MUSIC

A Brand-New Song, and All the Snippets Lana Del Rey Has Released from "Norman F**king Rockwell"

Fans are calling this the "messiest" Lana era ever. But it also could be the best, judging by the quality of the music. Here's everything we know.

Photo by M. on Unsplash

In January 2019, Lana Del Rey told the world that her sixth album, Norman F**king Rockwell, was complete.

Since then, she's teased dozens of songs and visual clips—but the album's release date remains elusive, infuriating legions of devoted fans.

It's unclear whether the album is still undergoing a prolonged period of revision, if she's decided to scrap the whole thing, or if it's all beyond her control, though it's always hard to know with Del Rey, who has never been one to follow rules. Still, she's certainly given fans a fair amount of teasers to hold them over in the interim. Here's a timeline of every quote, whispered clip, and blurry visual we have so far.

In January 2018, in an interview withPitchfork, Lana mentioned that one of her newest songs was called "Bartender," and described it as "super weird."

Then on February 25, Del Rey uploaded a video that featured her hanging out with Jack Antonoff, prompting later-confirmed suspicion that they were working together on a new project.

On February 28, Del Rey visited the Ryan Seacrest Foundation, where she began writing a song called "Starry Eyed" on ukulele, which she promised to finish and dedicate to the foundation; it's also unclear whether this song will be on the album.

Live in Seacrest Studios with Lana Del Reywww.youtube.com

On March 5, 2018, Del Rey first teased the lyrics of a song called "Happiness is a Butterfly," a lullaby-like sigh of a track that has continued to reappear throughout Norman Fucking Rockwell's forked pathway to release. On March 30, she released a snippet of the song on Instagram, which she later removed and then un-archived.

On June 12, MTV released a list of upcoming albums, which featured an obviously false March 29 release date for Norman Fucking Rockwell.

A few months later, Del Rey teased and then premiered the psychedelic, Leonard-Cohen-quoting "Mariner's Apartment Complex," which was released on September 12.


Lana Del Rey - Mariners Apartment Complexwww.youtube.com

Then on September 18, she released the equally trippy, luxurious "Venice Bitch" on an interview with Zane Lowe for Beats 1. [links] Regarding the song's length, Del Rey said, "I played it for my managers and I was like, 'Yeah, I think this is the single I want to put out.' And they were like, 'It's 10 minutes long. Are you kidding me? It's called 'Venice Bitch.' Like, Why do you do this to us? Can you make a three-minute normal pop song?' I was like, 'Well, end of summer, some people just wanna drive around for 10 minutes [and] get lost in some electric guitar.'"

Lana Del Rey - Venice Bitchwww.youtube.com

In the same Zane Lowe interview, Del Rey also said, "Working with Jack [Antonoff], I was in a little bit of a lighter mood because he was so funny. So the title track is called 'Norman Fucking Rockwell' and it's kind of about this guy who is such a genius artist but he thinks he's the shit and he knows it and he, like, won't shut up talking about it… I just like the title track so much that I was like, 'OK, I definitely want the record to also be called that."

Several music sites later reported that these singles were "fan singles" and would not be on the actual album, though Del Rey has not confirmed this speculation.

Then on October 4, Del Rey posted an extended video of "How to Disappear," which she later deleted and subsequently unarchived.

On October 12, Del Rey posted a clip of her singing a song called "Cinnamon" on Instagram, which she later deleted and then reposted as well.

In response, a fan Instagram account posted a 2017 quote from an interview withPitchforkwhere Lana stated, "I had some people in my life that made me a worse person. I was not sure if I could step out of that box of familiarity, which was having a lot of people around me who had a lot of problems and feeling like that was home base. Because it's all I know. I spent my whole life reasoning with crazy people. I felt like everyone deserved a chance, but they don't. Sometimes you just have to step away without saying anything."

Del Rey commented on the post, "the quote [from Pitchfork] is a perfect quote to go along with cinnamon [sic]. Some people don't deserve a chance."

On October 30, Del Rey performed "How to Disappear" and "Venice Bitch" at an Apple special event in Brooklyn, a show that was widely praised by fans including CEO Tim Cook.

Lana Del Rey - How to Disappear and Venice Bitch Live at Apple Event 2018www.youtube.com

She also released the full audio for "How to Disappear."

On December 5, she officially announced the album's title at Jack Antonoff's concert for the Ally Foundation and performed two country songs which she announced would not be on the new album.

Lana Del Rey - Hey Blue Baby [Live at Ally Coalition Talent Show]www.youtube.com


Lana Del Rey and Jack Antonoff - Ally Coalition Talent Show “I Must Be Stupid For Feeling So Happy"www.youtube.com

On January 1, 2019, Del Rey posted a video of her singing along to a song called "In Your Car," featuring the lyrics "In your car / I'm a star / and I'm burning through you."

