It seems only in recent years that Lana Del Rey has been afforded the critical praise she deserves, despite having an army of fans behind her and a legacy of influence. The sad-girl auteur laid the blueprint for many of the most successful pop acts of the past decade, so tonight, after welcoming some 50,000 attendees to her Hyde Park spectacle, Del Rey was well and truly vindicated.
Draped in white cotton dresses, with ribbons in hair, and heart-shaped sunglasses aplenty, flocks of Lana fans frolicked to Hyde Park to celebrate the singer-songwriter’s illustrious career in her very own fashion, as she headlined the final day of British Summertime Festival (BST).
Headlining the Rainbow Stage were The Last Dinner Party whose blend of baroque-pop and art-rock proved a hit with their ever-growing audience. Their debut single ‘Nothing Matters’ released earlier this year became an instant classic and the sheer volume of festival goers echoing its insatiable refrain back in Hyde Park proved this. The band demonstrated another string to their bow with the moving ‘Gjuha’ (the Albanian for ‘tongue’) sung by the group’s keyboardist Aurora Nishevci proving a particularly poignant moment in the set.
Chief support act Father John Misty warms up the crowd with a swaggering set of folk-rock. FJM, also known as Joshua Tillman, has been a longtime friend and collaborator of Del Rey’s so its unsurprising to see him here today. He’s charismatic, building a rapport with the crowd and wielding such command over the stage, throwing in tracks from all corners of his back catalogue including recent triumph Chloë and the Next 20th Century (2022), as well as 2017’s piece-de-resistance Pure Comedy. All warmed up now, the crowd wait with bated breath for the arrival of their goddess.
Finally the moment everyone has been waiting for. Del Rey is no stranger to controversy, with her recent Glastonbury appearance cut short after a late arrival. Today she turns up twenty minutes after her set is scheduled to begin, but fans are so enamoured to be in her presence that it simply does not matter.
She demonstrates a more human side when she steps down from the stage in the outro of ‘White Mustang’, greeting fans who had queued throughout the day to attain a place along the barrier. In a now-viral clip, Del Rey could be seen borrowing a fan’s vape, as well as signing autographs and posing for pictures – fleeting moments of joy that will stay with those lucky few forever.
Lana’s set traversed her decade long discography, from 2012’s ‘Off to the Races’ through to 2021’s ‘Chemtrails Over the Country Club’, the latter of which she addressed to her ex-boyfriend Sean Larkin, referencing his infidelity.
Before ‘Ride’, the infamous monologue culminating in “I am fucking crazy but I am free” with a montage of career highlights screening Del Rey’s formative years as Lizzy Grant through to her current Ocean Blvd era reminded the crowd of the musician’s impact.
The grandiose ‘Young and Beautiful’, expertly choreographed ‘Cherry’, ethereal ‘Arcadia’ and Ocean Blvd opener ‘The Grants’, with its gospel introduction demonstrate Del Rey’s range and growth as a songwriter. Closing her set with an enchanting rendition of ‘Video Games’, the crowd’s connection to Del Rey is palpable. It is a privilege to attend her sermon today.
You can read Sarah’s reflection on the 10th anniversary of Born to Die here.
