This past Wednesday, Lana Del Rey instagrammed the lyrics to a new single called “Honeymoon,” from her forthcoming follow-up to 2014’s Ultraviolence, as well as a 15-second video taste of the track.
It’s got all the usual LDR hallmarks: it’s very sleepy, there’s orchestral accompaniment, the one-word hook is repeated ad nauseam through those infamous, collagen-enhanced, monster-truck tire lips pouting with a calculated, sexy-baby preen, etc.
But that’s what fans love about her. The old-timey, cinematic sounds make it feel nostalgic; her Betty Boop-impersonation (or partial facial paralysis) gives the music an additional narcotic quality, largely because she sounds inebriated.
The overall Lana Del Rey character furthers these points with bad-boy themes, plenty of hazy California references, and an aptly designed aesthetic. She fits the void of slightly indie-tized female pop stars that can act as all a gay, film and vintage icon. Lip injections, being born on third base, and terrible live performances still can’t necessarily undercut all of that.
Here, it seems her character is finally growing through the stages of American maturity. In this instance: marriage. The music seems to have stayed the same, but what other thematic changes are in store for Lana Del Rey (and Lizzy Grant)? What else will happen on this upcoming album? Will it follow real life, or will it require a painful, melodramatic divorce to match her consistent tone?
