Lana Del Rey took to social media Thursday to share a lengthy message that included the announcement of her seventh studio album. However, that news was overshadowed by widespread controversy, as many criticized the post as tone-deaf, entitled, and racist.
Del Rey began the message by pointing out what she believed to be a double standard in music and comparing the treatment she's received to that of other female artists.
"Now that Doja Cat, Ariana, Camila, Cardi B, Kehlani and Nicki Minaj and Beyoncé have had number ones with songs about being sexy, wearing no clothes, fucking, cheating etc—can I please go back to singing about being embodied, feeling beautiful by being in love even if the relationship is not perfect, or dancing for money, or whatever I want, without being crucified or saying that I'm glamorizing abuse?" she wrote in the post.
Instagram users immediately criticized Del Rey for mainly mentioning women of color and having the nerve to compare her struggles to theirs.
Hours after the post, Del Rey took to the comments section to defend her statements, insisting she had no issues with the women she mentioned; in fact, she said they were all her favorite artists. She also said it was "sad" that her message was turned into a "WOC issue," as she was simply pointing out that "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," she wrote. "But don't ever ever ever ever bro- call me racist because that is bullshit."
"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," she wrote in a follow-up comment. "And if you want to say that has something to do with race, that's your opinion but that's not what I'm saying.
"To be clear because I knowwwwww you love to twist things. I fucking love these singers and know them. #that is why I mentioned them. I would also like to have some of the same freedom of expression without judgement of hysteria. There you go."
