After Lana Del Rey’s highly criticized debut Saturday Night Live performance, we almost felt bad for the amount of mockery the “Video Games” singer received from practically anyone with an Internet connection. But then Lana sat down with FUSE to talk about performing live, and for a two-minute interview, there are at least three instances where we threw up our hands and gave up trying to even attempt to defend her. (Daniel Radcliffe, you’re stronger than we are.) Lana, you have fully exasperated us. Watch the interview below, and check out our responses to Lana’s three most infuriating quotes.
LANA QUOTE #1: “I think like, the people who have been listening to my music for a little while know that I’m more of a writer and, like, a studio singer. So I think if you come to the show, you just come to hear the songs on the record that you might like.”
IDOLATOR RESPONSE: Isn’t that the reason everyone goes to concerts? To hear the songs they like from a particular record? However, it is kind of refreshing to hear somebody admit that they’re better in the studio than they are live. You’d never hear Britney’s handlers allow her to say that out loud.
LANA QUOTE #2: “You can’t expect too much from my show,” she says. And then laughs. Because it’s funny how she’s terrible!
IDOLATOR RESPONSE: This, not as refreshing. Why would someone — a “professional” performer — ever, ever say this? To be self-deprecating? To be humble? Humble doesn’t work on a pop star, sweetie. You’re making it incredibly easy for South By Southwest-goers to skip over your show for someone/anyone else’s set.
LANA QUOTE #3: “Sometimes I feel less nervous than other times. I don’t love live television. The only tip I have is just pray and just hope that things work out.”
IDOLATOR RESPONSE: Here’s another tip — it’s a thing called “rehearsing”. Preferably in front of a mirror, so you can see how often you’re running your hands through your hair while pacing.
Are we just being bitchy, and Lana is keeping it real? Or does she truly need a lesson in selling herself to the public if anyone is going to take her seriously? Tell us your thoughts below.
Yes you are just being bitchy. Instead of celebrating that she isn’t some over-managed pop star who says the “right” thing all the time you are condoning her for that. She might not sell out a concert like Britney but she’s got more heart than you’ll ever give her credit for.
i love lana del rey no matter what. seeing her on snl, i have come to the conclusion that while she isnt a “big arena, performing for millions of people” pop star, shes the performer i would go see at a bar because i want a personal experience. which if you think about it, those are the best kinds of artists. she keeing it real, she knows shes not good live, but anyone worth hearing rarely is, you go to a show for the experience, not for a lip syncing and dancing 30 yr old robot. just saying…
The ‘Lip Syncing 30year old’ (I’m sure you mean Britney) isn’t worth seeing either.
How about spending your time and money seeing someone who CAN actually sing live without lip syncing or autotune, and even dance a bit and has some stage presence, like he actually does this for a LIVING. Like Adam Lambert maybe.
He can give you your ‘Personal experience at a bar’ as well as sell out 100+ theatres on a headlining concert tour and leave his audiences gagging for more.
He even ENJOYS performing, as is often blushingly evident, and has more ‘Heart’ in his little finger than Miss Grant has in her whole body.
Adam Lambert, Broken Open Live acoustic. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3hAZ6IpWNc
Down the rabbit hole, Live: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzXWnCnqjiA
Outlaws of love, worldwide debut: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCsXPLDcD6c
If you want an ‘Experience’ or a connection between an artist and his audience, that’s how it’s done.
I think she has been relying on her PR team Shore Fire Media to do all the selling and they have done an incredible job of thrusting the LDR hype down our throats, even pre Video Games. I wouldn’t bother going to a live show of Ms Grants myself but you will find anyone who does queuing for a full refund.
Doesn’t this just make clear what a privileged brat Ms Grant really is, in her own words ‘don’t expect too much’ ‘music is secondary to me’ I guess she’s not planning on having to make a living from selling tickets like every other artist on the planet (it’s not like she needs to), no Lana is a PAY TO PLAY ‘artist’ who just wanted to make a studio record and have a lot of people tell her what a star she is going to be and what a gorgeous job her surgeon did.
Save your money and go and see an artist who gives a s**t.
This girl really does make it up as she goes along I seem to remember her saying in a recent interview ”
If they said I was a bad singer that would be one thing because I know it’s not true, but when they say, ‘Oh, look at her face, she looks so plastic…’ ”
Hey girl your face is plastic, that’s undeniably true and a bad singer, well you already know the answer to that.
Oh and I nearly forgot this one
“[But I got it] because I’m a good musician. And I may not have a record out now, but I have been singing for a very long time, and I think that ['SNL' creator] Lorne [Michaels] knows that.
You people hating on her are jealous of her success. Lana’s voice is beautiful. You can obviously tell that in her previous live performances. And her music is beautiful.
Hallelujah, Idolator staff writer, Becky Bain for speaking the truth. Yes, Lana has the right to say stupid things, but in the end she is stll saying stupid things. I don’t understand why people act as if this is the first artist, or celebrity in general, that has been called out for their mistakes. They’re in the limelight, they will recieve criticisms, whether they be good or bad.
