Why Do People Hate Lana Del Rey?
Lana Del Rey is one of the most polarizing artists in popular music today. The singer-songwriter burst onto the scene in 2011 with her debut single “Video Games” and debut album Born to Die.
Her dreamy, melancholic music and vintage Americana aesthetic resonated deeply with many listeners. However, Lana also faced a significant backlash, especially early in her career. So why do some people hate Lana Del Rey?
Criticisms of Lana Del Rey’s Music
One of the most common criticisms of Lana Del Rey is related to her music itself. Some critics have accused her of making repetitive, homogeneous music that all sounds the same. Her muted vocal delivery and melancholy lyrics also aren’t to everyone’s taste.
She Only Sings About Similar Topics
Lana’s critics argue that she fixates on the same narrow themes in her music, especially tragic romance, troubled glamour, and nostalgia.
For instance, she frequently sings about loving dangerous, troubled men and pines for 1950s Americana. To some, this makes her music uninteresting and one-note.
Her Vocals Lack Power and Range
Additionally, Lana Del Rey’s hushed, breathy singing voice is divisive. Whereas fans are captivated by her dreamy, ethereal style, detractors argue her vocals lack power, range, and precision. Some find her voice grating and amateurish compared to vocalists like Adele.
Her Lyrics Are Seen as Shallow
Moreover, many criticize Lana’s lyrics as shallow, repetitive, and even nonsensical. Her extensive references to vintage Americana are seen as overly romanticized.
Lines like “my old man is a bad man but I can’t deny the way he holds my hand” strike some as problematic and lacking nuance when discussing troubled relationships.
The Music Itself Seems Low Effort
Sonically, Lana Del Rey’s music is sometimes considered unsophisticated and over-reliant on production.
The lush string sections and hip hop beats can seem like masks for her perceived lack of vocal prowess to detractors. Some argue her songs lack complexity and she leans too heavily on her retro aesthetic.
Backlash to Her Image and Public Persona
Aside from her music itself, Lana Del Rey’s highly manufactured public persona and stylistic contradictions have also sparked significant backlash. From her name change to accusations of inauthenticity, many have issues with her image.
Her Stage Name Change From Lizzy Grant
One of the first sources of backlash was Lana’s highly publicized stage name change. She was born Elizabeth Woolridge Grant but reinvented herself as Lana Del Rey prior to her pop career. To some, this indicated inauthenticity and was evidence she crafted her persona to find fame.
Perception of Her As Inauthentic or Manufactured
This ties into the wider criticism of Lana’s persona as highly manufactured and inauthentic.
From her aesthetic to musical style, many believe she purposefully cultivates her retro 1950s tragic glamour image to romanticize the past and sell records. Detractors argue she’s purposely crafted an “indie singer” vibe that’s just as manufactured as mainstream pop.
She Glamorizes Problematic Relationships and Abuse
Others take issue with Lana glamorizing submissive, problematic relationships with dangerous men in her music.
Lines like “he hit me and it felt like a kiss” are seen as glorifying abuse. Some believe she romanticizes dysfunctional relationships, alcoholism, and tragic love stereotypes.
Accusations of Appropriating PoC Culture
Furthermore, Lana has faced accusations of appropriating African-American and Latino culture, while fetishizing these communities in her visuals and lyrics.
Critics argue she adopts cultural signifiers like hip hop beats, braids, and cholas but dips in and out of these aesthetics as it suits her.
Perceived Lack of Authenticity As a Feminist
There’s also backlash regarding Lana positioning herself as a feminist while singing lyrics that some deem anti-feminist.
Detractors believe she glamorizes a dangerous “live fast, die young” stereotype that harms women. Basically, they see her feminist leanings as inauthentic or performative.
Early Backlash and Careless Controversial Comments
Much of the intense backlash against Lana Del Rey stems from the very beginning of her career in 2011 and 2012. Her perceived lack of authenticity created controversy, and she made comments that enraged critics.
Her Saturday Night Live Performance Was Nervous and Pitchy
When Lana got the huge break of performing on SNL in 2012, her nervous, pitchy performance reinforced accusations she was an inauthentic, manufactured pop artist. It remained fodder for critics who argued she couldn’t sincerely perform live.
