Lana Del Rey Defends Herself Against 'The Guardian' Controversy

[summertimesadness_x 163]

don't be dramatic. It's OBVIOUSLY not the end of her career and OBVIOUSLY she won't stop doing music because of this. If you think Lana is not playing the media part as much (or more) then the media itself, you give her very little credit brains wise.

 

Yeah ok... It's a personal opinion - doesn't mean its exactly right or right at all. I just see Lana as a sensitive person and she obviously was seriously angry with the slant the reporter took because she very rarely tweets about things that piss her off. I don't want to imply that Lana is thick or not brainy, I actually think she is one of the most intelligent and creative artists around which are the exact reasons I love her- I just meant that I don't think she necessarily wants to give interviews- I'm probably wrong but I'm only speaking about my views. 

[Thunder Revenant 20,695]

I would never say she's not authentic or an art project, but even if we all love Lana as the sensitive person she is, we should not underestimate her. She sells an image too, indeed. And i think she is someone who act very thoughtful towards the media in order to make the appearance she wants too. That said, I guess she really hasn#t said this line in the way it's presented, because this "thoughtful" dealing with the media will make her upset if her words are twisted in a way she did not intended them to be.

[LiamViljoen 908]

Did jaime take down those tweets?

 

Suspicous...

[Wilde_child 490]

WHY would Jamie bash Lana, guys? It makes no sense. Those fans are looking for a fight. We all should lighten up and try to be less drama queens (which I often am as well)...

[Slumdog 817]

Well then we have to work on getting them hooked up. Can you imagine if they had a baby or two. That would be awesome. 

If he saw her wearing her fur coats...

[strange weather 1,950]

Well, didn't someone once say that all publicity is good publicity?

 

It's weird, even when I read the interview for the very first time - before the hype explosion - I just thought, well, I know where you're coming from. I didn't worry that she was about to take her own life or any of that and didn't really think twice about it... I imagined it kinda like she said it (having just listened to the audio.) But I guess the reason is, that I feel like I really relate to that kind of underlying blues where you don't take life for granted. You kinda question whether you want to be here or not, it's never just a given. But at the same time never ever wanting (truly) to take your own life, because the beauty of life isn't lost on you either.

 

I find Jaime's tweets really weird. It's REALLY hard for me not to think that the first one was indeed aimed at Lana. Fits perfectly. And if they're still as close as they have been in the past, then why isn't she up to date with this media storm of BS surrounding Lana?

 

this is exactly how i took what she said. i feel like that sometimes, doesn't mean i'm actively suicidal. this interview really convinced me that lana is an enneagram 4--does anyone agree? i am one too and i think that's why i feel such a connection to lana.

 

 

The Four is the personality type which emphasizes the subjective world of feelings, in creativity and individualism, in introversion and self-absorption, and in self-torment and self-hatred. In this personality type we see creative artists, romantic aesthetes, and withdrawn dreamers, people with powerful feelings who feel different from others because self-consciousness blocks them from getting outside themselves.

 

i really encourage anyone interested in lana's psyche to read this page. it's fits her to a T. thoughts?

[Viva 3,168]

WHY would Jamie bash Lana, guys? It makes no sense. Those fans are looking for a fight. We all should lighten up and try to be less drama queens (which I often am as well)...

 

To me makes sense and I don't blame Jamie. Imagine , one of your best friends goes on and on about how much she wants to be dead, saying shit about dying all the time. I think was a nice jab to Lana get back to reality. Off course could be just a coincidence too. Anyway, I wouldn't want one of my sisters to be this depressing tbh.

 

I don't think she actually wants to die but why indulge that in a subliminal way in her interviews?

[sjrq 150]

Once the left-wing media-types heard successful, pretty white girl Lana say she wasn't a feminist, it was absolutely certain they would come after her.  That's what they do nowadays to people of note who don't fall in line.  What they should be doing is asking her what advice she has for other women that might help them be successful, not criticizing her for what she isn't.  That is why they are calling her out for saying she wishes she was dead instead of being concerned for her, IMO.

