How Marina & the Diamonds Brought Two Sisters Together

Dear Muse,

Thanks to my sister, I have - as of a week ago - become a HUGE fan of the pop singer Marina Diamandis (otherwise known as Marina and the Diamonds).

Source: bite.ca via Ariel on Pinterest

Source: en.wikipedia.org via Ariel on Pinterest

 Still, it seems surprising that my sister and I should bond over anything, given our  - uh, complicated relationship. Let me explain what I mean by "complicated."

When we were both kids, my sister idolized me. She would follow me everywhere, cling to me, clamor to be part of my imaginary games. But, aside from reciprocating her affection every once in a while, I was often so self-absorbed that I distanced myself from her. (That is, when I wasn't trying to ignore her on purpose.)

When we were teenagers (me in mid-adolescence and her just entering it), my sister started making a lot of pop culture discoveries.  In the beginning, I scoffed at her obsessions with things like Full Metal Alchemist and Teen Titans. Only later did I realize, "Hey, I actually really like this stuff," and start becoming obsessed with it too. As my sister introduced me to more things, I decided that her judgment wasn't that bad. This realization inspired me to start trying to spend quality time with her. Unfortunately, by the time I began inviting her to hang out with me, she was going through her "rebellious teenager phase." Not only did she not want to be associated with a clueless older sister, she also had become bored with the things I was now obsessing over. Thus, my enthusiastic invitations were quickly rejected.

Although I have to admit that my sister has been the motivating factor behind a lot of what I know about pop culture today (e.g., anime, Scrubs, that sort of thing), we're almost never interested in the same things at the same time. In terms of our personalities and likes, we're basically polar opposites. While I think my sister has abysmal taste in music (like They Might Be Giants - ew), my sister believes that anything I think is cool should be given a wide berth.

For a while, I didn't think we'd be able to agree on anything simultaneously. That is, until last week, when I wandered in on her singing to Marina and the Diamonds' The Family Jewels in the kitchen.

Source: marselip.blogspot.com via Ariel on Pinterest

Suddenly, I discovered that I really liked this music. Surely Annie wouldn't mind if I joined in the fun, right?

...I guess I could have worked on my entrance a bit more.

Still, due to the fact that I now LOVE Marina and the Diamonds, I can safely say that this is one thing my sister and I can enjoy at the same time. I can also say that, given how I learned about Marina through my sister, Annie still has a HUGE influence on my life. So thank you, Annie, for introducing me to a totally cool (profound) pop singer. It's a refreshing change to listen to songs that analyze and critique society - especially those in The Family Jewels, which Diamandis says is inspired by "the seduction of commercialism, modern social values, family and female sexuality."

I've included a few of my favorite Marina and the Diamonds Youtube music videos below. Hope you like them as much as my sister & I do! (About "Mowgli's Road": I would say it's like "Only My Railgun" in its surreal-ness, except that it feels somehow even more surreal.)

                                                                            'Till next time,
                                                                                        Ariel

P.S. Does anyone else think that Marina's style is reminiscent of Lady GaGa/ Katy Perry?