Her Comments About Feminism and Sex Work Alienated Some Critics
Around this time, Lana also made controversial comments distancing herself from feminism because she “wasn’t naturally that way.” She also insinuated sleeping her way to success by saying, “When I say ‘fk you’ to my ex, I really mean ‘fk you’ in the sense that I was very hurt by my first record deal…Because they had wanted me to be a bigger girl, so I went home and I sat on ice cream and played guitar and wrote ‘Video Games’ and ‘Blue Jeans’ and it ended up working out.”
She Made Insensitive Comments About People of Color and “Off Our Heads” Artists
Additionally, Lana described her artistic peers as “off our heads…Black guys, Soul music, jazz, heroin…” which read as highly insensitive to people of color and those struggling with addiction. She also called herself a “gansta Nancy Sinatra.” These comments made her seem oblivious to racial issues.
All of This Fed Into Claims of Her Being Inauthentic
All of these controversial comments, flubs, and backpedaling so early on fed directly into the narrative that Lana was disingenuous and constructed a persona to find fame. It reinforced critics’ dislike of her image and persona as fabricated compared to “authentic” artists.
She’s Seen As Privileged Yet Co-Opting Struggle or Sadness
Another common criticism of Lana Del Rey is the contradiction between her privileged background and persona co-opting sadness, danger, and romanticized struggle. To critics, she cherrypicks surface-level stylistic signifiers of hardship without having really lived it.
Her Privileged Background
Unlike many singers, Lana Del Rey’s background was one of relative privilege. She was born Elizabeth Grant in New York City to a wealthy father who worked on Wall St and sent her to an elite boarding school. She later went to Fordham for college.
Co-Opting Working Class Struggles Despite Privilege
However, Lana’s persona and lyrics often co-opt the aesthetic of struggle, danger, and working class strife.
She frequently sings about running away, living on the edge, going on the road, and romanticizes “bad” men and danger. Critics argue these hardships seem inauthentic given her privileged upbringing.
Fetishizing Black Culture/Cholas
As mentioned, Lana has also been accused of fetishizing and appropriating hip hop culture and cholo culture while touching on these aesthetics superficially. To some, she romanticizes grit, edge, and “gangsta” signifiers without having lived those hardships firsthand.
Her Persona Seems Inauthentic or Performative
Essentially, many believe Lana Del Rey tries on the stylistic markers of hardship, subversiveness, and danger without having actually lived through serious adversity. To them, her rebellious persona rings false precisely because she comes from a privileged background.
She Reinforces Retro Gender Stereotypes and Anti-Feminist Ideas
The final common criticism of Lana Del Rey is that her personas, lyrics, and aesthetics reinforce retro, anti-feminist gender stereotypes about women’s roles in relationships.
Her Hyper-Feminine Retro Aesthetic
Firstly, Lana’s hyper-feminine visual presentation with flowers, skirts, and domestic settings harkens back to 1950s gender roles. She models an artistic muse or girlfriend role centered around appealing to men and waiting passively for love.
Her Lyrics Present Women as Defined by Men’s Desires
Lyrically, Lana’s frequent fixation on dangerous, troubled men and desire for affairs with much older men strikes some as anti-feminist. Critics argue she defines women based on their ability to win men’s affection rather than have agency themselves.
Her Persona Romanticizes Danger and Submission
Additionally, her persona as someone longing for her freedom to be taken away by a “bad man” romanticizes danger and submission. Some find the idea that being mistreated is an expression of love to be concerning and regressive.
She Seems to Glorify Tragedy and Victimhood
Overall, lines like “it’s you that I adore, though I make the boys fall like dominos” imply her worth stems from male attention, not her own merits. Lana’s critics argue she glorifies an outdated tragic, passive femininity centered around appeasing men.
Her Fans Connect Deeply With Her Honest Emotions and Expression
However, Lana Del Rey also has a massive following of devoted fans who find deep meaning and emotions in her music. They see her as creating authentic art and personally connect to her lyrics.