[KillKillQueen 1,298]

God I hope a lot of you aren't actually dealing with depressed friends and family IRL 

[evilentity 13,303]

it's nice to see we're coming into an age where celebrities more openly call out bullshit journalism. 

 

#iconic

But who doesn't want to know if Scarlett Johansson is wearing any underwear?

#DirtyOldManPost

 

I guess i'm the only one that thinks she actually said what was written and now just regrets it because of the negative press 

No, you're not.

 

She has every right to be pissed at Alexis Petridis, Tim Jonze, whoever wrote the headline, and anyone else involved in taking a legitimate interview and spinning it to sensationalist effect.

I completely disagree with this and almost everyone in this thread.

 

I really don't understand Lana's reaction or the reaction of most of this fanbase to the interview. Many of you have completely lost any shred of objectivity in worshiping your queen. "I'm your cult leader", indeed. Neither the interviewer nor the editor did anything wrong here. (Oh, BTW, they never used the word "suicidal".) This is as clear cut a case of attacking the messenger if there ever was one. Shame on any fans who sent hate messages to them. It's also just stupid. You only validate all the negative press she's ever received. I'm also really bothered by the tendency in this fanbase (perhaps online millennial culture generally?) to celebrate "sassy" responses even when in the wrong as if it's somehow inherently admirable because it's "sticking up for yourself". I find that really warped. In my view Lana did three things wrong here: 1) Saying dumb shit in the first place. 2) Saying more dumb shit on Twitter blaming the journalist for the original dumb shit she said. 3) Deleting the dumb shit she said on Twitter even though someone has certainly screencapped her dumb shit. If Lana doesn't like headlines like these, there's an easy solution: Don't give journalists soundbites like this to work with. And if she just can't help herself there's an easy solution to that: Stop giving interviews. This is just the umpteenth example of Lana's victim-playing far exceeding her victimhood. It's getting really old.

 

I mean, most of what Lana has been bitching about is the media and how she doesn't like how it's portrayed her... so of course the logical thing for her to do is give a shitload of interviews to the media. And then act surprised and indignant when she inevitably doesn't like how it portrays her... You know, by quoting her verbatim in their headline. But, you know, it's just oh so scandalous that anyone would even raise the question that someone who titled their album Born to Die or sang "but I wish I was dead" or "I wanna die" et cetera et cetera might have a death wish. Please.

 

This whole kerfuffle is also just dumb from a PR perspective. In light of her unfair criticism of this interview, her praise of the very good NYT article will likely now be seen (unfairly) as a puff piece. And instead of coverage dominated by mostly positive reviews and successful worldwide sales figures, she fucks it up with this bullshit. Unless it's part of a deliberate strategy to stir up controversy on the thinking that all publicity is good publicity, but nothing about Lana's media strategy since she hit the big time has seemed very well thought out to me. People who think this is actually Lana being some sort of media Svengali are like political pundits who used to talk about Obama playing multi-dimensional chess: fawning partisans who see what they want to see.

 

***

 

Something I've been thinking about lately is a theme in both her music and interviews: passivity. (And also in this instance passive-aggressiveness.) The passivity or submissiveness in her lyrics has been pretty well dissected, especially the feminist angle, but as it relates to her interviews, I don't think it really has been. She's always talking about how sad she is and how her treatment by the media makes her sad and that she keeps playing for her fans even though it doesn't make her happy and she doesn't want to do this shit anymore... as if she has absolutely zero agency and is just an object acted upon by external forces. She constantly blames others and takes no responsibility for her own role in her current situation or her ability to take action to get out of it. I mean, she has resources at her disposal such that she could do almost anything she wants. If she really doesn't want to do this shit anymore, barring contractual obligations (which would still be her responsibility, she signed the papers), she should be able to stop making music today, never work a day in her life again, and still live a quiet, comfortable middle-class life on the money she's already earned, if she hasn't completely squandered it on topiary ponies or making self-indulgent 30-minute short films. And if she's contractually obligated to produce a certain number of albums, she's got plenty of stuff already recorded she could use. At some point she needs to put up or shut up. Or at least stop pointing her finger everywhere else and look within. Really, this episode is a low point for both her and her fanbase.