The next day, she posted the audio for her song "Hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have — but I have it."

Lana Del Rey - hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have - but i have itwww.youtube.com

Producer Jack Antonoff tweeted his support, advising fans to "listen at night alone."

Then on January 11, 2019, she released an extended clip of a video for "Happiness is a Butterfly," which used the same visuals she had previously released alongside teasers for "Mariner's Apartment Complex" and "Venice Bitch." The video, relatively dreary and mellow compared to Del Rey's earlier work, featured Ashley Rodriguez and Alexandria Kaye and was directed by Lana Del Rey's sister Chuck Grant.

On March 23, 2019, Del Rey performed "Mariner's Apartment Complex" live for the first time in New Orleans, taking to an onstage swing and thanking the audience for "indulging [her] little folk sensibility" in the process.

Lana Del Rey @ Buku 2019 (Mariners Apartment Complex, Video Games, High by the Beach)www.youtube.com

Most recently, on April 3, 2019, Del Rey posted a snippet of a song that fans have named "You Don't Ever Have To." Some fans speculated that it's a part of "In Your Car," but this remains unknown.

In the midst of it all, she also released a Gucci ad with Jared Leto and has been teasing a book of her poetry, periodically releasing haikus and typewritten pages and even putting out a call for indie bookstores who might want to sell it. When asked about the price, Del Rey said that the book will cost $1, because "my words are priceless."

It's anyone's guess as to when Norman F**king Rockwell will drop, but Del Rey has always been adept at draping all of her work in auras of mystery. She's a master of contrasts, always throwing critics for a loop by combining kitsch and rawness, strength and vulnerability, apathy and passion. She's also always been great at making us wonder about the extent to which her appearance and art have been meticulously manufactured.

Maybe she's leaving a paper trail of sorts that resembles her own fractured consciousness. Maybe she's painting our schizophrenic reality, one defined by upheaval and exponential technological innovation. Or maybe she's just a free spirit whose artistic vision "gets messy" when it comes in contact with reality, as a friend once said.

Regardless, judging by the quality of the fragments that we do have, when the album finally does appear, it'll have been worth the wait.


Eden Arielle Gordon is a writer and musician from New York City. Find her on Twitter @edenarielmusic.


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New Releases

Katy Tiz Releases "Life," feat. Ed Drewett

In the English singer's stripped down track, she croons about the excitement of outlaw love.

Katy Tiz recently released "Life." The single features Ed Drewett in a stripped down duet about outlaw love.

Katy's musical career began in England, where she and her brother, George, along with Rick Parkhouse, wrote and recorded. George and Rick went on to form Red Triangle Productions (Charlie Puth, 5 Seconds of Summer), while Katy moved to sunny SoCal, recording her breakout single "The Big Bang," which hit the Hot 100 and led to a deal with Atlantic Records. She followed with "Whistle (While You Work It)," accumulating 19 million streams on Spotify and performances on The Today Show and On Air with Ryan Seacrest.

Recently signed to Steve Madden's 5Towns Records, Tiz collaborated with Drewett to co-write "Life."

Katy Tiz - Life (feat. Ed Drewett) [Official Video]youtu.be

Tiz describes the single, saying, "The funny thing about life is that you just have to trust the timing of it. I've finally learned that. We created "Life" four years ago and I have believed in it ever since. 'Life' shows a different side to me. I had full on laryngitis when I recorded it, so it's less polished pop and more of an honest and stripped back track. The verses are reminiscent of an outlaw love, like Bonnie and Clyde."

"Life" opens with a lightly strummed guitar, followed by Tiz's smoky vocals. The next line adds Drewett's smooth tone to the syncopated pop rhythm, imbuing the track with subtle intensity. The two voices harmonize with a silky and evocative resonance, like dark honey mixed with mellowed whiskey.

The charming melody flows steadily with powerful vocal performances, as Tiz and Drewett sing about a notorious love affair. "I think I met him in September 'bout a year ago / I took some money from my daddy and we hit the road / I have to say if I'd 'a known what I shoulda' known / I'd 'a still let him steal everything I own."

"Life" delivers a stripped down pop song that highlights the singers' raw, sensual tones.

Follow Katy Tiz Website | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify


Randy Radic is a Left Coast author and writer. Author of numerous true crime books written under the pen-name of John Lee Brook. Former music contributor at Huff Post.


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MUSIC

RELEASE RADAR | New Video From Adrian Daniel

Plus Releases From Miranda Glory and X.ARI

adriandanielmusic.com

Brand new tunes to rock out as July passes right along.

RELEASE RADAR is here to give you the breakdown of your top singles, albums, and videos to check out as you head into your weekend. Get ready to jam out with some of our favorite up-and-coming artists, plus celebrate new stuff from those you already know and love.

