Lana Del Rey's TikTok 'Cult' Is Taking Over The Platform

'Summertime Sadness' singer Lana Del Rey may have found herself in hot water over a recent rash of [...]

By Alyssa Fikse

"Summertime Sadness" singer Lana Del Rey may have found herself in hot water over a recent rash of controversial statements, but her stan army is taking to TikTok to ensure that their loyalty remains evident. The #LanaCult hashtag quickly took over the platform, with 40.5 million views in just a few days. All fans have to do is change their profile picture to a meme of Del Rey in front of an explosion, and if they want to post any Lana-centric content, they are encouraged to do so.

Del Rey has long been a lightning rod for controversy. However, she stirred some up of her own accord in May 2020, when she posted a lengthy and unprompted statement on Instagram addressing the longtime claims that her music "glamorized abuse."

"Now that Doja Cat, Ariana, Camila, Cardi B, Kehlani and Nicki Minaj and Beyoncé have had number ones with songs about being sexy, wearing no clothes, f—ing, cheating etc.," she wrote, "can I please go back to singing about being embodied, feeling beautiful by being in love even if the relationship is not perfect, or dancing for money — or whatever I want — without being crucified [for] saying that I'm glamorizing abuse??????"

Critics were quick to point out that Del Rey only mentioned mostly women of color in her complaint, arguing that her statement was deeply steeped in white privilege. Del Rey claimed that she was merely "talking about my favorite singers." She took to Instagram again to make a follow-up statement. "Making it about race says so much more about you than it does about me," she wrote.

This was hardly the end of Del Rey's controversy. She drew backlash when she shared videos on Instagram revealing the faces of BLM protestors and shared a video that was critical of looters. Del Rey eventually deleted the posts. She also earned backlash when she was seen at a fan event where she wore a mesh mask in the middle of a global pandemic.

Del Rey's next album Chemtrails Over The Country Club arrives on March 19, and people on Instagram mentioned the lack of representation in her promotion for the album. "I have always been extremely inclusive without even trying to," Del Rey responded in a now-deleted comment. "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 24 seven." Despite all of the controversy, it seems like Del Rey's fans are as devoted as ever.

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