CAMILA GARÓFALO's profile

Who is Lana Del Rey?

CAMILA GARÓFALO
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Who is Lana del Rey?
I wished I knew, but I have an idea of her in my own head. About her mind, about her spirit, she leads me there with her songs. I get my own conclusions, so maybe its not real at all, but I don’t think I’m wrong either.
For those who don’t know, she’s an American singer, as common as that. But the thing is, there’s nothing common about her. She’s a Grammy nominee and a lot of her songs has been featured in movies like The Great Gatsby, Maleficent, Big Eyes, Euphoria, and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.
She sings like an angel sent from heaven to disrupt the earth with her godly vocals and soul touching lyrics, which by the way, they are not just songs, they are poetry.
Lana is one of the best poets of this era and I’m glad that I get to experience her in real time.
She paved the way for many artists who are more critically acclaimed than her, but that’s okay, I don’t think her sound if for the whole world, even though everyone should listen to her melody, not everyone can understand what she sings about. The stories she tells us in her heartbreaking hunting and mind-bending songs can be disturbing even uncomfortable. With contemplations about God, love, life, and death it’s so pure and magnetic with a dark and profound background that it makes it difficult for every ear to hear, for every mind to comprehend. Also, her albums, which by the way, they are 8 plus singles and unreleased songs, all of them sound different, with distinctive vibes and thoughts. Its more than music, it’s a way of life, I’m not kidding, it even has her own aesthetic.
They’re magnetic.
She goes from using instruments as violins and trumpets with a melody that one can only dream to see in a symphonic show live, going from the electric guitar to trap and country and piano lullabies. Its everything! It’s even helps to relax and release energies; it makes you meditate in a weird kind of way, and it can also make you move. Trust me when I tell you that when people say you cannot dance to it, they’re wrong.
She paints a picture, she invites us to travel with her into these adventures between portals were one can find themselves wandering in the ballroom or backrooms of their minds to reach a point where you can even wonder about the meaning of certain things, not so general like it can be the subject of life, but such as themes more adequate and precise for one’s mood and mind at the moment you hear her sound; compelling.
I’m gonna give an example in a minute, but before I do, I wanted to make a little introduction about the most famous woman, at least on the iPad, that owns my heart.
I’ve been listening to her music since I was 13 years old, now I’m 22. I believe that proves I’m faithful woman, haha, at least to her. I’m really psyched to have a piece of her mind accompanied me wherever I go (also thanks to certain green app). I’m lucky for that, unlike my parents who had to walk miles to get a single cassette, what a nightmare! Back to the point, Lana goes with everything, whatever you like to wear, whatever is your mood, she has the tone for it. With her art she can touch your soul and hold it, not to hurt it, if you listen well enough, the intention is to heal it.
Maybe not her real intention, I wish I could ask her, but I know she writes to heal herself, and by putting it out here is this complex world, she heals. My source? Myself. And the bullet proof of millions of fans who also share their special delusion connection with her like me. At this point I think she writes for herself entirely, I don’t really care, I’m just happy to listen.
All I hear is Lana del Rey, is all that I play. Whenever I feel sad, or happy, or bumped out, angry, stressed, inspired or in peace. She’s a mood.
I think it’s obvious that I’ve a little teeny tiny healthy obsession about this angel who walks earth among us, mere mortals but I just want people to know her and the art she creates.
For example, Fishtail is one song on her latest album called Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd?
Yes, long *** tittle, but I understand completely. That name its also a song beautifully written and full of hope but Fishtail is the one I want to talk about.
The songs start with her singing directly, with some echo and a soft piano ballad adding even a harp. The first part is exactly what it says, someone’s offering to braid her hair while not honestly caring for her. It’s an act of intimacy that he shouldn’t suggest if he’s not invested entirely in their relationship. This could translate to all kinds of relationships, that makes us wonder why people who we love act in certain ways with the potential to hurt us.
The repetition of “You wanted me sadder” when I first heard it I thought that it says “You wanna meet Saturn” and I was amazed about how she could read her partner in a way that reflected their personality and dreams, I led the lyrics to a much more romantic state and I though that she was speaking to me cause I love Saturn and its rings. It also works as a metaphor of wanting to scape reality or enter a new dimension, far from everything to get lost in galaxies and stardust. To disconnect and find other ways to live and be. Its strange, to want to be somewhere else but the place you are in. Never content, always craving for more. I guess it reflected the state of mind I was in at the time I first listened to it, and I found that it described perfectly what I felt, at least from my point of view I could imagine what she saw on her lover. Boy, I was wrong! And when I learn that it said “You wanted me sadder” it all clicked. A lot of fans are accustomed to her melancholic songs and nostalgic tone and when she started to make music like the album of Chemtrails over the Country Club or Blue Banisters - with a country-farm, happy vibe and more lyricism- to the audience it seemed like “she fall out” of her own dark and sad aesthetic. When, she just makes whatever she likes and I’m here for it. Even in one interview for BBC Radio 1 she talks about a one-off experience she had with one of her exes:
“I think we are together because we’re both similar, like we’re both really messed up,” and I thought it was the saddest thing I’d ever heard. And I said, “I’m not sad, I didn’t know that’s why you thought you were relating to me on that level, I’m actually doing pretty good.”
Its weird how some fans, critics and even lover are dissatisfied with this happiness of hers, it’s a selfish thing to say out loud and even think. Besides that, we are getting various music, how can people wish that someone stays sad? A condition where you are at your most vulnerable… That’s messed up.
As I said, she writes in a way that can convey to everyone’s perspective, so it’s a cool thing to hear, even better with her voice, cause there’s no right answer to what she seems to talk about and yet at the same time it has a deeper meaning that it can relate to lots of things.
“Not that smart, but I've got things to say” it’s so humble, so kind and relatable, aren’t we all feel this way sometimes?
Palm trees in black and white
I like to watch them sway” she paints a calm picture of steadiness and mindfulness, a moment that it can lead to an interesting retrospective of ones life.
And one of my favorite lyrics of this song is: You're so funny, I wish I could skinny-dip inside your mind. Imagine writing that. Its amazing and its on point, you are so fascinated by someone, you need more of them, of everything they hide inside, how they work, everything. Its alluring and comforting.
[Pre-Chorus]
Lately, I've been thinkin' about how things used to be
Swingin' in a nightgown underneath the old oak tree
Almost Victorian with you, you can talk to me
But, lately, I can see
When I listen to this, I analyze with curiosity her process of writing and I’m satisfied at my realizations. She points out daily things that maybe someone who’s not a writer may not pay attention to things like their owns thoughts that reflects a big part of their life, like “Lately, I've been thinkin' about how things used to be”. I tend to spend a lot of time reminiscing, so this simple phrase its effective to resume what has been happening.
At this point the song its calmed and feels like listening to a podcast of poetry but then, it comes the best part of them all. The one I love, because it proves all the critics of her supposed monotony wrong! The song drops a trap beat that gives serotonin. And she even adds the freaking autotune!!! She doesn’t need it, but she knows that rocks. That’s how Lana works, with all kinds of instruments and genres and at the same time, being a genre herself!
I could keep on and on about her, even give a ted talk, but I think I’m sticking with writing. Either way, I totally recommend her and her music.
She is ART, with capital letters, yes.
Let me tell you a secret, if Shakespeare were alive, he would copy her. Imagine that! Give it a chance to at least one song of each album. Her voice, going from angel to raspy, its music for your ears, literally!
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Who is Lana Del Rey?
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CAMILA GARÓFALO's profile

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CAMILA GARÓFALO's profile
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Who is Lana Del Rey?

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