Lana Del Rey Says Next Album ‘Rock Candy Sweet’ Will ‘Challenge’ Cultural Appropriation Narrative

Lana Del Rey has announced her eighth album 'Rock Candy Sweet' will arrive on June 1 and will 'challenge' accusations of cultural appropriation.

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Image via Getty/Mat Hayward

lana new album

Lana Del Rey is already gearing up to drop her eighth album Rock Candy Sweet, and she’s tying some of her past controversy into it.

The singer announced the forthcoming arrival of her new project on Saturday, which has a June 1 due date. Rock Candy Sweet follows the release of her latest album Chemtrails Over The Country from Friday. Del Rey also took to her Instagram Story to discuss that the album will “challenge” cultural appropriation and romanticizing domestic abuse, two things she has been accused of perpetuating.

Alongside a screenshot of a Harper’s Bazaararticle titled “Lana Del Rey Can’t Qualify Her Way Out Of Being Held Accountable,” Del Rey wrote, “Just want to say thank you again for the kind articles like this one and for reminding me that my career was built on cultural appropriation and glamorizing domestic abuse.”

She added, “I will continue to challenge those thoughts on my next record June 1 titled Rock Candy Sweet.”

The Instagram Story also touched on a since-deleted Instagram comment Del Rey wrote under the Chemtrails Over The Country artwork. It read, in part, “I have always been extremely inclusive without even trying to.”

“My best friends are rappers, my boyfriends have been rappers. My dearest friends have been from all over the place, so before you make comments again about a WOC/POC issue, I’m not the one storming the capital, I’m literally changing the world by putting my life and thoughts and love out there 24 seven.”

Del Rey also replied to the portion of the story on her IG Story.

“You’re right it would have been unnecessary if no one had significantly criticized everything about the album to begin with,” she said. “But you did. And I want revenge.” Del Rey faced backlash for her statement, with many connecting it to her 2020 controversy where she specifically questioned Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, and other artists for their lyrical content.

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