We Need to Talk About the Vilification of Lana Del Rey
Lana Del Rey has been slammed for protesting by Kehlani, but why was she singled out? Is it really a healthy contribution to the conversation? | Source: Stephanie Keith/Getty Images/AFP
- Lana Del Rey is being dragged through the mud lately after comparing herself to black artists.
- She spent Saturday protesting, trying to raise awareness for Black Lives Matter.
- Some artists are calling her out for “endangering” others.
When it comes to a bad run, Lana Del Rey is having a real turd sandwich of a fortnight.
The “Summertime Sadness” hitmaker first ruffled feathers by sharing a lengthy post on Instagram detailing her experiences as an artist. While Lana expressed her frustration at not being able to sing about the same themes as others, many ripped her a new one for comparing herself to artists of color.
Lana Del Rey’s Bad Month Gets Worse
You can read more of the singer’s full letter here , but she specifically mentions Beyonce, Doja Cat, Ariana Grande, Camila Cabello, Cardi B, Kehlani, and Nicki Minaj.
Many thought that Lana, a white woman, couldn’t possibly speak on someone else’s experience. She has since faced a barrage of criticism on social media.
For her part, Lana insists this is only about her art. She says she wasn’t “targeting” these women, but praising them for their achievements.
Perhaps to prove her point – or perhaps because she’s a decent human being – Lana took part in the protests on Saturday .
Despite sharing videos to her Instagram stories and supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, Lana was singled out by Kehlani – who clearly doesn’t appreciate her efforts.
Effectively, Lana is trapped in a reputational Catch-22.
What Kehlani’s Criticism Exposes About the Backlash
After seeing Lana’s snaps from the protests, Kehlani called her out in a venomous now-deleted tweet.
@LanaDelRey please remove your Instagram post it’s dangerous as f*ck and a very poor choice of moments to post. By all means protest, but DO NOT endanger people with your very massive platform. Oh and turn your f*cking comments on man. (sic.)
When asked why she wasn’t calling upon others to take their posts down, Kehlani had this to say.
No matter how you feel about Lana Del Rey, you can’t deny that the singer is stuck between a rock and a hard place.
On the one hand, she’s called a bigot and penalized for “glamorizing abuse,” but when she uses her platform to show her support for Black Lives Matter, she’s criticized even more.
While the issue of privilege has never been more prevalent, Lana seems to be a target for an enormous amount of frustration. Why? Because she spoke out and made a valid point about the double standard that stretches across the music industry.
This comes at a time when public figures are being called to be vocal about the death of George Floyd and the fight for justice. Comments sections are flooded with followers asking famous people to speak out, but many have yet to utter a word. Perhaps they’re too scared to say the “wrong” thing.
The conversation needs to be open, honest, and frank. Education has never been more important.
Kehlani’s jab seems to be indicative of a personal vendetta instead of contributing anything of value.
Is that really what the world needs now?
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of CCN.com.
