Queer Affinity for Lana del Rey - Why?

[Veinsineon 70,431]

We're all just..... subversive     

[13bitches 6,175]

Our honeymooooouuuuuuuuun

[TrashMagiq 55,300]

didnt she answer this in that one leaked interview from like 2017? i forgot what she said tho

[Blue Rev 3,014]

didnt she answer this in that one leaked interview from like 2017? i forgot what she said tho

 

 

And when I tour whether I'm like at The Shrine in LA or in Norway or whatever there's 20 rows you know of like my gay fans and i can see, I know that, I can tell and I don't really know and I think we probably share a sense of vulnerability maybe being on one end of the stick thats not always so easy but having the personality and the flair and finesse and fire to make our own way to whatever that unique, probably creative, end goal is whether it's in the arts or whatever and so many of the people i work with and friends are gay artists - Johnny Blue Eyes, my stylist, another guy Brett

 

A whole lotta nothing 

[West Coast 44,804]

Our honeymooooouuuuuuuuun

 

you said you'd leak it toooooo, daaaaark bluuuue

[West Coast 44,804]

We're all just..... subversive     

 

as long as we're not ultrasubversive, it's all good 

[WilshireBoulevard 5,419]

A whole lotta nothing 

She do be sayin words tho

[TrashMagiq 55,300]

I was so young when I got into her and I know for me it’s def the extreme femininity that attracted me to her and her music. She just has this energy about her. She was powerful but also vulnerable.

[Veinsineon 70,431]

I was so young when I got into her and I know for me it’s def the extreme femininity that attracted me to her and her music. She just has this energy about her. She was powerful but also vulnerable.

Yes! It was the same way with Lady Gaga for me. They were just such, and forgive my use of the word but, enigmas of that time. It felt like they took the world by storm so nonchalantly!

[knives 2,524]

This forum is run by one!

 

wow i didnt know cuz i havent been on LB for long but this is so nice to know   

[Sugar Venom 9,651]

I got into her when I was in 7th grade and it’s because her music was just so good :’) I didn’t listen to anything that wasn’t on the radio before her, but music wasn’t as important to me then. She’s what made it important to me. I found her thru 1d stan twitter I’m a bisexual woman but I didn’t know that until a few years ago, and I’ve never been attracted to her. I’ve met other gay women who like her, and a lot who absolutely hate her because of what she stands for. In my experience the lesbian community on tumblr is like really obsessed w discourse and so I think a lot of girls don’t like her because of her “problematic” things like the headdress in ride, her name being Lana Del Rey, when she said she didn’t care about feminism etc and like generally her dependence on men in like a “I can’t live without you” kinda way. But to me it seems like they’re just performing that for other people because these aren’t really like.. big issues you could argue. There are more pressing matters lol. What drew me in tho was the femininity as others mentioned and the campiness but I think mostly it was just how heartbroken she sounded and I definitely identified with that. I’ve always been an outcast at school and her music was so beautiful and dramatic it was a great source of escapism. I think that’s why I’m not so much a fan of LFL or NFR I miss the swelling strings and drums and larger than life feel she used to have. I’m not so interested in her as a yoga pants and matcha latte kind of woman but I’m not mad at her for outgrowing that lol. Sorry if this reads really weird I’m super distracted lmao

[baddisease 15,866]

I'm not a gay man, I'm a bisexual trans woman but I relate to a lot of the stories Lana tells through her music. Drugs, shitty or not so shitty boyfriends, and using men for money basically encapsulates much of who I am or what I have been like. I can't speak for anyone else though. When I first got into Lana, there was a trans woman I knew who vehemently objected to Lana's music and storytelling and especially loathed This Is What Makes Us Girls.

[takeitdoen 10,615]

I apologise if anyone is offended by the word ‘queer’. When I heard it first used I was little thrown too but in academia the word ‘queer’ (in terms of queer theory) is used to refer to a spectrum that is all inclusive and anyone can position themselves on. It also encompasses all genders and sexuality, and avoids labelling specifics that could cause offence, and is also inclusive to anyone who is discovering who they are.

 

First and foremost – no one picks to like a singer because they’re considered a queer icon, a woman singing about men, or out of obligation (Creyk, Bob Renoir de Monet, Tristesse). There is a clear trend of loving the music because it’s GOOD music. J  (heroinbeaches)

 

The second thing will do is clarify that my positionally is as a white, gay, cis-male who is scrappy and young(ish) but relatively well off. I’ve definitely been through some growing pains and experienced othering like many in the queer community, but the following is largely moulded into the perspectives from and for queer men. I would love to invite anyone else to synthesise the same about the female perspective – the rejection of Lana as an icon and the debate of authenticity is always brought up and there are some really good arguments here.

Thirdly, I supposed subconsciously we are all talking about 2010 – 2013 era of when Lana was first discovered. Nowaways, Lana is still emblazoned with her Hollywood sadcore aesthetic and sound, and despite her music continually shifting in style and influence, this is largely how she is typically regarded.

 

It is impossible to say, but gay men are probably not the majority, but certainly a vocal minority (cashcomesquick; sparklrtrailrheaven). Lana del Rey’s music isn’t exclusively enjoyed by queer men, but it is a negative stereotype, and there are a few factors to this. This is by no means a definitive answer, but from responses I am seeing the following correlations. I’ve noted below who I’ve taken major points from in the brackets. You lil geniuses. 

