So Sad Today: Lana Del Rey Talks Depression And Illness, Dismisses Feminism In First Ultraviolence Interview
Lana Del Rey’s first (and, thus far, only) interview of the Ultraviolence press cycle is a Fader cover story that emerged today. The story contained some revealing content about Del Rey’s past as well as some sure-to-be controversial opinions. One subject that came up was feminism, which Del Rey more or less rejects. Here’s what she had to say in regard to criticism of the submissive posture she often adopts in songs:
For me, the issue of feminism is just not an interesting concept. I’m more interested in, you know, SpaceX and Tesla, what’s going to happen with our intergalactic possibilities. Whenever people bring up feminism, I’m like, god. I’m just not really that interested… My idea of a true feminist is a woman who feels free enough to do whatever she wants.
She mentioned a long-running relationship with a record exec, though she didn’t say whether he was the inspiration for the Ultraviolence track “Fucked My Way Up To The Top”:
I had a seven-year relationship with the head of this label, and he was a huge inspiration to me. I’ll tell you later when more people know. He never signed me, but he was like my muse, the love of my life.
She also discussed her emotional reaction to fan support in Dublin last year:
I’d been sick on tour for about two years with this medical anomaly that doctors couldn’t figure out. That’s a big part of my life: I just feel really sick a lot of the time and can’t figure out why. I’d gotten these shots in Russia, where we’d just been. It was just heavy. It’s just heavy performing for people who really care about you, and you don’t really care that much about yourself sometimes. I thought it was sad. I thought my position was sad. I thought it was sad to be in Ireland singing for people who really cared when I wasn’t sure if I did.
Read the full interview at Fader.