Marina and the Diamonds Wiki
Register
Advertisement
This article is about the song. To see alternate articles, check out the archetype with the same name.

Primadonna is a single by Marina Diamandis, released under her previous stage name 'Marina and the Diamonds'. Appearing on her second studio album, Electra Heart, it is the 2nd track on the album, and was released as the lead single.

The song was written by Marina, Julie Frost, Dr. Luke, and Cirkut, and produced by Dr. Luke and Cirkut.

Primadonna was used as Part 4 of 'The Archetypes', and is a 'Beauty Queen' song.

Background[]

8-30-11 Will Ireland 011

In August 2011, Primadonna's title was referenced in a photoshoot for NME.

Marina initially came up with the title of the song in July 2011, prior to its writing. The track was written and recorded two months later in October 2011, becoming one of the final songs recorded for Electra Heart. She states in her own words that it "picked itself as the first single off the album."[1]

During an interview with The Sun, Marina explained Electra Heart has four personalities, one of which is "The Primadonna" (a beauty queen), whom she sings of in the song. They are, she said, "magnifications of certain parts of me and of every woman." Marina also described the song in a track-by-track on Amazon as "channeling the archetype of The Star, asking for adoration."

Registration[]

On ASCAP/BMI the song was registered once,[2] and it was registered 3 times on registry site GEMA,[3] each time listing Julie Frost, Dr. Luke and Cirkut as co-writers. One version of "Prima Donna" is under registration status "2" which indicates a work not yet distributable, and was likely a demo. The other "Prima Donna" and "Primadonna" are registered as "1", indicating a work that can be distributed, as they both have the same ISCW number, they were just registering the alternate name.

On GEMA the song is registered under both Primadonna and Prima Donna, on ASCAP the song is registered under Primadonna with Prima Donna and Primadonna Girl (Radio Version) as alternative titles.

Trivia[]

  • In 2013, Primadonna was added as a downloadable content track on the 2012 video game, Just Dance 4.[4]
  • The song samples Suzi Quatro's 1978 song, "Stumblin'In".[5]

Meaning[]

Marina describes the track as a song for girls or women who are trying to validate themselves without validation from others. In an interview with Elle Girl, she mentions:[6]

It's about not needing anybody when it comes to love—your raison d'etre is to live for adoration. Girls usually feel like this when they are not appreciated in a relationship. The inspiration for the song came from an ex-boyfriend. He thought it was funny that I was a mega drama queen always talking 'global love' this, 'global love' that! He called me a prima donna. I love it but I also kind of hate it. Like they say, 'You only hate in others what you hate in yourself', so I thought I'd channel this well-known but kind of undesirable character type into a pop song. As the saying goes (that I just made up): You've either been one or dated one at least once in your life.

Connections[]

The theme: "Beauty queen on a silver screen" links the song to:

  • Eternity: "On the silver screen, I’m the beauty queen".

Artwork[]

Primadonna single artwork
Credits
Photographer
Casper Balslev
Designer
Big Active
Photoshoot
Media

Videos[]

Video Credits
Primadonna_♡_Part_4
Title Primadonna
Premiere 12 Mar 2012
Length 3:58
Location Copenhagen, Denmark
Filmed 17 Feb 2012
Director Casper Balslev
Producer Thor Brammer Jacobsen
Production company Love Commercial Production Co.
Executive producer Paul McKee
Editor Jake Wynne

Additional Credits

  • Line Producer - Mikkel DamKiær
  • Production Manager - Cathrine Bjørn
  • DoP - Sebastian Wintherø
  • Grade - George K, MPC
  • Art Director - Rasmus With
  • Styling - Celestine Cooney
  • Hair - Darren Evans
  • Make-Up - Niamh Quinn
  • Additional Styling - Madeleine Ostlie

Video Credits
MARINA_AND_THE_DIAMONDS_-_Primadonna_Acoustic
Title Primadonna (Acoustic)
Premiere 19 Mar 2012
Length 3:51

Video Credits
Marina_&_The_Diamonds_-_Primadonna_in_the_Live_Lounge
Title Primadonna in the Live Lounge
Premiere 18 Apr 2012
Length 4:04
Location BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge

Official Versions[]

