Lana Del Rey

Del Rey released an excerpt from a song directly naming Ethel Cain and referring to a photograph of Cain with Jack Donoghue, an alleged former partner of Del Rey. She subsequently claimed that Cain had previously posted humiliating edits and made repeated comments about her weight.

State of the evidence

Allegations

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Personally implicated

Del Rey included a lengthy excerpt from a sermon by Judah Smith on her album Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd. Smith, a Churchome pastor, had previously described same-sex relationships as sinful. The pastor's inclusion alienated some of her queer audience.

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Directly implicated

Revealing the cover of Chemtrails Over the Country Club, Del Rey anticipated potential criticism of the diversity of women pictured and emphasised that she had always had friends and relationships with people from different backgrounds, mentioning rappers in particular.

State of the evidence

Reported by the press

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Personally implicated

In a lengthy post entitled Question for the Culture, Del Rey named Doja Cat, Ariana Grande, Camila Cabello, Cardi B, Kehlani, Nicki Minaj and Beyoncé to ask why their songs about sex or relationships were accepted while her own lyrics were accused of 'glamorising abuse'. Targeting a list comprising predominantly women of colour triggered allegations of racism and white feminism.

State of the evidence

Reported by the press

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Personally implicated

At a book signing in Los Angeles, Del Rey wore a decorative mesh mask that appeared largely open while posing with fans, prompting criticism of its effectiveness against Covid-19.

State of the evidence

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Directly implicated

Del Rey publicly claimed that Radiohead had sued her over similarities between Get Free and Creep and was seeking 100% of the publishing rights. Radiohead's publisher responded that discussions had taken place but no lawsuit had been filed and it was not seeking 100% of the rights.

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Directly implicated

Del Rey initially defended her participation in Israel's Meteor Festival amid boycott calls, saying she regarded her appearance as a performance for fans rather than political support for the Israeli government.

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Directly implicated

In a 2014 interview, Del Rey said that feminism was 'just not an interesting concept' to her, expressing a preference for discussing space exploration and defining a feminist as a woman free enough to do what she wanted. The remarks intensified existing criticism of how her songs and videos portrayed submission, destructive relationships and violence.

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Personally implicated

In an interview with The Guardian, Del Rey said she wished she were already dead while discussing Amy Winehouse and Kurt Cobain. Frances Bean Cobain publicly criticised her for romanticising early death. Del Rey subsequently criticised how the journalist had presented the interview.

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Personally implicated

Following the success of Video Games, Elizabeth Grant's transformation into Lana Del Rey prompted allegations that she was an 'industry plant', had a fabricated persona and had rewritten her earlier musical career. Her January 2012 performance on Saturday Night Live before the US release of Born to Die then drew a flood of criticism concerning her voice, lack of confidence and the decision to invite her so early.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated