Lana Del Rey uses Ivor Novello award speech to call out relationship violence

By Charlotte McLaughlin, PA Senior Entertainment Reporter

Lana Del Rey has used her Ivor Novello award speech to call out a rise in relationship-based violence in America.

The American singer-songwriter, 38, picked up her special international award, which celebrated her career and influence, at the ceremony at Grosvenor House hotel in London on Thursday.

After receiving a standing ovation, she told the audience that people thought she was “navel gazing” while singing about her experience of “challenging relationships”.

Del Rey added: “I think what we’ve seen is that like… those songs were not written about a small microcosm of people and women, we’re seeing a huge amount of things written about difficult relationships.

“And even when Covid began, the second epidemic in the United States (we saw for) interpersonal relationships violence, it increased by 300%.

“So, you know, I just think it’s amazing that female singer-songwriters, you know, have the freedom to write about absolutely whatever they want.

“(It’s) nerve wrecking to think that like writing about your relationships, were maybe something that could be seen as, like, self gratuitous…. feigning vulnerability. I heard that a lot.

“But I mean it’s a very vulnerable thing, not just for women. But for men. I’ve learned so much in the last few years, from my peers about having a challenging time in music.”

She also gave a shout out to British singer Paloma Faith who she called a “sweetheart” and said she was “so happy you’re here”.

Reflecting on the importance of her speech in the winners’ room, Del Rey told the PA news agency: “The climate is so warm, the waters are so warm, to be whatever you want to be to say, whatever you want to say, to change, however you want to change, it’s so much less rigid.

“It’s so nice for everyone who’s starting and I can like, I never know where I’m going personally in my life.

“But I have such a good feeling on the pulse of like, the musical culture, I see exactly where it’s going. I really can sense that spoken word is coming back.”