If the title doesn’t speak for itself, I have a special place in my heart for Lana Del Rey. Born as Elizabeth “Lizzy” Grant and raised in Upstate New York, Lana is the queen of “Sadcore Pop” and yes, she is known for more than just “Summertime Sadness.”
Lana Del Rey was not always her stage name of choice, as she has also gone by Lizzy Grant, May Jailer, and Sparkle Jump Rope Queen. However, she has released Born to Die, Ultraviolence, Honeymoon, and Lust for Life, under “Lana Del Rey.” While these are her most mainstream albums, her work under her other names is worth checking out. Most recently, she released a couple of new singles, including “Mariners Apartment Complex,” a folky, almost country-like song. She also released “Venice Bitch,” a ballad clocking in at nine minutes and thirty-six seconds that I promise is worth your time. Lana’s new album, Norman Fucking Rockwell is scheduled to drop in early 2019.
Music aside, Lana is an activist. On her latest album, Lust for Life, she has written songs like “Change,” “When The World was at War We Kept Dancing,” and “God Bless America – And All The Beautiful Women In It” that shed light on her hope for progress. Recently on Instagram, Lana fired back at Kanye West’s post of him wearing a “MAGA” hat, showing his support for Donald Trump. She wrote, “Trump becoming our president was a loss for the country but your support of him is a loss for the culture. I can only assume you relate to his personality on some level. Delusions of grandeur, extreme issues with narcissism — none of which would be a talking point if we weren’t speaking about the man leading our country.” Lana is more than a singer and uses her platform to shut down hate and to raise awareness for important issues currently plaguing our nation, something that is crucial right now.
However, when Azealia Banks came to West’s defense, Lana was not having it, thus sparking the Del Rey/Banks Twitter feud. After a long thread from Banks, Lana simply replied “u know the addy. Pull up anytime. Say it to my face. But if I were you- I wouldn’t.” She also added, “Banks. u coulda been the greatest female rapper alive but u blew it. don’t take it out on the only person who had ur back.” In turn, Banks has threatened to sue, however Lana is not the first celebrity she has attacked on social media. Lana joins the ranks of Banks-fueled controversy with Rihanna, Zayn Malik, Russell Crowe, and even Sarah Palin. For now, things seem dormant, but time will tell. However, I will say that Lana knows Jiu Jitsu and has blades in the heels of every pair of her stilettos, so best of luck to you, Azealia.
If all of this glorious drama tickles your fancy and you’ve only ever listened to the “Summertime Sadness” remix (which I would not suggest admitting to someone who is a fan*), give her music a try. It has gotten me through some dark times, to say the least, and if anything, her ever-growing fanbase will respect you for it.
If you’re not sure where to start, here are some suggestions:
My Personal Favorites:
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“Ride”
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“Religion”
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“National Anthem”
If you’re dealing with a breakup:
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“Million Dollar Man”
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“The Other Woman”
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“Without You”
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“Old Money”
If you’re feeling melancholic:
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“Sad Girl”
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“Pretty When You Cry”
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“Dark Paradise”
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“Born To Die”
If you’re feeling flirty:
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“Music To Watch Boys To”
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“Love”
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“Diet Mountain Dew”
If you’re feeling like/are a bad bitch:
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“In My Feelings”
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“Cherry”
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“Salvatore”
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“Body Electric”
Looking for a sick collab?
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“Beautiful People Beautiful Problems” (featuring Stevie Nicks)
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“Groupie Love” (featuring A$AP Rocky)
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“Summer Bummer” (featuring A$AP Rocky & Playboy Carti)
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“Tomorrow Never Came” (featuring Sean Ono Lennon)
*Note: The original “Summertime Sadness” is an amazing and iconic song in its own right. It is the remix that took away its value and demeaned Lana’s overall talent, therefore it is trash. Sorry, not sorry.