 

Lana del Rey became associated with queer culture from some of these factors.

 

THE RISE OF THE STEROTYPE

 

·      Lana del Rey’s music rose in popularity despite and against mainstream sound. Her musical style with an original 60s + hip hop style was cool and weird and different (HydroponicWeeds), her lyrical content was relatable and initial-DIY aesthetic countered mainstream female pop-singers. These factors went so far to an extent that she was considered an ‘other’ and outcast, and queer people found an affinity after Lana was ‘othered’ by mainstream media. This also exacerbated by her huge critical and public rejection from the SNL performance.

·      She rose to popularity amongst platforms (such as Tumblr and Myspace) which familiarised a section of her fanbase with her alternative sound for an ‘underground’ ‘undiscovered’ feeling that subverted the way artists were discovered (Pin Up Galore). (Again, a generalisation, but) A stereotype of these users on these platforms at that time considered themselves outcasts – this added to a unified feeling of “we don’t fit” which was a draw card to Lana del Rey (daisy fresh witch).

·      The persecution of the authenticity of Lana del Rey, and her perceived invented life of her ‘persona’ are continually debated and despite huge popularity, album sales, live concerts, and award nominations, Lana is still rejected by mainstream media. Non-conformity, as well as societal outsiders are always attractive, safe and inviting to the queer community, as we see ourselves in them. (gyu)

 

 

THE AFFINITY FOR DEL REY

 

·      Lana writes from a classically feminine perspective, the theatricality of her lyrics and aesthetic of the Born to Die era encompasses glamour and camp, with an unusual commitment to being ‘serious’ and ‘sad’. The meld of influences ticks some classic ‘gay culture’ boxes, including the femme fatale Hollywood trope, Marilyn Munroe appearance, and Golden Age Hollywood — she then exaggerates it all, creating a perfect (campy and gay) storm. (sparklrtrailrheaven; JazzSingrCultLeadr)

·      The tragic and submissive angle is the anthesis of the empowering anthems of the 2010s. An inverse of that, queer people often enjoy strong women, but identity intimately with the passive and demure in regards to being othered or feeling hidden (JazzSingrCultLeadr).

·      Lana del Rey’s music is relatable to and queer community (gasstationkween; GeminiLanaFan). Lana’s music connects with people that are very sensitive, feeling everything a bit too much, and people that have struggled in their lives. Many queer people have struggled at some point, which is why some queer fans are attracted to her resilience, perseverance, and ambivalence to the social norm.

·      Perhaps the biggest factor regarding the themes of her work - Lana’s initial releases presented love as an undying devotion with elements of desperation, doom, death etc. that really didn't fit into the zeitgeist at the time because of shifting discourses (WilshireBoulevard).

·      She is powerful, fresh-out-of-fucks forever singer – “it felt like [she] took the world by storm so nonchalantly!” (Veinsineon). Lana’s appearance, her interaction with her fans, her delivery and work holds an extreme femininity that queer people are attracted to. Whether it be radiating a softer, feminine side that’s attractive or desirable (PARADIXO), a coquettish and fun indulgence of hyperfeminitiy (Neptune) or her powerful and vulnerable radiating of power (trashmagiq), her energy is simply inspiring.

 

 

Thanks everyone for your extremely interesting and diverse answers (so far?). It's so good to be able to pinpoint some of this as (despite any misgivings...) Lana truly is an icon of our time and these stereotypes have been present since I've been a fan but not totally sure why.

 

@@WilshireBoulevard your post is so brilliant I haven't finished digesting it yet. Also @JazzSingrCultLeadr, simply brilliantly insightful.

[Venice Jesus Whore 4,456]

deleted

[Mafiosa 1,088]

the flair for drama, eccentricity and the exaltation of pain/misery. the ultimate fantasy and the heightened sense of style particularly in the btd/paradise era. she's a torch singer, she's like edith piaf in that way. a lot of her inspiration is drawn from gay icons as well. 

 

 

(i'm a bi woman but don't identify w/ "straight" media whatsoever.)

[mkultraviolence 5,829]

just saw a comment on Lana's instagram post that reminded me of this thread. it was written in response to a "sexy" bot saying to check out her profile 

 

this is a Lana post. 90% of us are gay and the other 10% are straight up only in love with Lana.

[Lentilus 25,412]

I mean, I don't love Lana because I'm gay, I love Lana because I love her music and she's a fierce woman!

[mkultraviolence 5,829]

I mean, I don't love Lana because I'm gay, I love Lana because I love her music and she's a fierce woman!

 

it's not about liking her because you're gay, it's about why she has such a vocal following of gay fans. why they relate to her, what attracts them to her, etc.

[GeminiLanaFan 45,774]

Is it possible that the “gay / queer” connection has been “set in stone”, in a way, because the majority of early-stuff leakers were mostly gays?

 

Just a thought I had...

 

It doesn’t “explain” the connection many gays / queers have with her, but it coulda made people think (including us) that all men listening to her had to be?!?

[genghis khan 5,079]

i know this is old asl but the easy answer is this. SHES FEMALE. every pop girlie ends up being considered a gay icon. it's not deeper than that. just thought i'd give my two cents as a phaggot