Related Links > 29/12/2010 : Falls Music Festival – Lorne, Australia

Click the thumbnails below to view these completely gorgeous pictures of Marina shot by Cambridge Jones.

Related Links > Photoshoots In 2010 > Session 33 : Cambridge Jones

Melbourne is often said to have the largest Greek population of any city outside Greece. The Greek-Australian experience is in its third generation for some families and the two cultures are deeply intertwined.

However, for Marina Lambrini Diamandis, who performs as the successful British pop act Marina and the Diamonds, having a Greek heritage while growing up in the Welsh town of Abergavenny was a defining experience.

“I stood out in a good way,” says the 25-year-old, who has a Greek father and Welsh mother. “I do look and feel like a normal person but I do feel like I’ve been an outsider all of my life. I didn’t feel like I ever fit in anywhere because I didn’t; I lived in a Welsh village and I’d come from Greece when I was four. I’m very connected to my Greek side as I went there every summer, although I didn’t fit in there, either.”

That sense of separation, of looking at a world that doesn’t quite fit what you want yours to be, is also a fine preparation for someone pursuing the strange brew that is pop stardom. On her debut album, The Family Jewels, Marina offers autobiographical struggle and cultural criticism on a record that skips between electro-pop (Shampain), Alice in Wonderland esoterica (Girls) and new-wave clatter (Oh No!).

It’s catchy but never triumphant; Diamandis is less of a role model than a subversive presence, dissecting the consumer culture that has elevated her.

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Marina Diamandis says her family feared she had obsessive compulsive disorder – because she wouldn’t stop studying for exams.
The Marina & The Diamonds beauty, who stormed the charts this year with Hollywood and I Am Not A Robot, says her drive to succeed at school was the first sign that she’d realise her singer-songwriter dream.
But loved ones were worried when she started to lose sleep in a bid to do well in her subjects.

Marina said: “I am terribly ambitious and terribly disciplined. That became apparent during my GCSEs. I would wake up at 2am and study until 7am. I became obsessed with achieving and that used to worry my family. That was when my personality began to form.
“I always knew I would be an artist. Fame is a funny thing because I relate it to the cheap celebrity exposure we now have – but it isn’t that. It is hopefully being recognised for doing something good. I don’t think I have reached that level. I have a lot to do and I won’t rest.”

This week, Marina has become the new face of Max Factor’s Colour Effect range of lip glosses, eyeshadows and nail polishes.
The half-Welsh, half-Greek beauty also invented her own make-up collection for sale at concerts because she didn’t want to sell the “boring merchandise” available at most gigs.
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Marina, who announced yesterday via Twitter that she has become the new face of Max Factor’s Max Colour Effect campaign has spoke a little bit about the new project. She will be fronting their Big Night Out campaign, which is about encourage women to be more daring with their style before going out, by experimenting with colours.

I’m thrilled to be teaming up with Max Colour Effect – make-up should be fun. It’s about identity and I really want to encourage girls to be braver with colour.
My neon pink lip has become my signature – I have worn it for over 7 years. It’s part of my character! Colour is all-encompassing in my life; it allows us all to communicate our personalities and moods without having to use words.
Max Colour Effect is about cementing your individuality – girls can try red hot pouts and aqua eyes one day to gold lips and bronzed eyes the next!

Marina announced some pretty amazing news this morning on her Twitter account about her becoming the new face of Max Factor UK. This is really big and we are so happy for her. Read what she had to say below.

Watching Nickelodeon in gown & jewels, eating cheese puffs. Look like Britney Spears in “Lucky”. Got some exciting news…This morning I became the new face of Maxfactor!
Can’t reveal much yet but managed to snap look 1 in the loo. Don’t think of loos though. Think of make-up. http://yfrog.com/hsqggj – @MarinasDiamonds

Marina will be the face of Max Factor’s Vibrant Max Colour Effect collection and we can’t wait to see the promotional videos and pictures which are sure to come soon. Stick with us for any further news.