(opinion article)

Now that a recent pandemic is just history, the excitement for Coachella Festival is back, and this year it’s heated up by one of the headliners — Lana Del Rey. The iconic, worldwide-famous alt-pop artist is finally getting much deserved appreciation — Friday nights of April 12th and 19th are dedicated to celebrating her broad discography.

Dressed in a sparkling periwinkle flowy dress, on the night of April 12th, Lana brought to the main stage her distinctive vintage Hollywood glamour aesthetic, with the help of magnificent decorations, virtuous dancers and harmonious backup-singers. She performed her timeless hits ‘Summertime sadness’ and ‘Young and beautiful’, as well as her recent songs: ‘Chemtrails Over the Country Club’, ‘Arcadia’, ‘A&W’, etc.

Del Rey also served some delightful surprises during her set. She brought Jon Batiste to the stage to perform their joint song ‘Candy Necklace’. Also, Lana invited to the piano her frequent collaborator Jack Antonoff for a ballad ‘Hope Is a Dangerous Thing for a Woman Like Me to Have – But I Have It’. But the show-stopper of the night was the appearance of Billie Eilish on the stage. Together, Lana and Billie performed each other’s debut singles: Billie’s ‘Ocean Eyes’ and Lana’s ‘Video Games’. Undoubtedly, it was one of the most heart-warming moments in Coachella history.

Yet, Lana Del Rey’s opening night performance was not praised by the critics. On the contrary, ‘The Guardian’ reviewed it as “a disappointingly lifeless start to the festival”. Even though this rating is not baseless, it can’t be considered as fair and objective, and might be challenged.

Indeed, Del Rey’s performance lacked the dynamic energy that is crucial at music festivals — her setlist purely consisted of dramatic ballads, mostly accompanied by the piano. Which is exactly Lana’s style and genre, established since 2012 and deeply beloved by American youth. So, the point is — if this music is considered not suitable for such an event, for sure it is not an artist’s fault. Another jab aimed at Del Rey is harsh criticism of her vocals, which is also a valid point. However, she’s been infamous for it for a long time and been handling it with easy-going, ‘i-don’t-give-a-freak’ attitude. She knows she is a talented and skillful songwriter, and it’s the basis of her successful career.

Despite lacking vocals and the absence of rhythmic dance tunes, Lana Del Rey managed to excite the crowd with her iconic songs and immersive experience of her unique artistic aesthetic. Del Rey’s performance felt like an enchanting promenade through the magical garden of her truly remarkable discography — a very well-deserved celebration of music, enjoyed by millions.