Lana Del Rey faces backlash for ‘disappointing’ and ‘very tone-deaf’ comments about other singers

Artist initially spoke out against being ‘crucified’ for her songs

Lana Del Rey at the Grammys on 26 January 2020 in Los Angeles. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

Lana Del Rey is facing criticism over comments she made about the music industry and other female singers.

The artist initially spoke out on Instagram, saying she sometimes feels as though she gets “crucified” or accused of “glamourising abuse” with her songs.

She wrote in part: “Now that Doja Cat, Ariana [Grande], Camila [Cabello], Cardi B, Kehlani and Nicki Minaj and Beyoncé have had number ones with songs about being sexy, wearing no clothes, f***ing, cheating etc – can I please go back to singing about being embodied, feeling beautiful by being in love even if the relationship is not perfect, or dancing for money – or whatever I want – without being crucified or saying that I’m glamourising abuse??????”

While some agreed with the singer, others criticised her remarks, deeming them “tone-deaf” and “disappointing”.

“I’m so disappointed,” model Tess Holliday wrote on Instagram next to a broken heart and sobbing emoji.

“The women you mentioned are all but one women of colour, black and brown women are not the reason for the negative criticism in the music industry,” someone else commented in part.

“The success of those women have NOTHING to do with you... they’re not even in the same genre as you, why even mention them?”

Another person wrote: “Come on, you should know better. You could’ve gotten your entire point across without dragging those other women by name. Be mad at the game not the other players. Disappointing.”

Lana Del Rey’s remarks have also become a topic of discussion on Twitter.

“Lana didn’t drag anyone but tbh she could’ve proved her point in a better way, all the women that she named have been through backlashes because of their works,” one person tweeted. “She’s not the only one going through it. Women in music industry really deserve better.”

Someone else commented: “Lana blatantly ignoring the criticism Beyoncé, Nicki, and other black women have received (and continue to) for being confident in their sexuality doesn’t sit right with me. Commercial success hasn’t made them exempt from misogynistic attacks masked as constructive criticism.”