Lana Del Rey Criticized for Personal Essay That Seems to Shade Beyonce, Ariana Grande
Lana Del Rey released a personal letter on her Instagram Wednesday night (May 20), in which she confirms her new album will be released September 5 and hits back at accusations that she's "glamorizing abuse."
In her lengthy statement, the "Young and Beautiful" singer questions the industry's double standards but also appears to dismissively name drop a number of other successful female artists, including Doja Cat, Ariana Grande, Camila Cabello, Cardi B, Kehlani, Nicki Minaj and Beyonce, who "had number ones with songs about being sexy, wearing no clothes, f--king, cheating, etc."
She basically implies they haven't experienced the same level of criticism in their careers as she has for writing about her abusive relationships.
Del Rey continues, "Can I please go back to singing about being embodied, feeling beautiful by being in love even if the relationship is not perfect, or dancing for money — or whatever I want — without being crucified or saying that I’m glamorizing abuse??????"
She also goes on to note, "I'm just fed up with female writers and alt singers saying that I glamorize abuse when in reality I'm just a glamorous person singing about the realities of what we are all now seeing are all very prevalent emotionally-abusive relationships all over the world."
“I think it’s pathetic that my minor lyrical exploration detailing my sometimes submissive or passive roles in my relationships has often made people say I’ve set women back hundreds of years," Del Rey continues.
“Let this be clear, I’m not not a feminist – but there has to be a place in feminism for women who look and act like me – the kind of woman who says no but men hear yes – the kind of women who are slated mercilessly for being their authentic, delicate selves, the kind of women who get their own stories and voices taken away from them by stronger women or by men who hate women," she adds.
Though the majority of the letter is addressed to her critics and was presumably not meant to star drama or ignite a huge stan war on Twitter, many took issue with the fact that most of the women musicians she compared herself to, aside from Grande, are black or women of color.
You can read Del Rey's full personal letter, below: