Lana Del Rey: Out of the Black and into the Blue

As evident in 2014’s Ultraviolence and 2017’s Lust for Life, Lana Del Rey has come a long way in both her artistic style and thematic content.

Written by Ariana Pleasure

Illustrated by Caitlin Rounds

Since her debut album Born to Die (2012), Lana’s fan base has grown immensely, comprised largely of young women who sit on the edge of their seats in anticipation, wondering what music she will put out next. Her music and its content have caught headlines, criticism, and praise, but to Lana, it isn’t just about pleasing her audience. Her music is something she uses to honestly communicate her feelings about love and life, and just as her feelings have changed, so has her music changed throughout the various stages in her career.

Notable changes are seen in Lana’s artistry by looking specifically at her albums Ultraviolence (2014) and Lust for Life (2017). You might find yourself crying on your bedroom floor to both albums, but for entirely different reasons.

“Ultraviolence,” the song for which her sophomore album is named, is a clear indicator of Lana’s mindset at the time of writing the record. In the song, she sings “he hit me and it felt like a kiss.” To put it simply, this lyric caught a lot of attention, as the poetic comparison of being hit and being kissed does not go unnoticed. Many felt that it was an attempt to romanticize a physically abusive relationship. Lana recently reflected in a 2018 interview with NPR how the song and its worrisome content came from her lack of reference for what a healthy relationship looks like, but she’s recognizes her growth by noting the lyric is no longer comfortable for her to sing.

Lana giving a lot more to the relationship than her significant other seems to be a major theme in Ultraviolence. The unbalanced power structure that is present in her relationship haunts her and created the album. She may constantly be singing “love” throughout the album but ties her indifference to the lyrics to tell the audience that it could all be so much better. Songs such as “West Coast” and “Shades of Cool” describe Lana’s infatuation with her man while also hinting at her insecurities within the relationship. “Sad Girl” and “Cruel World,” on the other hand, more explicitly tell her audienced how love has caused her harm instead of good.

Lana sings her worries and sorrows about her relationships, describing how she seems stuck and unsure how to move on. In some ways, with how deeply she describes her unhealthy relationships, “Ultraviolence” seems like a cry for help and a wish for something better. This desire for more out of her life is what led to her latest album.

Just take a look at the cover art for Lust for Life and you will undoubtedly notice the difference between her past albums and this one. We are used to seeing a pouty-faced, moody Lana (which we still love) on the front cover. Here, Lana instead graced her fans with a smiling face and flowers in her hair on an album that showcases her personal growth.

“Love,” the first track off Lust for Life, sets the tone for the record with glimpses and messages of a hopeful and more positive relationship than what the listener observed in Ultraviolence. The lyric “to be young and in love” showcases the beauty and significance of being enthralled with someone. Her voice is the same as it has been in previous albums, but this time, there’s a certain lightness in her singing. Combined with the sweet-sounding instrumentals, the song calls to mind a sense of all the good times that a healthy relationship can bring.

Despite beginning on a light-hearted note, the album still has a sense of heartbreak woven throughout. However, the memories of hard times are overshadowed by the overwhelming message of focusing on yourself and moving forward. Even when Lana expresses her deep feelings of solitude and heartache, her lyrics share her desire for something better and healthier. She may not have had the best or easiest of relationships in the past, but she clearly wants more and better for herself. These feelings created Lust for Life and the positive, loving album it is.

In “Get Free,” she discusses the newest chapter of her life and moving on from the “black” or darkness she knows all too well and into the “blue,” which holds so much more than she ever imagined. “Get Free” is the last song on the record which seems to be appropriately placed, as Lana clearly tells her audience where she is in her life’s journey.

Lana’s personal growth since stepping onto the music scene in 2012 is, and will continue to be, stunning to witness. She sets an example of what it means to be a new woman. This doesn’t mean that her darker and more mysterious self was invalid in any way –– it just means that there are always brighter days to come.

So what should we expect from Lana next? It wouldn't be a Lana album without some heart-tugging lyrics that take on the more melancholy of life’s circumstances, but moving forward, we can expect more light-heartedness as she continues to move into the blue.

Afterglow ATXDecember 4, 2018caitlin rounds