For those not in the know, MARINA (formerly of Marina and the Diamonds) is a Welsh singer-songwriter whose debut album, The Family Jewels, was released in 2010. The following year she, along with Robyn, opened for Katy Perry on her California Dreams Tour. She has since released five studio albums, Electra Heart (2012), Froot (2015), Love + Fear (2019), Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land (2021) and Princess Of Power (2025) - the latter has been on repeat ever since I got it, a true pop gem! My favorites are the title track, Princess Of Power, Butterfly, Cuntissimo and Everybody Knows I’m Sad.
Reviews of the album have certainly been glowing. Danielle Holian from Atwood Magazine asserts that with on album MARINA “rediscovers the alchemy that first made listeners become fans” with “sparkling pop hooks, arch lyricism, and a beating heart behind the glitter” while Variety’s Jem Aswad highlights some of the many styles present on the album: “The sounds of ‘80s British pop are everywhere, along with flourishes of Queen in her vocals and especially blasts of late-period ABBA in the lush strings, synth arpeggios and European melodies; there’s also a big dollop of Madonna and Gaga in its DNA” (always a good sign). MARINA is quoted as saying that she was “really craving joy and playfulness” in her life and so her intention with this record was “to create something that felt energetically positive because we are living in a world where it feels like there isn’t a lot of that out there.”
I was thrilled when I heard that she would be bringing some of the joy and playfulness of Princess Of Power to Radio City Music Hall in NYC. She took to the stage in a jaw dropping sequined cerise body suit with sparkling silver fringe along the arms and had everyone dancing and singing along from her first flawless note.
The show was a heady mix of enchanting visuals and dynamic vocals as she took the audience on a magical musical journey through six theatrical levels, similar to the increasingly complex levels of a video game - a perfect tie-in to the overarching theme of the album. Indeed the electronic production of many of the tracks mimics recognizable game music along with lyrical references to video game tropes and animated characters, such as the sample of the classic line, "Thank you Mario, but our princess is in another castle!", in Final Boss. The nod to the OG Princess of Power, the fabulous heroine She-Ra, is also a reflection of MARINA’s feminine power…with a whimsical twist.
The complete setlist was as follows:
LEVEL 1: STAR FIELDS
PRINCESS OF POWER
Are You Satisfied?
LEVEL 2: FAMILIAR HELLS
CUPID'S GIRL
Hermit the Frog
How to Be a Heartbreaker
LEVEL 3: THE COCOON
EVERYBODY KNOWS I'M SAD
I Am Not a Robot
BUTTERFLY
LEVEL 4: DIGITAL FANTASIES
DIGITAL FANTASY
Venus Fly Trap
METALLIC STALLION
LEVEL 5: PARTY PARADISO
Froot
CUNTISSIMO
Bubblegum Bitch
LEVEL 6: KEYS TO THE CASTLE
FINAL BOSS
ROLLERCOASTER
Primadonna
I <3 YOU
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