We’re celebrating Lana Del Rey’s 33rd birthday today (June 21), by revisiting 10 of our favorite dreamy videos. But aren’t they all?
“Video Games” (2011)
“It’s you, it’s you, it’s all for you, everything I do.”
Lana Del Rey became pop music’s new “it girl” after her debut music video, which she edited herself, went viral. But even with over 160 million YouTube views, Del Rey has some regrets. “Had I known so many people were going to watch, I’d have put some more effort into it.” It peaked at No. 91 on the Hot 100 chart and No. 15 on the Adult Alternative Songs chart.
“Ultraviolence” (2014)
“He hit me and it felt like a kiss.”
The close distance between love and pain is explored in the title track off Del Rey’s third studio album, Ultraviolence, which hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. Del Rey plays an ethereal bride in the video asking, “is all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream?” It peaked at No. 70 on the Hot 100 chart.
“Born To Die” (2011)
“Sometimes love is not enough and the road gets tough, I don’t know why.”
A doomed relationship is explored in the title track off Del Rey’s second studio album, Born to Die, which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. “This track and the record are about these two worlds — death and love — coming together.”
“West Coast” (2014)
“You’ve got the music in you, don’t you?”
Del Rey is very much “in love” with California. The lead single off Ultraviolence peaked at No. 17 on the Hot 100 chart, No. 3 on the Adult Alternative Songs chart and was nominated for an MTV Video Music Award for Best Cinematography.
“Summertime Sadness” (2012)
“Honey, I’m on fire, I feel it everywhere.”
In classic Lana Del Rey style, the visual manages to make a lesbian couple committing suicide look dreamy, while the remix by Cedric Gervais helped land her highest spot on the Hot 100 chart to date, No. 6. It also peaked at No. 2 on the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart.
“High by the Beach” (2015)
“Now you’re just another one of my problems because you got out of hand.”
At first glance, Del Rey is seen on the balcony of a house, by the beach. But we soon learn she’s being pursued by someone in a helicopter above, and we’re watching from her predator’s POV. By the end of the video, Del Rey takes matters into her own hands and shoots down the pesky helicopter, making destruction look enticing. The first single from her fourth studio album Honeymoon, which Billboard deemed “perhaps the most radio-friendly song of Del Rey’s career,” peaked at No. 51 on the Hot 100 chart.
“Blue Jeans” (2012)
The gauzy black & white visual is filled with beautiful imagery of Del Rey and her lover submerged in a pool of emotions. “I will love you ’til the end of time. I would wait a million years.”
“Shades of Cool” (2014)
“You are unfixable, I can’t break through your world.”
Lana Del Rey paired with film noir, tattoo artist Mark Mahoney and a California backdrop make for shades of cool. It peaked at No. 79 on the Hot 100 chart.
“National Anthem” (2012)
“Give me a standing ovation.”
After channeling Marilyn Monroe with her rendition of “Happy Birthday, Mr. President,” Del Rey portrays Jackie O. with special guest A$AP Rocky as JFK in her visual depicting “loss of innocence” in 1963. The video, which Del Rey referred to as “the most beautiful thing I’ve ever done,” was included in Billboard’s “20 Best Music Videos of the 2010s (So Far).”
“Young and Beautiful” (2013)
Del Rey asked, “Will you still love me when I’m no longer young and beautiful?” in her hauntingly beautiful contribution to The Great Gatsby soundtrack. It peaked at No. 22 on the Hot 100 chart and was nominated for Best Song Written for Visual Media at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards.