The Honeymoon era is, in a word, unpredictable.
If you’d told me a year ago that our beautiful jazz singer would be wielding a cartoonishly large gun and casually blowing a helicopter clean out of the sky, I would have likely assumed you’d had a bit too hard of a hit of that Ultraviolence hydroponic weed.
But, here we are in 2015, guns blazing.
The latest video from Lana Del Rey, which is also the first full visual off of her upcoming record, plays into a subject she was only just touching on in an interview — perhaps as a subtle hint of what was to come today: The paparazzi. While premiering “High By The Beach” on Beats 1, Lana revealed to Zane Lowe that she works very hard to maintain her private life — and even pays off the paps to leave her alone. Who knew?
Fittingly, “High By The Beach” is the most extreme examination of the plight of the modern celebrity.
Here, Lana becomes the lost member of the 2007 Lindsay Lohan-Paris Hilton-Britney holy trinity of tabloid darlingdom. And, in what should be a relaxing stay at the beach full of weed, flowing curtains and delicate, vintage The Intimate Britney Spears loungewear, she finds herself instead hounded by a hovering chopper and a snap-happy photographer.
What’s a stalked starlet to do?
Start by giving them exactly what they want: Flip troublingly through the tabloids littered with stories about yourself. Pose fiercely by the window. Look stunning. Work that camera good. They’ll never know what’s coming next.
When you’ve decided enough is enough, run down to the beach. Careful! Don’t slip on the rocks. Grab yourself that guitar case you buried just in case of emergency, and pull out the enormous double-barrel Duke Nukem weapon (which fits, impossibly!) that you were waiting to debut at ComicCon next year. Return to your window, take in the impossibly gorgeous view once more, aim it to the sky, and then…let ‘er rip, girl.
Essentially, “High” is Lana’s own “Rumors” or “Piece Of Me” moment — it’s a giant “fuck you” to the intrusive media. True, she isn’t actually aggressively pursued nearly as much as some of our favorite party girls were nearly a decade ago (we’re all that old, yes), but she does deal with at least a taste of it — and this is an early warning shot.
She’s also a storyteller, and ultimately, this is a whole new tale she’s telling. Frankly, it’s refreshing to see her tell a tale that doesn’t involve her bad baby for once. Empowered, independent Lana is fucking awesome to watch, actually.
All Lana wants to do is get high by the beach. So, please…do not fuck with her.
