The American singer Lana del Rey was one of the headliners of the last edition of MITA (Music Is The Answer) festival in Brazil, marking her comeback in live shows. Singing in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, it’s spectacular to see how she managed to be so relevant even after being eleven years inside the music industry. To understand her career, though, it’s essential going back to the start.
THE BEGINNING
The year is 2012 – popstars like Katy Perry and Lady Gaga rule the musical charts, among contagious and happy rhythms. Inside this scenario, Lana del Rey debuts into the industry with Born to Die. The debut of her first studio album seemed out of time and perfectly timed at the same moment.
It’s shocking the appearance of a woman, in international media, saying that she would die for her lover. The extremism of Del Rey’s words teased an enormous identification with the public, they wanted to hear melodies which could portray the depression and feminine pain. No one was capable of talking about those emotions in a such intense way like the singer. She paved the way for a new music style: melancholic pop.
“Your soul is haunting me and telling me
That everything is fine
But I wish I was dead (dead, like you)” – (Dark Paradise, Lana Del Rey)
THE INFLUENCE
However, Del Rey’s influence exceeded the music world – her appearance became an aesthetic, an entirely lifestyle and a way to behave. She was considered the ultimate cool girl in 2014, the face of soft grunge at Tumblr, because the singer had the “sad girl appeal”. The public began to associate her image with the glamorization of a sad life, a theme that was very present in her compositions. All girls wished to be like her. Lana was the trendsetter for winged liner, bouffant hair, high waisted shorts and red lipstick.
It’s very common to see posts on social networks such as Twitter and TikTok that romanticize female pain, a theme so well portrayed by the singer in her artwork. However, she never intended to be that character.
“You are so romanticized online, specifically different eras of you and your music and your visuals. You were always the coolest of the cool in my world” – Billie Eilish talking to Lana del Rey for Interview Magazine.
The impact of Lana Del Rey on music is undeniable. She has maintained her popularity in the public taste since 2012. The artist recently released her ninth studio album, “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd“, which was an instant success. However, even with her latest releases, during her shows in Brazil, the audience passionately sang along to one of her most famous and oldest songs, “Video Games.”
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The article above was edited by Mariana do Patrocínio.
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