Her music wasn't 'Born to Die' (Created March 20, 2014)

Lana Del Ray has lived well beyond her years, coincidentally packing her heart and soul into an album she would call "Born to Die." That release came in January 2012, but the story of Lana and the puzzle pieces of her life fit together in a much more complicated way.

Now a singer, songwriter and Vogue cover girl, the childhood of Lana (born Elizabeth Woolridge Grant) is in stark contrast to the fame she now enjoys. By age 14 she was dealing with an alcohol dependency, had been sent away to boarding school and ultimately attended Fordham University in New York City to study metaphysics. Picking up her first guitar ultimately changed the course her life would take from there on out.

Grant began performing in clubs around New York City under various names, including her birth name, as well as Sparkle Rope Jump Queen and Lizzy Grant and the Phenomena. At age 20, she signed a record contract for $10,000 and moved into a trailer park. When the album was shelved, she began working in homeless outreach, drug and alcohol rehabilitation.

It wasn't until fall 2011 that Grant rebranded herself as Lana Del Ray and signed a joint record deal with both Interscope Records and Polydor. It came after another false start (with 5 Point Records) and a full-length album that was quickly yanked from circulation. But the third time would prove to be the charm, as Lana put a few tracks on her YouTube channel. Her debut single, "Video Games," accumulated in excess of 20 million views in its first 5 months of upload, and by the time "Born to Die" was officially released in January 2012, Lana had her vision re-directed yet again.

Now partnered with NEXT Model Management agency and with dreams of pursuing a film career, Lana has made music just a small focus of her overall appeal. Her third EP, "Paradise," is currently being supported by a tour that will take her through France, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Austria and many other countries in 2013.