Lana Del Rey faced major backlash on Thursday after she posted a lengthy Instagram rant in which she happened to name-check female musicians of color with more mainstream success than her.
And on Friday afternoon, the 34-year-old singer provided some ‘final notes’ on her ‘controversial post’ and insisted that ‘critics can’t read and want to make [her post into] a race war.’
‘But in truth making it about race says so much more about you than it does about me – you want the drama,’ wrote Lana.
She started out her follow-up message by stating that her initial post was ‘not controversial at all’ and that, despite the criticism, she has remained firm on her stance.
![Final words: Nn Friday afternoon, Lana Del Rey provided some 'final notes' on her 'controversial post' and insisted that 'critics can't read and want to make [her post into] a race war'; Lana pictured in 2018](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/05/23/02/28725898-0-image-m-2_1590197608813.jpg)
Final words: Nn Friday afternoon, Lana Del Rey provided some ‘final notes’ on her ‘controversial post’ and insisted that ‘critics can’t read and want to make [her post into] a race war’; Lana pictured in 2018
‘Despite the feedback I’ve heard from several people that I mentioned in a complimentary 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.’
‘And that there does have to be room for that type in what will inevitably became a new wave/3rd wave of feminism that is rapidly approaching. Watch,’ wrote the Born To Die songstress.
In Lana’s original rant, she made direct reference to stars like Ariana Grande, Beyonce, Doja Cat, and Nicki Minaj, which prompted fans of the artists to label her ‘racist’ and ‘entitled.’
Many believed she was intentionally singling out women of color in the music industry and placing her struggles with mainstream appeal on them.
Not my message: ‘But in truth making it about race says so much more about you than it does about me – you want the drama,’ wrote Lana
‘If the women I mention don’t wanna be associated with me that’s absolutely fine by me,’ wrote Del Rey.
Lana did admit that she could have ‘given more [context] to [her] post’ by mentioning that the rant was pulled from her ‘second book out next March called behind the iron gates- insights from an institution.’
As for those that found her post to be racially motivated, Lana insisted that she was taking issue with ‘*female critics and *female alternative artists’ who have accused her of ‘glamorizing abuse’ in her music, not artists of color.
‘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.
Fine by her: ‘If the women I mention don’t wanna be associated with me that’s absolutely fine by me,’ wrote Del Rey, who mentioned the likes of Ariana Grande and Doja Cat in her controversial post made on Thursday; Ariana (left) pictured in 2018 and Doja Cat (right) pictured in 2019
Send off: She returned to Instagram moments after to share a caption-less post that featured a quote by the late American architect and writer Frank Lloyd Wright
‘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,’ she wrote.
Lana stated that making her initial post ‘about race’ could not be further from the truth and that all of the outrage was born out of the media’s lust for drama.
‘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.
‘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,’ she said.
Original Statement: Lana Del Rey faced major backlash on Thursday after she posted a lengthy Instagram rant in which she name-checked fellow female musicians for having more mainstream success than her
Fuming: Lana del Rey is being called ‘racist,’ ‘entitled,’ and ‘a case for why we should abolish celebrity’ by critics after she posted a lengthy Instagram rant Thursday evening; Lana pictured in January
To conclude Friday’s rant, Lana wrote: ‘My aim and my message are clear. That I have control of my own story.’
She returned to Instagram moments after to share a caption-less post that featured a quote by the late American architect and writer Frank Lloyd Wright.
‘If you invest in beauty, it will remain with you all the days of your life,’ it read.
Lana’s post on Thursday began by calling out Doja Cat, Ariana Grande, Camila Cabello, Cardi B, Kehlani, Nicki Minaj, and Beyonce for having number one songs ‘about being sexy, wearing no clothes, f***ing, cheating, etc.’
Mad: She named singers including Camila Cabello, Doja Cat, and Kehlani, saying they’ve had #1s for songs ‘about being sexy, wearing no clothes, f***ing, cheating, etc.’
Targets: Beyonce and Nicki Minaj were both called out in her social media rant
She ranted that it was unfair that they have found success doing that, but she has been ‘crucified’ for ‘glamorizing abuse’ because she sings about ‘feeling beautiful by being in love even if the relationship is not perfect’ and ‘dancing for money.’
But the complaint quickly earned backlash, with Twitter users pointing out that she only complained about performers who are women of color.
‘Lana Del Rey is racist. Why is she only attacking WOC???’ wrote one.
‘Lana Del Rey took a page out of every racist white youtuber & brand’s books. She’s using racism & Black outrage marketing to sell her new books & album coming out,’ said another.
‘So when Lana del Rey writes about sex and abuse and relationships is glamorous, artistic and undervalued but when black women do its… what? Overrated? Cheap? Because that’s what I’m getting from her tone,’ wrote another.
‘That Lana del ray posts seems a bit racist and HELLA envious to me,’ said one more.
Others said that in addition to being racist, the post seemed entitled, with Lana appearing to take it for granted that she deserves number one singles.
‘Lana del rey sucks and she’s racist and she thinks singing about coke and men who don’t like her makes her relatable to teenagers she is 34 years old.’ one Twitter user said.
However, Lana was quick to respond to the criticism, firing back at any suggestion that her rant was racially motivated – while hitting out at her critics for ‘making it about a WOC issue’.
Angry: Dozens of Twitter users have called her racist for singling out female performers of color
Upset: Lana blasted her critics on Instagram, insisting her rant had nothing to do with race, but rather the fact that ‘there are certain women that culture doesn’t want to have a voice’
‘Bro. This is sad to make it about a WOC issue when I’m talking about my favorite singers,’ she wrote in a comment that she then shared on her Instagram Stories.
‘I couldn’t literally said anyone but I picked my favorite f***ing people. 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 bro- call me racist because that’s bulls***.’
In a second comment she continued: ‘And on 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 more delicate personality, not for white woman – thanks for the Karen comments tho. V. helpful.’
However it wasn’t just the stars that Lana chose to call out that caught critics’ attention.
Both ways: Critics took issue with other parts of her post, too, like that she won’t commit to being a feminist but thinks feminism needs to have a place for her
Several paragraphs down, Lana wrote that she is ‘not not a feminist’ — but added that ‘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.’
Critics found this remark baffling. Many have misread it, thinking she said she is ‘not a feminist’ — while others who understood her meaning still found it problematic.
‘#LanaDelRey saying ‘Let’s be clear I’m not a feminist’ but then saying wants to be treated like everyone else is what feminism is. Can someone tell her PR?’ tweeted comedian Iliza Shlesinger.
‘Lana del Rey asking for ‘a place in feminism’ while saying she’s not a feminist and being f***ing racist is such a case for why we should abolish celebrity,’ said another, while a third called the demand ‘the most entitled crap I’ve ever heard.’
‘The optics of Lana, a white woman, complaining about feminism lacking space for her while critiquing the acclaim allotted to several black pop artists is mortifying,’ Jezebel’s Ashely Reese wrote.
‘Lana Del Rey really threw a bunch of black women under the bus before saying that feminism needs to accommodate women like her. It’s art,’ wrote Zito.
While Lana spoke out to comment on the backlash, she wasn’t alone; at least one of the artists she name-checked also had something to say about the rant.
Doja Cat commented on the post, ‘Gang sunk that dunker.’