It’s hard to follow in the footsteps of a king, but Lisa Marie Presley has done everything her own way.
The singer-songwriter, who died Thursday at the age of 54 after being rushed to the hospital for possible cardiac arrest, is widely recognized as the daughter of Elvis and Priscilla Presley, but her daughter died in the early 2000s. Supporting her music career and beyond, she has always been a rock star.
A posthumous collaboration she shared with her late father in 1997, her own debut released in 2003, and two more albums released in the decade that followed gave Presley a steady stream of music over the years. created a catalog of To celebrate her musical legacy, PEOPLE reflects on her decision to launch her career as a singer and songwriter and the music she has left behind now.
“This is me. This record is me,” Presley said in 2003 before the release of his debut LP. to whom it may concern“Every song is me. You know who I really am, not what the tabloids say or what someone is going to say about me.”
Presley’s musical beginnings can be easily traced back to her early days in Graceland and lessons learned from the King of Rock and Roll himself, but that familial connection has given her access to several other notable names in music. Introduced a name.
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Growing up, one of Presley’s favorite early albums was sweet inspiration The Sweet Inspirations — a girl group featuring Cissy Houston that toured with her father. told PopEntertainment.com. I loved their voices and I loved that song.
After his father’s death in 1977, Presley recalled his first rock show in 1978 or 1979 when he was Queen of The Forum. That time she brought her father’s scarf for vocalist Freddie Mercury “I loved it. I loved theater. I loved Freddie,” she said. “I thought Queen was amazing. I’m a huge theater fan.”
She also explained to the outlet that Pink Floyd’s music had a huge impact on her early life. The Wall It’s a classic she often returns to. “I like honest, dark music that says something,” said Presley. “That’s your job as a writer. Music is a kind of communication. is the music I write: “Writing was what I was good at in school. I grew up a serious writer. I wrote poetry and short stories. That’s when I’m happiest and able to write.” It was clear in my youth.”
As for her own career, however, things started to move forward in 1997 when Presley released what appeared to be her first recording. It was a duet with her father after her death, covering her father’s song “Don’t Cry Daddy” and singing along to her father’s vocals. The song was shared as part of the 20th anniversary of Elvis’ death, just five years after her Lisa Marie began pursuing a solo career.
On her decision to start releasing solo music from 2003 to whom it may concernPresley told PopEntertainment.com that her goal is to “try to gain a fan base for myself and hopefully my music can influence others as it has done for me in my life.” It is to do it like that.”
“I have the torch, but that’s how I do it,” she said. “That’s kind of what I said to my parents in the liner notes. We’ve all taken different paths. He took a huge path in the 1950s that was very conservative.” He shook everything. He took a lot of people away and made a lot of people happy at the same time. I don’t think there are many women who have crossed or walked I am against what I think I should and what I should or shouldn’t do.”
Presley’s debut 12-track album for Capitol Records featured artists such as Cliff Magness, Greg Wells and Glenn Ballard. “She was really down-to-earth, focused and very dedicated,” producer Eric Roth told PEOPLE in 2003 about the early recording sessions. became.
“We were naturally connected by the rivers of Memphis and Natchez, and there was a certain indescribable atmosphere that connected those places,” Ballard wrote Thursday after Presley’s death. Sense of style, soulful to the core, and did her best to shine in the long shadows of Elvis and MJ.”
When reviewing the LP in 2003, PEOPLE noted that the album had been in the works for about ten years and at one point her ex-husband Michael Jackson had helped her with the LP. Outside of her own music, Presley notably appeared in Jackson’s “You Are Not Alone” video.
A PEOPLE review noted that while the lead single “Lights Out” also seemed to stand out, the rest of the LP didn’t get the same energy. “I never wanted to write a song that showed my genetic code or my background.” It’s not like, ‘That’s so great. ”
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Two years later, Presley released his sophomore album. So, was her last release under Capitol. The album included her two singles, Don Henley’s “Dirty Laundry” and a cover of the track “Idiot”. Debuted at her number 9 spot on the Billboard 200.
The track “Shine” describes her friend as “funny, whip-smart, sensitive, talented, witty, mean, loving, generous, judgmental, but always right.” It also featured an appearance by Pink, who called “I was loyal, I loved you.” Your Children,” after learning of her death on Thursday.
As Presley told Oprah Winfrey at the time, the album gave her a chance to redefine herself. “I was like, ‘You don’t know who I am.’ I’m going to introduce myself to you for the first time.” [ideas] my. ”
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In August 2007, Presley returned to music posthumously with another duet, “In the Ghetto,” and it would take another five years before releasing his third and final studio LP. Storm & Grace.
Produced by T Bone Burnett, the album reached number 45 on the Billboard 200 and was her only album released on Universal Republic after leaving Capitol.Burnett said entertainment weekly In 2012, the duo “instantly connected” after hearing one of her demos.
As Presley explained in an interview, she had “hidden behind a large amount of production” on previous projects out of fear, but found herself writing. Storm & Grace “vulnerably and organically”.
“I think in my past records, I’ve been promoted in a way, pushed, and had such intense experiences,” she said. I used to go to England and write.”
Presley’s last official release during her lifetime came in 2018, when she once again sang a duet of her father’s “Where No One Stands Alone” alongside his vocals as part of his song. a place where no one is alone Gospel compilation album.
“Singing with my father was such a powerful and moving experience,” she wrote in the album’s liner notes. United States of America today“The lyrics speak to me and touch my soul. I’m sure the lyrics spoke to my father in much the same way.”
