The American singer Lana Del Rey has been frequenting the news outlets for all the wrong reasons. She’s known for her rebellious spirit exhibited in many of her top-chart song, but is that spirit actually turning against her? Critics say yes.
The singer behind hit songs such as ‘Summertime Sadness’ is seeing her reputation worsen lately due to public statements she’s made in the last two years. There would always be critics when you’re as famous as Lana is, but lately, even her devoted fans have turned against her.
Pre-Scandal Scandalous Lana
Lana Del Rey shot to stardom in 2012 with the release of her hit album Born to Die, which revolutionized the music industry and influenced pop culture. Her vintage style, combined with her nostalgic lyrics, made everyone long for the old times and dress accordingly.
However, even before the latest scandals, Lana was a controversial artist. Some of her songs like ‘Ultraviolence’ are said to glamorize abuse, others – drugs (‘American’), or generally taboo topics like homewrecking (‘Cola’).
The Open Letter
Despite receiving glowing reviews for yet another album (Norman F****** Rockwell), Lana felt the need to defend her music. She posted a lengthy letter on her Instagram account denouncing her critics who claim she’s working against women’s interests. She rightfully asserts that female artists shouldn’t be constrained by culture, and should instead explore whatever they want in their art. If that was the whole statement, people would have likely praised it. But as you might have guessed – it wasn’t.
The letter starts with name-dropping other female artists such as Beyonce and Cardi B, who, Lana claims, are applauded for singing about ‘being sexy, wearing no clothes, f******, cheating’, while she’s supposedly being crucified for doing the same.
Critics quickly responded by saying it was rude and unnecessary to drag other women down. Others noticed that 6 of the 7 singers she mentioned were women of color. Moreover, Lana seemed to suggest that while her songs’ topics resembled those of the artists she mentioned, she was different from them – ‘delicate’ and ’embodied’ with her’ voice taken away…by stronger women.’
Lana was thus blamed for promoting negative stereotypes about WOC, for pinning her gentle ‘whiteness’ against them, and for pointlessly complaining there’s no space for (white) artists like her. Critics soon reminded her that the women she name-dropped have been receiving the same type of backlash for years. Her statement was called tone-deaf, with some comments also claiming she’s jealous of the singers’ current success.
Curiously though, some people claim her statement was calculated, not misinformed. Lana’s next studio album was coming up, and people like YouTuber D’Angelo Wallace, suggested she profits off ‘Black outrage’. This is also supported by the fact she mentioned her upcoming poetry books in the letter.
Lana Strikes Back
Lana immediately responded to the accusations of racism in another Instagram post. She said she mentioned those female singers in a ‘complimentary way’, and that she simply advocates for ‘the more delicate and often dismissed [women]’. She criticized the press and people who want to ‘make it a race war’.
The response was swift and merciless. Critics said that she should have simply apologized, but instead doubled down on her tone-deafness. Others thought her statement and the consecutive Instagram comments portrayed her as a victim, which fuels the narrative of the fragile white woman who should always be protected from negativity, thus shielding her from criticism.
Yet another Lana rebuttal came out a few days later. In an Instagram video, Lana again defended herself, but then likened herself to FKA Twigs (another WOC) who is praised for pole-dancing, while Lana is vilified for it. Fans commented that Lana was dragged not for pole-dancing, but for portraying a Latina stripper, thus showing how she’s ignorant of appropriation. Some went as far as to say that Lana’s glamorization of pre-Civil Rights America implied she was racist.
The video ended with the announcement of her upcoming album, which further reinforced the argument that she is stirring up controversy for profit.
Lana Pre-emptively Strikes Back
After posting the cover of this new album, Chemtrails Over the Country Club, Lana made yet another controversial comment. The cover depicts Lana and her friends, and there didn’t seem to be any issues with that until she commented on her post. Although her comment looks like a response to something, it was a standalone comment in which Lana said that some of the people on the cover are POC.
Moreover, she said that she was best friends with rappers and had rapper boyfriends. The comment was a pre-emptive measure as most of her friends on the cover are white, but nobody seemed to mind that.
Critics soon called this an unnecessary controversy and denounced her ‘white fragility’. They also found the rappers comment problematic as it implies the term is interchangeable with ‘black’. Many also said that having friends of color doesn’t absolve one of responsibility and doesn’t make them not racist.
What Now?
A little bit later, Lana also claimed Trump didn’t know he was inciting a riot (referencing the January Capitol Riot). This statement, combined with the other, made the media portray her as a white conservative who is either explicitly or implicitly racist.
Many fans have turned against her as they believe that to be true. On the other hand, some think these scandals were orchestrated to promote her music and poetry, which is still bad. Others have forgiven her but expect her to do better in the future.