This could be the cover Lana Del Rey was meant to sing. The 1959 Disney animated film Sleeping Beauty features “Once Upon a Dream,” an orchestral ballad with a slightly creepy undertone — the two lovers met in a dream? — and a fluttery-voiced throwback heroine. And now it turns out the Tropico star recorded her own take for Angelina Jolie-led Sleeping Beauty villain’s-perspective update Maleficent. Can’t you just hear her acting out the oh-so-innocent intro: “You know, I’m really not supposed to speak to strangers…”?
According to Idolator, Del Rey’s cover of “Once Upon a Dream” will be available on iTunes after the Grammys. That’s January 26, for those who might want to watch Beyoncé and Jay Z perform at Los Angeles’ Staples Center (check out SPIN’s Grammys 2014 FAQ). The husky-voiced singer is up for a handful of Grammys, including Best Pop Vocal Album, though her Oscar saboteurs got what they wanted — she’s among the many who lost out on a Best Original Song nod to Alone Yet Not Alone. Maleficent hits theaters May 30, but if Del Rey’s song is really a cover it won’t be eliglble at next year’s Academy Awards, either.
Meanwhile, Del Rey recently swayed through an unhurried rendition of Born to Die breakout “Video Games” for at the Breakthrough Prize awards show, which pays tribute to scientists. Kevin Spacey introduces her, saying the title “no doubt will resonate with many of you here,” and she sings backed by piano, strings, and a bit of electric guitar. The show airs January 27 at 9 p.m. EST on the Science Channel, but watch it above via Rolling Stone.
Del Rey has an album on the way, though little is known about it besides its A Clockwork Orange-referencing title, Ultraviolence (or Ultra Violence, or Ultra-Violence — little is known!). See where it stands among our 50 Albums You Gotta Hear in 2014.
