Lana Del Rey Makes Her TV Debut on SNL

Lana Del Rey became one of the most controversial buzz artists of 2011 following the release of her video for “Video Games,” which quickly went viral and infected the blog-o-sphere world. Within a few weeks, a relatively unknown singer named Elizabeth Grant became an overnight celebrity known as Lana Del Rey. By the end of the year, Del Rey had found her way onto the cover of Billboard Magazine. Last night, Del Rey took her viral-centric notoriety to prime time, making her network debut on SNL.

Last week, Del Rey told MTV News that her neophyte fame wasn’t a fluke, and being featured on SNL this early in her career wasn’t worrisome: “I may not have a record out now, but I have been singing for a very long time, and I think Lorne [Michaels] knows that, and everyone over there knows that.”

Instantly following her SNL performance, Del Rey became a trending topic on Twitter, opening up a sea of conflicting reactions from everyone from Juliette Lewis (“Wow watching this 'singer' on SNL is like watching a 12 year old [sic] in their bedroom when they’re pretending to sing and perform #signofourtimes”) to Eliza Dushku ("Who... is... this wack-a-doodle chick performing on #SNL...? Whaaaa?").

It’s important to keep in mind that the 25-year-old Del Rey made it all the way to SNL without the aid of an album or touring experience. While most artists spend years or decades working towards an American TV debut on the level of SNL, Del Rey seems to have been prematurely catapulted into it based on the overnight success of a few YouTube videos. She’s the first artist since Natalie Imbruglia (in 1998) to play SNL before the release of a major label debut (Interscope will release Del Rey’s Born to Die on Jan. 31). And while she has been on magazine covers and TV shows, is her fame warranted by her authenticity and talented? This question caused many skeptics to tune into SNL last night, and many found their answer in her performance: Nope.

Clearly nervous and a bit too rigid in a long evening gown, Del Rey stumbled through two songs on a program that does not allow you to do a second take or edit yourself. And while SNL is notorious for not always supplying the best live sound for it’s acts, it does supply national syndication for artist to prove themselves to an entire country that may be doubtful of their lasting-power.

Some say that controversy loves company; so let’s open up the floor. Check out Del Rey’s performance of “Video Games” from SNL below and make up your own mind. Passing fad or legitimate artist?

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By Eric Hehr in Arts & Entertainment on January 16, 2012 2:00 PM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

William

She was terrible. If that's her best then she needs to go back to the drawing board.

Navin_Johnson

She just isn't as authentic as a Michael Buble, Maroon 5, Drake or Kelly Clarkson..........

*all recently on SNL.

jhop79

I wish my dad would buy me a record deal.

Or that I had a dad.

Renita Marjan

I saw the first song and while it was sort of bland and she definitely
seemed nervous, it was by NO means the worst performance I've ever seen
on SNL. I wasn't impressed, but I wasn't thinking "god this is awful" either.

TheUltimateCurmudgeon

Maybe she had poo-poo cramps.

Marcus Gilmer

sorry for repeat post. the disqus system doesn't want to work for me.

BlueFairlane

I heard you had the same issue with Tankboy.
(I so rarely get to zing you anymore.)

Marcus Gilmer

why i oughta...!

Marcus Gilmer

I don't get the backlash against her from the indie community. Plenty of people have sucked on SNL (Kanye was way off-key promoting 808 & Heartbreaks and Taylor Swift has sounded bad) due to nerves or shitty sound or what have you. And some people just aren't great live performers. But why is everyone so up in arms about her? Can we wait til her album comes out and then judge her? Jesus, people.

I'm pretty sure LDR didn't "catapult" herself into magazines and onto TV: the media did. And every time some catty blogger hates on her, it just puts her name back out there. SNL knew EXACTLY what they were doing booking her: going after someone that would stir up a lot of controversy.

And as much as I'm still a fan of the show, let's save any sanctimonious behavior about SNL's musical bookings, okay? This is a show that has routinely booked the "hot" acts in pop, including Brittany Spears and the Spice Girls.

I'm sorry, but the whole "she's a wholly manufactured artist who overshadows hard-working artists!" argument is tired and old. Save it. She's gonna sink or swim based on the quality of her album, not the hype (see: Odd Future, hype of prior to release of GOBLIN).

BlueFairlane

As I'm sure you recall, I am no representative of the indie community. My problem with her isn't that she's commercialized or wholly manufactured or whatever. I fsomebody has talent and a sound I like, I don't care about any of that. In this one example of this artist's work, though, I see only moderate talent and a shaky sound that doesn't work for me. An honest critique has to admit she's just not polished, and I prefer a polished performer who has worked hard to hone her talent. I'm not seeing evidence of that work here.

Maybe she'll get there, and if that's what happens, then great. But she's not there yet.

ElvisStojko

I think most of the backlash stems from everyone being forced to have an opinion of her, and it's easier (safer) to dislike something than it is to stick up for it.

P. Griffin Baron

aaaaaaaand.... we give you EVERYTHING that's wrong with the music industry in two live segments! Up next, more primetime karaoke with the cast of American Idol!

BlueFairlane

So now I'm wondering when Rebecca Black will go on SNL.

Sometimes I really hate the internet. Bring back the studio gatekeepers!

magooisim

I had never heard of her until SNL. and it was pretty bad. but hey, welcome to the criticisms of showbiz. the real test for her will be how she handles the fallout. because, damn, that was bad. most people get to try and spread their lumps over the course of a career, but instant stardom can bring all the problems you should have had over 10 years of touring and drop them all at once.

a.r.w.

She says that she has been "singing for a very long time". Usually with experience comes performing/touring, whether you have an album out or not. Not that I'm a huge fan of hers or anything, but how many videos have come out of Lady Gaga performing in dive bars in NYC back when she was still just Stefani Germanotta? I don't think there's any excuse for having such a shite performance when the hallmark of a real musician is playing live. They keep trying to push how "real" she is, when she obviously has probably performed no more than a dozen times. What has she been doing between recording songs that no one has ever heard over the last few years?

Navin_Johnson

I must have played hundreds of shows and I would be scared stiff to perform, let alone debut on SNL. She may have a manufactured/phony vibe to her, no doubt about that, but having a snappy stage show is hardly the hallmark of being a "real musician". If that's the case then all the people on American Idol are the pinnacle of 'real' musicianship.