Lana Del Rey praises the current musical landscape: “You’re seeing a lot more good girl songwriters”
American-singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey, who returned this year with her ninth studio album, Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, has discussed the modern music industry, praising it for its newfound inclusivity.
In a recent conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Del Rey discussed her relationship with shyness, revealing that she’s been less prone to stage fright during her recent tour dates. “I get nervous,” she maintained. “[But] this is a totally different tour. The stage production is bigger. There are more people on that stage with me, so I’m more comfortable.”
“But even if it was just a one-off show and it was just me in the spotlight, I’d be much more equipped now. I have experience. I’ve toured just off of YouTube [music] since before I had an album. But right now, I’m excited. I don’t feel nervous to tour,” Del Rey added.
The interviewer picked up on the fact that Del Rey has only performed once or twice on TV since guesting on The Tonight Show and David Letterman in 2012. “I think I’ve done two [TV performances]?” she pondered, admitting that this is an area she’s perhaps neglected.
“Maybe that’s something else I’ll grow into more, like touring,” Del Rey continued. “And don’t get me wrong. I toured for nine years of my life. It was nonstop. It was tough. But you know in your heart when it’s the right time. And it’s never been the right time. Maybe now, even if I didn’t feel confident, I would do it anyway. But there was a reason not to feel confident.”
Del Rey is a role model for scores of aspiring female artists around the world, but she admits to feeling self-conscious, especially while performing on TV. However, she finds it comforting how the music industry has become more open to “weirdos” compared with when her career began.
“I didn’t know if it would be received well,” she added later in the conversation, explaining why she might lack confidence. “But there’s a lot of weirdos out there now, so we’re fine. We’re in good company. I started at a time when things were very much one way. Little by little, there’s a lot more room for storytelling and saying different stuff. You’re seeing a lot more good girl songwriters, too. Well, who am I to say that? I like a lot of the singers out right now.”
Over the past decade, several rising female artists, including Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo, have cited Del Rey as a singular inspiration for their own careers. With Del Rey continuing to release critically and commercially successful material, it seems her influence could continue to inspire budding talent for many years to come.
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