Music Friday: Marina Diamandis Asks for a 'Big Diamond Ring' in 'Primadonna'

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you popular songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, Marina Diamandis, aka Marina and the Diamonds, stays true to her name in the 2012 international hit, “Primadonna.”

In this song about a self-absorbed diva who “wants the world,” the sassy Welsh recording artist tries to coax a marriage proposal and a giant-size sparkler from her beau.

She sings, “Would you do anything for me? / Buy a big diamond ring for me? / Would you get down on your knees for me? / Pop the pretty question right now baby.”

Diamandis created her stage name by incorporating her first name with the translation of her surname, which means “diamonds” in Greek. She explained that “the Diamonds” part of “Marina and the Diamonds” does not refer to her backing band, but to her fans.

In an interview with Elle Girl, Diamandis described how her ex-boyfriend thought it was funny that she was a mega drama queen always talking "global love" this and "global love" that!

"He called me a prima donna… so I thought I'd channel this well-known, but kind of undesirable character type, into a pop song."

She told The Sun that the prima donna beauty queen in this song is a magnification of "certain parts of me and of every woman."

“Primadonna” was the lead single from the 39-year-old artist’s second studio album, Electra Heart. MTV Buzzworthy critic Sam Lansky described “Primadonna” as “a monster song,” and fans across the globe agreed. The release was an international sensation, charting in 13 countries. Within the first few hours of its release in March of 2012, the song became a worldwide trending topic on Twitter, now known as X.

Born in Brynmawr, Wales, Diamandis moved to London as a teenager to pursue a music career. In 2009, at the age of 24, she placed second in the BBC’s “Sound of 2010” competition. That success led to her debut studio album, The Family Jewels.

Diamandis has three high-profile events on her 2025 calendar. She will be appearing at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, CA, on April 11 and 18; The Governors Ball in Queens, NY, on June 7; and Bonnaroo in Manchester, TN, on June 13.

Please check out the video of Diamandis performing the acoustic version of "Primadonna." The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“Primadonna”
Written by Marina Diamandis, Julie Frost, Lukasz Gottwald and Henry Walter. Performed by Marina and the Diamonds.

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,
Would you do anything for me?
Buy a big diamond ring for me?
Would you get down on your knees for me?
Pop the pretty question right now baby

Beauty queen of the 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

I’m sad to the core, core, core
Everything is a chore, chore, chore
When you give I want more, more, more
I wanna be adored

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
Fill the void up with celluloid
Take a picture, I’m with the boys
Get what I want cause I asked 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

Going up, going down, down, down
Anything for the crown, crown, crown
When the lights go down, down, down
I spin around

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, 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

Credit: Photo by Justin Higuchi, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.