In the past 14 years, singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey has grown in popularity as a melancholy singer who discusses love, life, and loss. Her music has a dreamy, soft, vintage sound to it, and has a large appeal to young people.

Lately, her music has incorporated itself into the “coquette” aesthetic trend going around social media, which involves bows, white lace, pastel colors, and is inspired by 18th century fashion, especially that of Marie Antionette. Her songs often have old-timey, cinematic, and often all-American themes such as Diet Mountain Dew, White Mustangs, and smoking or drugs. In this article, I will be investigating just what makes Lana Del Rey’s music so popular, and why she has such a large teenage audience.

For an adult perspective, I interviewed my dad. He is a fan of Lana Del Rey, and when asked what he thought of her appeal to the younger generation he said, “From my impression, I think you all [teenagers] really like ballads: like songs that have strong and passionate vocals, and Lana’s vocals are that. I think she’s appealing to the youth because she’s cool; she’s got an interesting perspective. Her music is different from the other stuff that’s out there.” I agree with my dad in this sense, and I’ve noticed that a lot of other popular music among teenagers has been hip-hop and rap, which sets Del Rey apart from other artists her audience listens to.  

I then interviewed fellow teenager and West Seattle High junior Anhelina Hutsu. She says, “I think her music has a melodic sound and her voice implements very smooth vocals. Her songs also deal with [common issues] that teenagers might go through.” Like Anhelina, I think a large part of Lana’s appeal is the relatability of her songs, and not just for teenagers. She sings about relationships, finding one’s identity, and even various kinds of abuse.  

Lana Del Rey has become controversial when people have accused her of romanticizing domestic abuse and substance abuse in her songs. According to the Arizona State Press, “Del Rey has long been associated with problematic undertones of glamorizing abuse. Domestic violence imagery has made itself apparent in her cover art — the artwork for her 2012 single “Blue Jeans” pictures the singer in a chokehold from a tattooed man.” Del Rey made a post on Instagram in May of 2020 defending herself, saying “I just want to say over the last ten years 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.” (The Daily Targum). Whether or not it was Lana’s intention to romanticize abuse, many have embraced her music no matter the topic. 

I asked three interviewees –my dad, brother and Anhelina– what their favorite Lana songs were, and they said Arcadia, Stargirl Interlude (with The Weeknd), and Cherry. I would say my favorite song of hers might be Music To Watch Boys To or A&W. It’s hard to pick a favorite because she has so many wonderful songs. Her music is catchy, and the emotional lyrics make them popular to use over videos or posts on Instagram and TikTok, which gets them stuck in your head after you’ve seen several videos using the same song.  

Her tenth studio album, The Right Person Will Stay, is set to come out May 21st. I look forward to hearing what she has been working on and am sure it will be fantastic. All in all, Del Rey’s distinctive style, relatable lyrics, and vocal talent make her into a well-rounded, appealing artist to everyone, and especially young people.