This is What Makes Us Girls: The Reign of Lana Del Rey

I remember the first time I heard Lana Del Rey. I was freshly sixteen and just beginning my journey of figuring out who I was as a person, and she honestly could not have entered my life at a more perfect time. Late one night, one of my friends put the famous “National Anthem” music video (more like a masterpiece) on her T.V., and my soul visibly rose from my body. I knew right then and there.

This is what music is supposed to make me feel like.

Lana Del Rey played a huge part in making me the girl I am, and “This is What Makes Us Girls”, arguably one of her best songs, still holds true to me to this day. She is a female figure who has not just been an inspiration to me, but also to her millions of fans around the world, making her deserving of a spotlight this Women’s History Month.

Lana Del Rey, also known as Elizabeth “Lizzy” Grant, was born in New York City with her love for music beginning in elementary school when she sang in the choir. Her childhood did not last as long as most, as at the age of fourteen she was sent to boarding school to help her with sobriety for alcohol abuse. After graduating, she moved to Long Island to work as a server at a restaurant–cue “Waitress”–where she learned to play guitar and really began her music career. She began to play at nightclubs in Brooklyn, that same year enrolling in Fordham University, and the next year she recorded her first acoustic album Sirens. Her name truly appeared on the map with her debut album, Born to Die, after the music videos went viral on YouTube for singles “Video Games” and “Blue Jeans”. Her music career only grew from there, as she is still making music today.

What is it about her that causes the absolute chokehold she has on my life? Lana Del Rey’s musical and lyrical talent are undeniable. As I write this, the lyrics “I was filled with poison, but blessed with beauty and rage” play, just one example of her lyrical genius. From her first studio album being released in 2006 and eight albums following thus far, to her latest single “A&W” recently dropping, her presence in the music industry continues to grow with each year.

Lana Del Rey is credited to developing the “sadcore” genre, and while obviously she has released songs that are more upbeat, she has been known to put her listeners into their feels–cue “Video Games”, “Old Money”, and “13 Beaches”. For me, she does more than just that: she helps give me the ability to feel my emotions through and through. She allows me to heal.

Yet another thing to admire about Lana Del Rey is the aesthetic that has enveloped her whole career. When I think of cherries, Coca Cola, cigarettes, red lipstick, and glamor in general, she is the first thing that comes to mind. She has single-handedly mastered the balance of femme fatale and lover, not just in her music, but in her appearance and overall mystique. Not all celebrities have ownership over their aesthetic, but Lana Del Rey certainly does.

Lana Del Rey’s influence on the music industry is one that will have a lasting legacy. From her hauntingly beautiful introduction to “Honeymoon”, to the upbeat chorus of “Lust for Life”, to the soft melody of “Sweet Carolina”, Lana Del Rey’s music encapsulates the intricacies of the human experience. In which many other artists struggle, she is able to fully capture the extensive range of emotions that humans have, offering a song to match almost any mood, feeling, or experience you might be going through.

Her next album, Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, is scheduled to be released on March 24 of this year, and I could not recommend listening to it more. If your experience listening to her mirrors mine in any way, you are bound to discover more about yourself and your emotions than any other album out there.

Written by Ann Harper Covington

Copyedited by Ally Thompson

Graphic by Sophie Baker