Wherein I become the nth person to write about Lana Del Rey. Lizzy Del Grant has generated a lot of hype, and as buzz artists do, a lot of hate too (her horrible SNL appearance hasn't helped there). There are a lot of quixotic debates about her authenticity, which to me seems like a waste of breath; she's very obviously a fabrication, a pop star in progress produced for crossover alternative appeal. So to me, the question becomes what the worth/appeal of that fabrication is, and why it provokes the reaction that it has.
In this Jezebel article one of the authors' distaste is related to the fact that she seems like a "'pre-fabricated indie' affair," which is a pretty unsettling contradiction. And it's that contradiction that I think makes Lana Del Rey so challenging (see: divisive); it's not just that she's constructed, but rather what she's made of. A self-described "lolita lost in the hood", her project combines retro Americana and Hollywood glamour with a sultry, pseudo-gangster persona. Her image is built on all of the nostalgia and kitsch that's become synonymous with hipsterdom, but in a way that's very overtly and unironically sexy. And when was the last time "indie" was really "sexy"?
So we're faced with a crisis of aesthetics, and that's really the crux of this Del Rey business. The once-esoteric(?*) realm of analog pictures and retro clothes is being repurposed as a vehicle for a pop singer. And really it was about time, wasn't it? In the age of instagram, chillwave and Urban Outfitters, it's a good branding decision more than anything. Her iffy live performances have created a lot of backlash, but what if she survives? We might be experiencing a shift in the means of seduction. Stay tuned.
The lyrics on the new album are so ill-conceived, confusing, and bad. The only coherent thing about her is that she must hate her audience.
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