Lana Del Rey Under Fire for ‘Tone Deaf Comment’ About New Album Cover Art

“My best friends are rappers, my boyfriends have been rappers. My dearest friends have been from all over the place.”

Lana Del Rey just dropped the cover art and 11-song tracklist for her upcoming album Chemtrails Over the Country Club, the release of which was delayed until January due to the coronavirus pandemic.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CJ4W2J-h5pO

01 “White Dress”
02 “Chemtrails Over The Country Club”
03 “Tulsa Jesus Freak”
04 “Let Me Love You Like A Woman”
05 “Wild At Heart”
06 “Dark But Just A Game”
07 “Not All Who Wander Are Lost”
08 “Yosemite”
09 “Breaking Up Slowly”
10 “Dance Till We Die”
11 “For Free”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CJ4XEZJhHXA

The 1950s-esque art work features Del Rey surrounded by women dressed in period-correct attire with a caption reading, “There’s always turmoil and upheaval and in the midst of it – there’s always beautiful music too.”

However, the 35-year-old singer and former Maxim cover star then posted a lengthy comment in the photo that elicited a negative response from fans—here it is in full:   

“I also want to say that with everything going on this year! And no this was not intended-these are my best friends, since you are asking today. And damn! As it happens when it comes to my amazing friends and this cover yes there are people of color on this records picture and that’s all I’ll say about that
but thank you.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CIsSgCqhnRr

“My beautiful friend Valerie from Del Rio Mexico, my dearest friend Alex and my gorgeous friend Dakota Rain as well as my sweetheart Tatiana.
these are my friends this is my life. We are all a beautiful mix of everything- some more than others which is visible and celebrated in everything I do. In 11 years working I have always been extremely inclusive without even trying to. 

“My best friends are rappers my boyfriends have been rappers. My dearest friends have been from all over the place, so before you make comments again about a WOC/POC issue, I’m not the one storming the capital, I’m literally changing the world by putting my life and thoughts and love out there on the table 24 seven. Respect it.”

Reminding people that her “friends are rappers and boyfriends have been rappers,” pointing out POCs on the album cover, and dropping the mic with “I’m not the one storming the capital, I’m literally changing the world by putting my life and thoughts and love out there” didn’t go over so well with fans and outlets like Uproxx, which called the comment “tone deaf.” 

https://twitter.com/hipvault/status/1348413306181218304https://twitter.com/itsscamillelove/status/1348405358755246081

https://twitter.com/thickianagrande/status/1348409663356887041

The exact release date for Chemtrails Over the Country Club hasn’t been announced, but NME reports that the album is set to be available for pre-order on January 11.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDkGB5ypaTH