In my opinion, Lana Del Rey doesn’t even sing. Lan Del Rey moans. She seductively speaks her lyrics, and because the song has an instrumental backing, we call it music. She should simply stick to being a lyricist and continue to write beautiful stories through song. But as for her singing these said songs… Let’s just say, I don’t see her being asked to return as a musical guest any time in the near future. Or this lifetime.
I actually feel quite bad for her. If you watch her performances from the Dutch show Jools Holland or the French show Le Grand Journal, she isn’t that bad. Yes her voice is different so people are always going to love her or hate her and she probably will never be a great live performer (she also needs to learn how to control her voice more and do less “baby talk”, although I’m afraid that’s part of her schtick), but it’s obvious if you just watch those performances that she choked on SNL. For her first televised performance in America (and it sounds like she calls NYC home keep in mind), it was a case of too big, too soon. Interscope should have known better. “Ellen” or “Late Night with Carson Daly” would have been great shows to start out on before moving up to Leno, Letterman or Fallon and then finally SNL and award show performances, etc. That’s how it is and should be done.
This rich girl couldn’t just be thankful for her AUTOTUNE.
Evan, Later with…Jools Holland is not a Dutch show. It is British. Jools founded a little band called Squeeze, that you may have heard of. Or not, depending on your age. Anyway, you’re right that the performance of Video Games was pretty good on that show. I guess, I just think that the first time I heard the song I thought it was just pretty average. And consequently, Lana del Rey is totally living up to my expectations.
SNL exposed the truth. Your 15 min. are up rich girl – toodles
@Violet – Oops! My bad. Yeah, I’m only 21 and even though I love older music, I haven’t heard of everything or everyone so thanks for the info!
Well, what could she say after SNL? The only thing is the arrogance or naivety masked as self deprecation is galling. She has sung extremely well to be fair inI some concerts, the Bowery in NY, the troubador and chateau Marmont are testament to that. Journalists Sang her praises on songs such as Born To Die, Million Dollar Man, Summertime sadness and off to the races. She is honest in the respect that she is a studio artist, but that I’m afraid may stall her here in the US. The bar is raised high, and we like our stars rehearsed and primed. It’s not ok to go all indie and be unrehearsed on SNL, it’s just not ok to do that, and in defense to come out saying she’s not a live performer, it makes me mad. Maybe that’s what they want. I will need to hear more from her obviously I adore her three released studio songs. But I guess she just doesn’t get that it’s a big deal to be on that show, people practice, artists would die for that opportunity. Less ” I told you I was no good live” it’s spoilt.
Xadax and Tracy, get over yourselves. I think calling someone “rich girl” in the form of ridicule, even if they are rich, is just as bad as a rich “mean girl” calling a poor girl “Kmart shopper” or “Walmart shopper”. It’s bullying and it’s all the same. And btw, I’m one Little Monster who actually adheres to Lady Gaga’s message. But I didn’t need her to tell me not to bully, I knew better long before that.
I do agree with Ladoll though. As they say, “A million girls would kill for your job.”, so you better be thankful and work your butt off or go home!
its such fake journalism that yo do here, among with 10s of papers. i saw this interviews 3 days BEFORE SNL !!!!!! and everyone keeps posting it like its her reply its not. anyway ,there is a value to music, recorded, that people who are scenester that needs to be seen in shows just dont get. i dont give a ratsass about live performance, the real thing is to record a true good song ,and not prostitute it onstage over and over again like singers are forced to do.
So many bitter hearts here. “Your 15 min. are up rich girl – toodles”. Please explain what relevancy, if any, to her music and performances does the amount of money she or her parents have in their bank account have? None whatsoever. Don’t say stupid things please. On another note, Lana knows her performances are not thrilling. She walks around, she strokes her hair, and she sings beautifully. When she says “You can’t expect too much from my show” I believe she is simply making a joke about the fact that she isn’t dancing about wearing a thong in a pool of blood. It’s easy to take the things she, or anyone, says and run with them and use them out of context (which incidentally is why most celebrities are over-censored and not allowed to speak for themselves). The journalism here is very poor, misconstrues innocent words and, for me anyway, quite literally shreds any integrity this second-rate website ever had. Atrocious, really. XOXO
I’m a dfferent Evan, by the way. Not the same one that posted earlier!
Oh please, come on! Can’t you just accept that she is just being her, being honest? “Humble doesn’t work on a pop star”? You have to be kidding! She’s an artist, and she doesn’t really care to be a commercial super star. Or do you prefer a mere product, a robot for the media? And you just see one performance and condemn her?! Just watch on youtube for her live shows, and you’ll find out that in songs like Off to the races or Million Dollar Man she shows off her singing skills, and she’s really, really good, reaching amazingly high tones. You people have such a close mind, you won’t accept a true artist, you’re only willing to see one of those pop singers the world has been putting on you mind in the last years. I really hope she succeds, just as she is…
whoever says that she uses autotune has no ears. there is barely traces of a robotic voice in her released tracks; there’s just a shimmer of pitch correction in ‘off to the races’.
i love how the ignorant people these days love to scream autotune anytime a singer doesn’t sing the same as the studio version when they actually can.