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mona on the radio - Hi, I'm Mona [Official Music Video]

Mona On The Radio just released his debut single and music video, called "Hi, I'm Mona," basically an introduction to Mona, who says the project came about "to cheer myself up after I told this girl I loved her but she didn't say it back."

Imagine, if you will, Post Malone channeling the musical aesthetic of Liberace and you'll have an inkling of Mona's stylistic slant. It's pure, unadulterated bubblegum hip-hop, meaning equal parts pop, R&B, and hip-hop flavored with comic book melodic influences and a Hubba Bubba trap beat pulsing on a subterranean bassline and a Thor-like kick drum.

Sounds blasphemous, right? Like Jesus rapping about guns, drugs, and bitches. Nope! Actually, it's off the chain excellent. Mona's delivery, cadence, and content are beyond awesome. His soft, affluent tones ooze the perfect amount of laconicism and nastily tight droll timbres.

"Hi, I'm Mona" opens with tinkling nursery rhyme synths leading into a throbbing trap groove. The synths shimmer, ascending and descending in gauzy wisps of penetrating colors, as Mona's indulgent voice raps overhead. Juxtaposing aromas of trap muscularity and glittery bubblegum permeate the tune with totally antithetical textures that, somehow, fuse into an infectious hip-hop sound, nuanced, decorative, yet thrumming with delicious energy.

Shot in beau coup shades of pink because, as Mona says, "I realllyyyyy like penne rose," the video was directed by Mona's little sister, Alexia. Explaining the video, Mona says, "I hired a bunch of dancers for the video, but never really had an idea so I just asked my little sister what she would do because she's weird and I'm weird. I kept the dancers because they were already paid for, lol."

Frankly, Alexia has it going on as a director. A montage of shots ranging from family portraits to gyrating dancers to Mona covered in whipped cream imbues the video with intimacy, remarkable charm, and quaint eccentricity.

"Hi, I'm Mona" has it all: flamboyance, a smooth, contagious hip-hop vibe, and of course, Mona. The music and the video are cap-a-pie lit.

Follow Mona On The Radio SOUNDCLOUD | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

Randy Radic is a Left Coast author and writer. Author of numerous true crime books written under the pen-name of John Lee Brook. Former music contributor at Huff Post.

FILM & TV

RECAP | "Divorce" Season 2 airs on HBO

Frances and Robert have finally signed their divorce papers — now what?

Sarah Jessica Parker returns as our favorite 'Sex and the City' character in a completely new body — this time as drama comedy protagonist, Frances Dufresne.

While the first season was full of twists and turns, it ended a bit too soon for fans of the show. However last night, 'Divorce' premiered the first episode of its second season — right where it left off with Robert at the end of the line. Coincidentally, the show's timeline aligned right with the inauguration of Donald Trump.

The episode starts off with Frances and Robert a year later — they're dating now and trying to find compromise in parenting their kids. Lila Dufresne, the separated couple's daughter, hates her mom and wants to live with her dad, Robert while Tom, their son, doesn't have too much of an opinion on the subject.

To reconcile with them both, Frances buys them a trampoline — you can probably imagine how well that went.

But I'm glad the writers are giving the children more screen time — divorces affect kids as much as their parents and it was refreshing to see the pair not just looking blankly ahead while Frances and Robert battled it out. It was also nice to see the difference in personalities the two had — Lila's snarkiness and hatred vs Tom's obvious indifference.

On Robert's end, it's going about the same — he starts dating Jackie, a very young real estate agent, and shaves his beloved mustache. The episode never really fully combs through his residual anger from the separation. This is probably one of the parts of the show when drama and comedy have to battle it out for the spotlight.

The other characters in the show also seem to be evolving — Diane, a well-off housewife, attempts to broaden her identity from just being married to her husband. She invests in Frances' gallery which is still basically unknown.

Dallas is also being used as a non-essential character — while she's trying to not sleep with her usual unappealing guy of choice, Dallas is mainly used as a friend and listener for Frances and her problems.

'Divorce' seems to be wanting to be taken in another direction. Due to the main conflict being solved in the first season, there really isn't anything else to discuss other than moving on. And while the writers could go with that plotline, it wouldn't make for a very interesting or suspenseful second season.

A potentially interesting character is Sylvia, the new artist that Frances meets — she could be the bridge to introducing social issues that the Dufresnes' are definitely not exposed to, being the middle class white family they are.

Other than that, the writers better have a killer next couple of episodes to keep me interested. If they don't, it's really just a show about a mediocre white couple with a bad marriage.

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FILM & TV

BOX OFFICE BREAKDOWN | What's coming to theaters this weekend?

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PROUD MARY - Official Trailer (HD)

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In Popdust's column, Box Office Breakdown, we aim to inform you of the top flicks to check out every weekend depending on what you're in the mood to enjoy. Looking to laugh? What about have your pants scared off? Maybe just need a little love? Whatever the case may be, we have it.

Take a peek at our top picks for this week...

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