Lana Del Rey’s Instagram posts on the cover and back cover of her next album sparked yet another debate about the singer and her thoughts on race – a conversation that the “Summertime Sadness” artist seemed to be trying to anticipate.
Professional tip: saying that your “best friends are rappers” is unlikely to win over anyone when discussing race relations.
“There is always turbulence and excitement and in the middle of that, there is always a beautiful song also featuring my new chemtrails album at the country club,” wrote Del Rey on Sunday on social media, posting the album cover in black and white, introducing himself surrounded by 10 smiling women. The image on the back shows Del Rey’s face appearing between the other women’s backs.
She followed up with a long second statement that started, “I also want to say this with everything that’s going on this year! And no, that was not the intention – these are my best friends, since you are asking today. And damn it! As it happens when it comes to my amazing friends and this cover, yes, there are people of color in this photo in the album and that’s all I will say about it, but thanks. “
Del Rey also posted the album’s first music video for the song “Chemtrails Over the Country Club,” Monday on YouTube. It all starts with Del Rey taking a sunny walk in a retro dress, pearls, gloves and car – and wearing a mesh mask in homage to another recent controversy. He makes the transition, in the “Wizard of Oz” style, to a dark world full of flames and vampire women with bright eyes. And a white wolf. It’s haughty.
The video also shows flashes of the women depicted on the cover of the next album.
In comments on the album cover posting on Instagram on Sunday, however, several people expressed shock, saying things like: “It’s better not to be the album cover.
Del Rey, who is white, was criticized in May for invoking names of black female artists – Beyoncé, Ariana Grande, FKA twigs, Doja Cat and Nicki Minaj, among others – while defending herself against charges of “glorifying abuse” in her recordings .
On Sunday, Del Rey highlighted some of the women eaten on the album cover, writing in that second statement, “My beautiful friend Valerie from Del Rio México, my dear friend Alex and my beautiful friend Dakota Rain, as well as my dear Tatiana. “
As the cover of the new album was photographed in black and white, women’s skin tones are not easily discerned. In the video, it is clear that not all women are white.
A commentator wrote to the singer: “Are you anti-black and POC? At this time in America it is more important than ever to show women of all shades. Please think about the next cover. “
Del Rey’s second statement continued: “These are my friends, this is my life. We are all a beautiful mix of everything – some more than others that are visible and celebrated in everything I do. In 11 years of work I have always been extremely inclusive, even without trying. My best friends are rappers, my boyfriends were rappers. My dear friends came from everywhere, so before you comment again on a WOC / POC problem, I’m not the one invading the capital, I’m literally changing the world, putting my life, my thoughts and my love out there at table 24 seven. Respect. “
The statement in its entirety was a trigger for some people.
“This comment is so problematic in many ways and I don’t understand how she can have activists like Joan Baez in her personal life and still get away with saying things like that or even thinking it’s okay,” wrote one person in Del Post de Rey “I love her very much and, as an artist, she has been the most influential thing in my own art and life. I literally have his lyrics tattooed on my body, but I am also a political activist and I cannot defend that … in any way ”.
The phrase about his best friends and boyfriends being “rappers” drew targeted criticism.
“The fact that you think ‘rapper’ equals ‘POC’ is the real problem here, Karen,” wrote one commentator.
Another user just didn’t like the artistic concept.
“That would have been nice as a photo used inside the album or something to recognize your friends and what not. But ahead? Simply tacky and leaves in half, without any artistic effort ”, wrote the person.
That said, there were many comments from fans who were excited about the new song, wanted to know the album’s pre-sale date and defended Del Rey.
“People decided to hate her and distort her words, no matter what she says,” said one person. “I am so tired of this culture of irrational and persecutory cancellation. You don’t want her to evolve as a person, you just want to criminalize her in order to feel superior. Her assumptions are not true, she said. “
Said another: “I am SO excited beyond words. I say that about each new album of yours, but this is really going to be the best album so far – no questions asked. I love uuuu. “
And finally, one person asked if people could “stop complaining about the album cover? Thank you for receiving an album. “
“Chemtrails Over the Country Club” is scheduled to be released on March 21st.