[lafleursauvage 323]

I feel like my emotions were played with and I don't know who to put the blame on. I listened to the short audio snippet of the "i wish i was dead already" part and, yes, she seems pretty non-chalant about it in the interview, but I've had friends with depression and when I ask them similar questions, I receive the same kind of passivity. It's really quite strange and I'm not exaggerating. Listening to it felt so....weird for me. It was like listening to one of my friends talk to me and all the feelings came back.

 

So, part of me believes that she really is suffering. Another part of me believes that the journalist might have twisted her words or misunderstood them in some way. But there's also a deeper part in me that hopes Lana isn't just saying these things as a part of some PR stunt, I don't think she would really do something like that. 

 

It would really hurt me if indeed this was all for publicity and she really isn't suicidal/depressed,etc. I've recently lost someone to suicide so I don't take things like this lightly. I don't take things with a grain of salt anymore, my eyes have been wide open for a while now. 

 

And when I first read the interview, like the very first time, it really, genuinely shook me. I was very concerned for her, guys. So now I'm reading the "aftermath" and almost believing that maybe she isn't really suicidal and that this may be some kind of stunt (I don't believe it but it's been thrown out there), The mere possibility of this makes me squirm in my seat. I care about her deeply and I really do admire her creativity and her talent, but... if really she is glamorizing premature death, it would hurt me. Even in the BTD and Paradise eras, I didn't believe or feel like she was glamorizing premature death, I only believed she had a fascination with the lives those artists (kurt, Amy, etc) led. She has a fascination more with their personalities than anything else imo. 

 

I just hope that she's smarter next time, I just hope that she isn't truly suffering, and I just hope that she isn't glamorizing early death/suicide as they say she is... 

 

I'm feeling hurt by all of this and I'm not sure why.

 

Note: I do recall in other interviews wherein she discussed depression (or at least the interviewer validated that she did) So, as I've said in the past, I do believe she has struggled or is still struggling with depression...  

[markeyvee 221]

I just wish this entire thing would end already. She shouldn't have said it.

[markeyvee 221]

But who doesn't want to know if Scarlett Johansson is wearing any underwear?

#DirtyOldManPost

 

No, you're not.

 

I completely disagree with this and almost everyone in this thread.

 

I really don't understand Lana's reaction or the reaction of most of this fanbase to the interview. Many of you have completely lost any shred of objectivity in worshiping your queen. "I'm your cult leader", indeed. Neither the interviewer nor the editor did anything wrong here. (Oh, BTW, they never used the word "suicidal".) This is as clear cut a case of attacking the messenger if there ever was one. Shame on any fans who sent hate messages to them. It's also just stupid. You only validate all the negative press she's ever received. I'm also really bothered by the tendency in this fanbase (perhaps online millennial culture generally?) to celebrate "sassy" responses even when in the wrong as if it's somehow inherently admirable because it's "sticking up for yourself". I find that really warped. In my view Lana did three things wrong here: 1) Saying dumb shit in the first place. 2) Saying more dumb shit on Twitter blaming the journalist for the original dumb shit she said. 3) Deleting the dumb shit she said on Twitter even though someone has certainly screencapped her dumb shit. If Lana doesn't like headlines like these, there's an easy solution: Don't give journalists soundbites like this to work with. And if she just can't help herself there's an easy solution to that: Stop giving interviews. This is just the umpteenth example of Lana's victim-playing far exceeding her victimhood. It's getting really old.

 

 

talkin bout my generation?

tawlkin bout that newer nation

and if you don't like it you can beat it

beat it, baby!

[YUNGATA 14,944]

But who doesn't want to know if Scarlett Johansson is wearing any underwear?

