Lana Del Rey is arguably one of the best alternative artists of our time. Listeners are drawn to her alluring voice, serene background music, and all of the effects in her music. She truly tells a story when she sings, every syllable is filled to the brim with raw emotion. Her music is unlike any other, which is why she is so popular. People love her alternative sound, they enjoy feeling as if they are a part of a select few who understand her music. Or, they share the struggles that she so heartily writes about in her music. She is vulnerable to her fans, and they love it.
Others are fans of Lana for much simpler reasons. They like her aesthetic, the vibe, if you will, of Lana Del Rey. They enjoy listening to her, and think she sounds amazing, but don’t necessarily relate to any of these songs or understand them on a deeper level. Oftentimes, most of her popularity is accredited to her use of the “vintage Americana” or “coquette” aesthetic. This is what draws people in, and is even a meme online.
Whatever the reason, people are attracted to her music and listen to her avidly. However, she has recently announced a decision she is making that may or may not alter how her listeners view her. Lana is releasing a country album titled Lasso. This came as a surprise to most, as country isn’t typically a word that one would use to describe Lana Del Rey. It seems to take a turn from the vibe she previously gave off. Whether this is a good turn though, is up for speculation.
Some say that she is in her `healing era’ and this is her way of saying that she has survived all of her traumas and she is coming out of the other side a changed woman. The complete flip of genres is her new self. Others believe the complete opposite, though. They say that she is finally becoming her real self, yes, but is still using her trauma to make good music. She is stronger, and less afraid of making mistakes, but not healed, no.
Lana has stated that in the past she has been scared into making “safe choices”. She hasn’t truly felt the freedom to express herself in her music the way she would like. I believe that she has felt pressured into staying the same aesthetic, and making the same music due to her fans. As a fan myself, I believe that some others can be crazy and obsessive. They become addicted to the certain sound of an era and can’t stand to listen to anything else. They can’t fathom the idea of an artist being a changing person and moving on to different types of sound. Lana has certainly felt this coming from her fans, and has been worried about losing a big base of people if she changed.
But, now she’s accepted that some people just won’t like her anyways, so she’s doing what she wants.
Many are speculating what the new album is going to sound like. Some are wondering if it is going to be full on, Tim McGraw country, or Taylor Swift Debut Album country. Personally, I think that the album is going to twist the country genre into something we’ve never heard before. No, Lana isn’t going to adopt a country accent and sing about beer, trucks, and farming. Instead, she’s going to create something of her own, something more folky. It’s absolutely going to take a darker turn than most are used to in a country song. That was evident when the album cover was released. It was alluring and serene, there was nothing Zach Bryan about it.
Lana Del Rey is a widely known artist, and many are worried about the turn she is taking with her music. The best thing to do is sit back and enjoy her musical evolution and process as an artist. Yeehaw!