No no everybody you don’t get it, when it comes to LOOKS you have to be completely genuine, because EVERY star is genuine. But when it comes to ATTITUDE and PERSONALITY, you have to be completely fake! Which is what many of her critics seem to be accusing her of, except when she’s not being, in which case she’s . . . still wrong.
Is it coming together for you yet? Yes, everything Lana Del Rey does is the opposite of the right thing, for some people.
For me, I love her, love her music, love the aesthetics of what she creates both sonically and visually, and love the CHARACTER of Lana Del Rey, who was created by Lizzy Grant, also a talented singer (yes, girl has PIPES) and talented songwriter. She crafted this from her own two hands (yes, with help) – but see the Billboard article and you will see no one is disputing the talent of her songwriting craft.
It’s unique, and awesome. Lizzy has not fully become Lana, granted; Lana is not a fully recognized persona. I believe she will come into her element. And if not? I still have the music, and that’s plenty for me. This has been the most exciting thing to come along for me in a long time, and as long as the music keeps coming I’ll be happy.
Also, from the fuse.tv website, “A few days before taking the stage at NBC’s Studio 8H, Lana sat down with FUSE to candidly discuss her live sets: “You can’t expect too much from my show,” she says. “I don’t love [performing on] live television. My only tip is to pray and hope things work out.”
BEFORE. Yep, it’s not a response. But it certainly did present itself as one!
In an age where most of the babies born are full of plastic molecules screwin with their sexual identity,an age where hardly anything that actually makes sense makes sense anymore and an age in which everything has unabashedly become a greed-fed commodity,peopleand music included,a performer such as Lizzy Grant(nee) is perfect for the times.She certainly has struck a cord with the masses(just read the comments on her Facebook page). Performing is hard.Not being a surgeon,or an industrial pipefitter or a soldier;those things are for dummies. God help us if this generation were actually required to do anything hard such as repel an invasion Or build an economy and sustain it.The boys(haa) are to busy checking their make up and the girls are too bust congratulating themselves on being girls to actually” Do” anything! I think she has a very bright future because she represents those like her to those like her . Pity that.But whaddaya gonna do?
When Ashley Simpson lip-synched, everyone jumped on her for doing so.
When Britney Spears came out, everyone said she was too manufactured.
When Death Cab for Cutie did SNL, everyone said “they sold out”.
Finally, an artist comes out who is raw, unpolished, but is a REAL everyday human being and everyone jumps on her for not being manufactured? I don’t get it.
After seeing Lana Del Rey on SNL, I’m actually MORE likely to go see her because a personal, intimate performance is almost gauranteed as opposed to say, Christina Aguilera where her performance is sure to be overly rehearsed and “staged”.
@Evan, Gaga’s rich too right? & a republican? Hmmm
I really love her music and the videos. I don’t care if she comes from a rich family. I don’t care if her lips are fake. I do care that she comes across clueless in interviews.
When I listen to her music, I think of a deep, intelligent women. More alternative. Less pop. Someone more along the Kate Bush or Tori Amos type mentality. At least, that is how I hear it. Then I watch and read some interviews, and get turned off. It’s a shame. The music is there (recorded versions anyway). The imaging is pretty good. She just personally doesn’t seem to fit with it all.
Her reps need to figure something out. Of course, they are riding the high and and don’t appear concerned about making her a career artist. They took SNL way too early. She better do well on upcoming shows.
This interview made me cringe: http://oystermag.com/lana-del-rey-interview
I’d love to see any of her armchair critics display a fraction of the amount of talent and sheer bravery it requires to get up and sing something as sparse and unaccompanied as a song like “Video Games” in front of the entire western world, at that age. Let alone even finish writing a song… any song! Damn, give the girl a break. What’s wrong with you people?
I am so glad you mentioned Adam Lambert.
He is absolutely incredible !!! and then some !!!!
See the aforementioned comment”babies born with plastic molecules”. Your generation,not all by far,but an increasing amount every day,are being made into pseudo-girls by the plastic in your parents’ bodies when you are concieved and developing in the womb.Adam Lambert. I feel sorry for you,and maybe my and the generation before mine are responsible,but those of us who are aware of this are horrified by what we are seeing develop.The plastic is causing feminization and a much higher degree of mental illness in people mostly under 25.Instead of talent,Lambert to me is mostly a symptom of a syndrone.
you are all feeding into PR of this “artist”. hating her, loving her, despising and defending her. who cares? music is music to who ever is listening and if you don’t like it don’t listen. don’t antagonize, don’t sympathize. do you really think she or anyone in her team cared or care. everything is bought and sold, even publicity. SNL made her career. you’re defeninding someone you don’t know. protecting a vague idea. this pop thing is sad.
Totally true.
Okay, no offense but stop trying to shove your failed reject artists on others.
What do you know about Britney? HEr management harasses her but she’s the most down to earth and nicest one out of all the pop stars..Stardom never got to her ( as in gloating etc..)
Also watch ” Britney for the record” you’re just judging her by her music ( which is legendary) and her style …she’s just daring and that’s her style!