#DirtyOldManPost

 

 

well i wanna know about the underwear of a lot of ppl but i don't actually go around asking them

 

overall interesting post btw and one i'm glad for, i'm sure we all secretly get a little wet when evil daddy puts us in line but i did want to debate one point with you

 

 

 

Something I've been thinking about lately is a theme in both her music and interviews: passivity. (And also in this instance passive-aggressiveness.) The passivity or submissiveness in her lyrics has been pretty well dissected, especially the feminist angle, but as it relates to her interviews, I don't think it really has been. She's always talking about how sad she is and how her treatment by the media makes her sad and that she keeps playing for her fans even though it doesn't make her happy and she doesn't want to do this shit anymore... as if she has absolutely zero agency and is just an object acted upon by external forces. She constantly blames others and takes no responsibility for her own role in her current situation or her ability to take action to get out of it. I mean, she has resources at her disposal such that she could do almost anything she wants. If she really doesn't want to do this shit anymore, barring contractual obligations (which would still be her responsibility, she signed the papers), she should be able to stop making music today, never work a day in her life again, and still live a quiet, comfortable middle-class life on the money she's already earned, if she hasn't completely squandered it on topiary ponies or making self-indulgent 30-minute short films. And if she's contractually obligated to produce a certain number of albums, she's got plenty of stuff already recorded she could use. At some point she needs to put up or shut up. Or at least stop pointing her finger everywhere else and look within. Really, this episode is a low point for both her and her fanbase.

 

i feel like we interpreted this differently. she could throw in the towel and live comfortably off her earnings but she'd probably be miserable anyway. i know it sounds pretentious as hell but lana definitely strikes me as a creative type, definitely some form of artist. my experiences of artists is that they rarely create for others and often don't even create for themselves. it's kind of something internal that drives them to make things, because it brings them some kind of catharsis. in this sense i kind of get what lana means when she says she wants to quit, even if it sounds hypocritical. writing, painting, any form of artistic creation can be simultaneously frustrating and calming. i know she doesn't necessarily love the fame and a lot of the bullshit that comes with it, but i'm also certain she's passionate about her music, which is why i know deep down she won't quit. mostly i think she needs to learn to think before she speaks, particularly to journalists. this doesn't excuse her for having such a big chip on her shoulder and at times acting a little bratty/dramatic, but it's just how i kind of view the whole situation.

[evilentity 13,303]

well i wanna know about the underwear of a lot of ppl but i don't actually go around asking them

 

overall interesting post btw and one i'm glad for, i'm sure we all secretly get a little wet when evil daddy puts us in line

Well, let's hope you're all wearing underwear then...

 

but i did want to debate one point with you

 

 

 

i feel like we interpreted this differently. she could throw in the towel and live comfortably off her earnings but she'd probably be miserable anyway. i know it sounds pretentious as hell but lana definitely strikes me as a creative type, definitely some form of artist. my experiences of artists is that they rarely create for others and often don't even create for themselves. it's kind of something internal that drives them to make things, because it brings them some kind of catharsis. in this sense i kind of get what lana means when she says she wants to quit, even if it sounds hypocritical. writing, painting, any form of artistic creation can be simultaneously frustrating and calming. i know she doesn't necessarily love the fame and a lot of the bullshit that comes with it, but i'm also certain she's passionate about her music, which is why i know deep down she won't quit. mostly i think she needs to learn to think before she speaks, particularly to journalists. this doesn't excuse her for having such a big chip on her shoulder and at times acting a little bratty/dramatic, but it's just how i kind of view the whole situation.

I pretty much agree with this. To be clear, I'm not advocating she stop making music and I agree that I don't think that would make her happy. My point was more that I think much of her sadness is innate or internal, but to the extent that it's caused by external factors there are many different courses of action she could take to minimize them, but she'd rather just continue playing the victim and scapegoating the media far beyond the extent she was actually victimized. It's bad enough when she complains about media coverage of her generally (it's been two and a half years since SNL now), but particularly shitty in this case because she personally attacked a journalist who did absolutely nothing wrong or unusual-- in fact, he'd almost be negligent as a music journalist if he decided not to lead with that quote-- mostly in reaction to how other media outlets covered the interview. Surely this is not the way to get favorable media coverage or dispel negative media narratives about her.

[YUNGATA 14,944]

Well, let's hope you're all wearing underwear then...

