted."^[5] She began performing in clubs while living in the city.

Her stage name was discussed in a Vogue interview, in which she said, "I wanted a name I could shape the music towards [...] I was going to Miami quite a lot at the time, speaking a lot of Spanish with my friends from Cuba – Lana Del Rey reminded us of the glamour of the seaside. It sounded gorgeous coming off the tip of the tongue."^[23] The name is reportedly an amalgam of the actress Lana Turner, and the 1980's automobile Ford Del Rey. ^[24]

"I wanted to be part of a high-class scene of musicians. It was half-inspired because I didn't have many friends, and I was hoping that I would meet people and fall in love and start a community around me, the way they used to do in the '60s."^[25]

Del Rey first released a three-track EP titled Kill Kill in October 2008 under the name Lizzy Grant, featuring the tracks "Kill Kill", "Yayo" and "Gramma (Blue Ribbon Sparkler Trailer Heaven)".^[26]

[edit] 2010: Lana Del Ray A.K.A. Lizzy Grant

Del Rey later released her first full-length studio album titled Lana Del Ray A.K.A. Lizzy Grant [sic] in January 2010.^[27] It was the singer's first professionally produced album, released under Lizzy Grant on an independent label with producer David Kahne.^[28] Del Rey stated that "David asked to work with me only a day after he got my demo. He is known as a producer with a lot of integrity and who had an interest in making music that wasn't just pop."^[29] Her father, Robert Grant, helped with the marketing of the album,^[30] which was available for purchase on iTunes for a brief period before being withdrawn. According to David Kahne, who produced Grant, Grant bought the rights back from her label, 5 Points, as she wanted it out of circulation to "…stifle future opportunities to distribute it – an echo of rumors that the action was part of a calculated strategy."^[31]

[edit] 2011–present: Born to Die

Lana Del Rey performing at Paradiso, Amsterdam.

Later in June 2011, Del Rey was signed with Stranger Records,^[32] to release her debut single "Video Games";^[32] in October 2011, she signed a joint deal with Interscope Records and Polydor.^{[5][33][34][35]} In October 2011, she won the Q award for "Next Big Thing". Del Rey's song "Video Games" was featured for the first time on The CW's TV-Series Ringer on September 27, 2011.^[36] Del Rey also promoted the album in a number of live appearances, including a show at the Bowery Ballroom, where, according to Eliot Glazer of New York, "the polarizing indie hipstress brought her 'gangsta Nancy Sinatra' swagu."^[37] Rolling Stone commented that, despite Del Rey being nervous and anxious while performing her songs live, she "sang with considerable confidence", although they noted that "her transitions ...could be rather jarring."^[38] Del Rey also performed "Video Games" on Dutch television program De Wereld Draait Door,^[39] on British music television show Later... with Jools Holland,^[40] and on an intimate show at Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood, California.^[41]

Born to Die was released on January 27, 2012 in Ireland,^[42] January 30, 2012, in the UK, and on January 31, 2012 worldwide.^[43]

Del Rey performed two songs on Saturday Night Live on January 14, 2012 to a warm reception from the audience, but mixed reviews from critics and the general public. NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams called Del Rey's performance "one of the worst outings in SNL history". Del Rey's performance was defended by the evening's program guest host, actor Daniel Radcliffe, despite not having seen her performance.^[44] He said in part: "It was unfortunate that people seemed to turn on her so quickly [...] I don't think [the performance] warranted anywhere near that reaction." Del Rey had earlier defended her spot on the program, saying: "I'm a good musician [...] I have been singing for a long time, and I think that [SNL creator] Lorne Michaels knows that [...] it's not a fluke decision."^[45] On February 4, 2012, Kristen Wiig appeared on the Weekend Update segment on Saturday Night Live parodying Del Rey and poking fun at the backlash.

The second single and title track "Born to Die" was released on December 3, 2011.^[46] The music video for it leaked on December 14, 2011,^[47] and was based on a concept created by the singer, while being directed by Yoann Lemoine.^[48]

In January 2012, Del Rey revealed that she recently bought back the rights to her 2010 album Lana Del Ray A.K.A. Lizzy Grant and will re-release it in the summer of 2012 under Interscope Records and Polydor.^[49] Contrary to Grant's press statement, her previous label (5 Point Records), and producer David Kahne have both stated that she bought the rights to the album when she and the label parted company, due to the offer of a new deal, in April 2010.^[50][51] On January 4, 2012, it was reported she had signed a deal with NEXT Model Management agency.^[52] In May 2012, Del Rey confirmed the song "National Anthem" as the fourth single from her album Born to Die. ^{[53] [54]} On May 30th, 2012, Del Rey's supposed debut album "Sirens" was leaked online under the name "May Jailer". The 15 track album includes the previously leaked song "A Star for Nick."

Artistry[link]

Music

She has been described as a "self-styled gangsta Nancy Sinatra",^[9] Del Rey is known to write and produce most of her own material and covers genres from Hip-Hop and Indie. Having first been discovered from posting viral videos of herself singing on the internet she quickly grew a significant fan base. She has been noted for using her allure to the celebrity lifestyle as an inspiration in itself, whilst at the same time maintaining an aura of mystique, this has reflected in the melodies and vocals she produces. Her sound as well as her videography has been described as eccentric, over the top and at times wild. However Noah Levy, senior news editor at In Touch Weekly magazine noted that her dedication and talent is undeniable, quoted as saying "I think she cares about the art that she is creating. I don't think that is fake at all."^[55]

Voice

Del Rey possesses a wide^[56] contralto vocal range,^{[57][58][59][60]} which has been described as unique, captivating and highly emotive,^[60] being able to transcend from sounding high and girlish in her timbre, down to a low and jazzy sound with great ease, although both these areas of the voice can be conflicting in their sound and polarise opinion.^[57]

When recording in the studio Del Rey is known for vocal multi layering, double tracking and overlays which has it has been noted is difficult for her to replicate within a live setting, especially with the lack of backing singers to fill out the original vocal style.^[59].

Influences

Del Rey cites Britney Spears,^[11][12] Elvis Presley, Antony and the Johnsons, Frank Sinatra ^[13] and Eminem amongst her musical influences. "[I really] just like the masters of every genre", she told BBC journalist Jo Whiley.^[61]

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

• Lana Del Ray A.K.A. Lizzy Grant (2010)
• Born To Die (2012)

Awards and nominations[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Lana Del Rey

• Official website
• Lana Del Rey at the Internet Movie Database
• Lana Del Rey talks influences with BEAT