Her Music Captures Real Emotional Experiences
Fans argue Lana’s lyrics vividly capture the emotional rollercoaster of relationships and complex feelings many people experience. Songs like “Born to Die” resonate because they express the thrilling highs and dangerous lows of passion in raw, honest terms.
She’s Exploring Universal Themes in Her Work
They believe she taps into timeless, universal themes of temptation, danger, and tragic love found throughout art. Works from pop singers don’t have to be wholesome to be meaningful. Lana explores mature themes through poetry, metaphor, and nostalgic sonic landscapes.
Lana Sings About Real Feelings and Experiences
Additionally, fans feel connected to Lana’s music because it articulates real experiences and feelings so viscerally. Her songs about heartbreak, self-destruction, and the cycle of troubled love honestly reflect relatable human emotions.
She Has an Unapologetic Artistic Vision With Broad Appeal
Finally, Lana Del Rey has resonated so powerfully with millions because she’s unapologetically herself as an artist. Regardless of her origins, fans are drawn in by the singular, intoxicating world her music creates. She revealed that melancholic pop music had broad appeal across genres.
Conclusion: Lana Del Rey Provokes Strong Reactions by Challenging Norms
In the end, Lana Del Rey is a remarkably divisive pop artist precisely because she provokes such strong reactions from both fans and critics. Her aesthetics, music, lyrics, and persona all seem designed to challenge social norms about femininity and female artists.
For supporters, Lana’s work has deep authenticity and emotional resonance. But for detractors, she reinforces retro gender stereotypes and appropriates inauthentic personas.
Yet as a performer who made melodrama and melancholy mainstream, she’s unlikely to be forgotten. Lana Del Rey will continue sparking powerful nostalgia, hope, and criticism with her singular artistic vision.
Lana Del Rey’s Contradictions Are Compelling But Can Alienate Listeners
On one hand, Lana Del Rey’s seeming contradictions are core to her appeal – the conjuring of danger and forbidden love from a safe domestic existence makes for compelling art. On the other hand, her stylistic contradictions between a privileged upbringing and co-opting hardships can seem inauthentic and alienate some listeners.
She May Rebuild Her Image and Win Over More Critics
Early missteps like problematic comments made Lana an easy target for accusations of inauthenticity. But the visual album Chemtrails Over the Country Club depicts her more stripped back and self-aware. As she evolves, Lana Del Rey may gradually rebuild her image and win over critics through artistic growth.
Her Singular Musical Vision Has Left a Lasting Mark
Regardless of criticisms, Lana Del Rey introduced a sad, cinematic retro pop style that deeply impacted subsequent artists like Billie Eilish. By daring to bring moodiness and melodrama into the mainstream, she carved out her own singular niche that will leave a lasting mark on pop.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Why People Hate Lana Del Rey
What criticisms do people have of Lana Del Rey’s music?
Some common criticisms of her music are that her vocals lack power and range, her lyrics are repetitive/shallow, her songs all sound homogeneous, and she leans too heavily on her retro Laurel Canyon aesthetic.
How has Lana’s stage name and persona been a source of backlash?
Lana’s stage name change from Lizzy Grant and highly manufactured tragic retro persona have led to accusations of inauthenticity. Critics see her persona and name change as evidence she crafted an “indie” image to find fame.
What controversial comments has Lana made?
Early in her career, Lana made remarks distancing herself from feminism, implying she slept her way to success, and grouping “Black guys” with “heroin.” These fed the narrative that she was oblivious to racial issues and inauthentic.
How does Lana’s privileged background contrast with her persona?
Lana grew up wealthy, attending boarding school and Fordham University. But her persona romanticizes things like going on the road, running away, and loving dangerous men. Critics argue she cherrypicks aesthetic markers of struggle inauthentically.
Why do some see her persona/lyrics as anti-feminist or regressive?
Some find Lana’s passive femininity focused on pleasing dangerous men troubling and anti-feminist. Her lyrics like “hit me and it felt like a kiss” also seem to romanticize abuse and disregard women’s agency to critics.
How do Lana’s fans and supporters view her music?
Her fans argue she taps into real human emotions about love, temptation, and heartbreak in raw, honest ways. They believe she has an authentic artistic vision that deeply resonates with them personally.
