Lana Del Rey Defends Controversial Instagram Comments: Update

Lana Del Rey has written an additional response to an Instagram post she penned on May 21 that has since sparked controversy. In a new Instagram post published on May 23, Del Rey wrote: “A couple of final notes on my ‘controversial post’ that’s not controversial at all. Despite the feedback I’ve heard from several people that I mentioned in a complementary way, whether it be Ariana or Doja Cat—I want to say that I remain firm in my clarity and stance in that what I was writing about was the importance of self advocacy for the more delicate and often dismissed, softer female personality.” Del Rey added that “there does have to be room for that type in what will inevitably become a new wave/3rd wave of feminism that is rapidly approaching. Watch!”

Del Rey continued:

Perhaps I could’ve given more context to my post by mentioning the title of the second book that would be out next March called behind the iron gates - insights from an institution

I’m sorry that the folks who I can only assume are super trump/pence supporters or hyper liberals or flip-flopping headline grabbing critics can’t read and want to make it a race war, when in fact the issue was with *female critics and *female alternative artists who are dissociated from their own fragility and sexuality and berate more sexually liberated artists like myself and the women I mentioned.

But in truth making it about race says so much more about you than it does about me—you want the drama, you don’t want to believe that a woman could be beautiful, strong, and fragile at the same time, loving and all inclusive by making personal reparations simply for the joy of doing it it [sic]. Nothing new here in your reaction. Same as ten years ago when a million think pieces came out about me feigning emotional fragility or lying about coming from no money when that was the truth.

My aim and my message are clear. That I have control of my own story. If the women I mention don’t wanna be associated with me that’s absolutely fine by me.

On May 25, Lana Del Rey shared a six-minute IGTV clip addressing the situation. “Nobody gets to tell your story,” she wrote in its caption.

Del Rey’s new posts follows a series of comments she wrote on May 22 on her original post. The comments addressed issues of racism. In one comment, Del Rey wrote, “I fucking love these singers and know them,” referring to Doja Cat, Ariana Grande, Camila Cabello, Cardi B, Kehlani, Nicki Minaj, and Beyoncé, who, in yesterday’s post, she claimed, “have had number ones with songs about being sexy, wearing no clothes, fucking, cheating etc.” Del Rey continued, “#that is why I mentioned them I would also like to have some of the same freedom of expression without judgment of hysteria. There you go.” (Del Rey also shared two of her responses in an Instagram story, viewed by Pitchfork.)

Del Rey also addressed the fact that many of the female artists she mentioned in her original post are women of color. “Bro. This is sad to make it about a WOC issue when I’m talking about my favorite singers,” Del Rey wrote. “I could’ve literally said anyone but I picked my favorite fucking people.” She continued: “And this is the problem with society today, not everything is about whatever you want it to be. It’s exactly the point of my post—there are certain women that culture doesn’t want to have a voice it may not have to do with race I don’t know what it has to do with. I don’t care anymore but don’t ever ever ever ever bro- call me racist because that is bullshit.”

Another of Del Rey’s comments read:

By the way the singers I mentioned are my favorite singers so if you want to try and make a bone to pick out of that like you always do be my guest, it doesn’t change the fact that I haven’t had the same opportunity to express what I wanted to express without being completely decimated and if you want to say that that has something to do with race that’s your opinion but that’s not what I was saying.

She added:

And my last and final note on everything—when I said people who look like me—I meant the people who don’t look strong or necessarily smart, or like they’re in control etc. it’s about advocating for a more delicate personality, not for white woman—thanks for the Karen comments tho. V helpful

Del Rey also posted a video clip with the hashtag #fuckoff. You can find Del Rey’s full posts below.

Lana Del Rey’s Instagram post also announced that her next album is slated to arrive September 5. It’s possible titled Chemtrails Over the Country Club. She also wrote that two books of poetry will be released shortly. Lana Del Rey’s most recent album Norman Fucking Rockwell! was released last year.

This article was originally published on Thursday, May 21 at 8:12 p.m. Eastern. It was last updated on Monday, May 25 at 9:45 a.m. Eastern.