Version Released on Date Length
Album/Single Primadonna • Electra Heart Single: 20 Mar 2012 3:41
Remixes
Benny Benassi Remix Primadonna (Remixes) - EP 06 Apr 2012 7:05
Riva Starr Remix Primadonna (Remixes) - EP 06 Apr 2012 5:45
BURNS Remix Primadonna (Remixes) - EP 06 Apr 2012 4:29
Walden Remix Primadonna (Remixes) - EP 06 Apr 2012 6:21
Until the Ribbon Breaks Remix Primadonna (Remixes) - EP 06 Apr 2012 3:47
Evian Christ Remix Primadonna (Remixes) - EP 06 Apr 2012 3:44
Bobby Rock Remix Primadonna (Remixes) - Single 25 Sep 2012 5:31
Ludovika Remix Primadonna (Remixes) - Single 25 Sep 2012 6:00
Acoustic/Live
Acoustic Primadonna (Acoustic) • YouTube 19 Mar 2012 3:51

Lyrics[]

[Chorus]
Primadonna girl, yeah
All I ever wanted was the world
I can't help that I need it all
The primadonna life, the rise and fall
You say that I'm kinda difficult
But it's always someone else's fault
Got you wrapped around my finger, babe
You can count on me to misbehave
A primadonna girl

[Verse 1]
Would you do anything for me?
Buy a big diamond ring for me?
Would you get down on your knees for me?
Pop that pretty question right now, baby
Beauty queen on a silver screen
Living life like I'm in a dream
I know I've got a big ego
I really don't know why it's such a big deal, though

[Pre-Chorus 1]
(Ooh) And I'm sad to the core, core, core
(Yeah) Every day is a chore, chore, chore
(Wow) When you give, I want more, more, more
I wanna be adored

[Chorus]
'Cause I'm a Primadonna girl, yeah
All I ever wanted was the world
I can't help that I need it all
The primadonna life, the rise and fall
You say that I'm kinda difficult
But it's always someone else's fault
Got you wrapped around my finger, babe
You can count on me to misbehave
Primadonna girl

[Verse 2]
Fill the void up with celluloid
Take a picture, I'm with the boys
Get what I want 'cause I ask for it
Not because I'm really that deserving of it
Living life like I'm in a play
In the limelight I want to stay
I know I've got a big ego
I really don't know why it's such a big deal, though

[Pre-Chorus 1]
(Ooh) Going up, going down, down, down
(Yeah) Anything for the crown, crown, crown
(Wow) When the lights dimming down, down, down
I spin around

[Chorus]
'Cause I'm a Primadonna girl, yeah
All I ever wanted was the world
I can't help that I need it all
The primadonna life, the rise and fall
You say that I'm kinda difficult
But it's always someone else's fault
Got you wrapped around my finger, babe
You can count on me to misbehave

[Chorus]
Primadonna girl, yeah
All I ever wanted was the world
I can't help that I need it all
The primadonna life, the rise and fall
You say that I'm kinda difficult
But it's always someone else's fault
Got you wrapped around my finger, babe
You can count on me to misbehave
Primadonna girl

Credits[]

Personnel

  • Dr. Luke - All instruments
  • Cirkut - All instruments

Technical

  • Written by Marina Diamandis / Julie Frost / Lukasz Gottwald / Henry Walter
  • Published by Warner Chappell Music Ltd (PRS), EMI April Music Inc. obo itself and Totally Famous Music (ASCAP), Kasz Money Publishing (ASCAP) and Oneirology Publishing / Prescription Songs (ASCAP)
  • Produced by Dr. Luke and Cirkut for Prescription Songs
  • Mixed by Serban Ghenea
  • Programming by Dr. Luke and Cirkut
  • Engineered by Clint Gibbs
  • Assisted by Jon Sher
  • Production Coordination by Irene Richter and Katie Mitzell
  • Recorded at eightysevenfourteen studios, Los Angeles, CA
  • Mixed at MixStar Studios, Virginia Beach, VA
  • Engineer John Hanes
  • Assisted by Tim Roberts and Phil Seaford
  • Mastered by Chris Gehringer at Sterling Sound, New York, NY

References[]

  1. "Marina and the Diamonds | "Electra Heart" Album Interview. Part 2." YouTube. 1 May 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  2. https://www.ascap.com/repertory
    Work ID: 883989849
  3. https://online.gema.de/werke/search.faces?lang=en
    GEMA factory number:12584088-001 (Primadonna)
    GEMA work no.:12616333-001 (Prima Donna)
    GEMA work no.:12616333-002 (Prima Donna)
  4. https://youtu.be/yD13lRxn7XQ
  5. https://www.whosampled.com/sample/162117/Marina-and-the-Diamonds-Primadonna-Suzi-Quatro-Stumblin%27In/
  6. Stern, Clare. "Marina of Marina And The Diamonds Says New Album Personifies Heartbreak." Elle Girl. 20 April 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
Advertisement