Elizabeth Woolridge Grant (born June 21, 1985), known professionally as Lana Del Rey, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York, Del Rey embarked on a music career in 2005 and first received widespread attention in 2011, when the music video for her single "Video Games" became a viral internet sensation. Her music has been noted for its cinematic style, its preoccupation with themes of tragic romance and melancholia, and its references to pop culture, particularly 1950s and 1960s Americana.