 

I pretty much agree with this. To be clear, I'm not advocating she stop making music and I agree that I don't think that would make her happy. My point was more that I think much of her sadness is innate or internal, but to the extent that it's caused by external factors there are many different courses of action she could take to minimize them, but she'd rather just continue playing the victim and scapegoating the media far beyond the extent she was actually victimized. It's bad enough when she complains about media coverage of her generally (it's been two and a half years since SNL now), but particularly shitty in this case because she personally attacked a journalist who did absolutely nothing wrong or unusual-- in fact, he'd almost be negligent as a music journalist if he decided not to lead with that quote-- mostly in reaction to how other media outlets covered the interview. Surely this is not the way to get favorable media coverage or dispel negative media narratives about her.

 

i do wonder where dear old ben mawson is in all this. is he just idly watching this media shitstorm? has he been advising lana but she's just going against what he says? he must know that antagonising the media isn't good for her image.

[FROGGO 2,803]

well i wanna know about the underwear of a lot of ppl but i don't actually go around asking them

 

overall interesting post btw and one i'm glad for, i'm sure we all secretly get a little wet when evil daddy puts us in line but i did want to debate one point with you

 

 

 

i feel like we interpreted this differently. she could throw in the towel and live comfortably off her earnings but she'd probably be miserable anyway. i know it sounds pretentious as hell but lana definitely strikes me as a creative type, definitely some form of artist. my experiences of artists is that they rarely create for others and often don't even create for themselves. it's kind of something internal that drives them to make things, because it brings them some kind of catharsis. in this sense i kind of get what lana means when she says she wants to quit, even if it sounds hypocritical. writing, painting, any form of artistic creation can be simultaneously frustrating and calming. i know she doesn't necessarily love the fame and a lot of the bullshit that comes with it, but i'm also certain she's passionate about her music, which is why i know deep down she won't quit. mostly i think she needs to learn to think before she speaks, particularly to journalists. this doesn't excuse her for having such a big chip on her shoulder and at times acting a little bratty/dramatic, but it's just how i kind of view the whole situation.

my thoughts are a bit of a jumbled mess, so bear with me

 

 

i get what you mean, but I don't necessarily agree with you. i think she's passionate about her music, but i think she's equally passionate about fame and the prospect of being revered/respected as an artist. 

 

i think lana LOVES fame. fame is the huge part of the drive that propels lana to do what she does. she lives and thrives for attention, for admiration. what she doesn't like is the negative aspects of fame: the criticism (deserved or undeserved), being subject to slander and lies, scrutiny, etc. she's not like (for lack of a better example), kurt, who probably could've lived in solitude, who felt he didn't deserve the admiration of his fans...

 

i think she's very success-orientated: perhaps not in the traditional sense of pushing records, selling units and climbing the charts, but in the sense of one day becoming revered, being liked and respected. ( and i don't think it was a coincidence that all of her idols are all these revered, iconic talents, that attained levels of god-like fame and admiration, with fans and/or critics...  (on another note, i find this new found interest in other grunge talents, like her spotify playlist or whatever, to be really disingenuous.... she's never mentioned being strongly influenced by those artists before....)

 

i also don't think it was a coincidence that lana decided to collaborate with a grammy-nominated artist who had gotten a great reception from the critics for his work. i think she was chasing the critics, tbh. 

 

my point is that i just don't think that there's this ~pure~ desire to create music and art (gurl was clearly pressed that she wasn't achieving any fame back when gaga was, and there wasn't nothing wrong with that). the real reason why lana's not going to quit is because she's just too hungry for fame and respect. She intentionally seeks out controversy, she's deliberately provocative and subversive. these are intentional acts, and i'm not convinced she does them ~purely for the art~. ha, she would never be able to give up all this to go back to making music on her laptop for herself

 

 

[Ben Mawson 369]

i do wonder where dear old ben mawson is in all this. is he just idly watching this media shitstorm? has he been advising lana but she's just going against what he says? he must know that antagonising the media isn't good for her image.

I delete tweets like I delete tumblrs. And why do you think I interrupt interviews multiple times to try to end them?

[YUNGATA 14,944]

I delete tweets like I delete tumblrs. And why do you think I interrupt interviews multiple times to try to end them?

 

well THAT was shady

#riphaebenmawson

[SweetLikeCinnamon 343]

This might be a very dumb question, but is that really Ben Mawson? lol