TV appearances from Lana Del Rey are few and far between. Despite having a prolific career as a musician, she has only performed a handful of times on television since 2012. According to the singer-songwriter, it’s a confidence issue that keeps her away.
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“Maybe that’s something else I’ll grow into more, like touring,” Del Rey told Hollywood Reporter. “And don’t get me wrong. I toured for nine years of my life. It was nonstop. It was tough. But you know in your heart when it’s the right time. And it’s never been the right time. Maybe now, even if I didn’t feel confident, I would do it anyway. But there was a reason not to feel confident.”
In 2012, Del Rey appeared on Saturday Night Live as the musical guest. Her vocal performance was widely criticized.
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“I didn’t know if it would be received well,” Del Rey continued. “But there’s a lot of weirdos out there now, so, we’re fine. We’re in good company.
“I started at a time when things were very much one way,” she added. “Little by little, there’s a lot more room for storytelling and saying different stuff. You’re seeing a lot more good girl songwriters, too. Well, who am I to say that? I like a lot of the singers out right now.”
Elsewhere in the same interview, Del Rey talked about being an inspiration to younger artists–namely Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo.
“Because Billie and Olivia are such good people, it’s fucking awesome,” Del Rey said. “I love them and their music. It’s not like you have to be nice to be good [in music]. But, if you happen to be nice and a great singer, it makes me happy for the culture.
“I always had girls telling me [things like] that,” she continued. “Maybe not the critics or anybody else — but singers I knew, no matter how big or small, would write me letters. I always felt like the older sister to pretty much everyone I ever met.”
Despite not wanting to appear on TV right now, Del Rey is currently on tour. She has a limited run of dates spread across the East Coast and the South. Find her full run of dates, HERE.
Photo by Matthew Baker/Getty Images for ABA
