Lana Del Rey, Eastern Europe’s Pop Queen

Lana Del Rey, Eastern Europe’s Pop Queen

According to a recently published map, Lana Del Rey is the most streamed pop-girl in seven countries in Eastern Europe. What could be the reason for the American star’s success in the region, known for her melancholic songs? That’s what Rolling Stone magazine sought to find out.


Earlier this summer, a map was published showing which international pop diva is most popular in which country, based on Spotify streaming data. While Taylor Swift dominated the English-speaking countries and Shakira triumphed among Spanish speakers, in Western and Central Europe Beyoncé, Dua Lipa, and Zara Larsson conquered one or more countries. What is striking, however, is that in seven Eastern European countries (Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey), Lana Del Rey was the winner.

Rolling Stone investigated the reason for this. Reactions on social media mainly highlighted Lana Del Rey’s melancholic tone (think of songs like Summertime Sadness and Sad Girl). “The Eastern Bloc has seen pain,” writer Kate Demolder quote-tweeted. “Whole of Eastern Europe is depressed,” joked another user. Although the stereotype of “depressed Eastern Europe” is not only exaggerated but also untrue, according to one study, the region does have a fascination with sad, romantic music.

The music magazine interviewed Poles on the subject. According to music writer Artur Wojtczak, an important factor is that Romanticism is still the most important era in Poland, and the singer’s success is due to the region’s love of expressive and emotionally intense singers. Culture editor of the Polityka newspaper Bartek Chacinski believes that Del Rey’s songs are similar to the European format that has shaped the region’s taste for decades. In addition, there’s the popular Polish singer sanah, often dubbed the “Polish Lana Del Rey”; the Polish Open’er Festival, where Del Rey was one of the main performers in 2019; and the attraction to the “American Dream”, of which the singer has a nostalgic and romantic image.

However, one of the possible reasons cited is that in a region that often experiences political undercurrents, including the current war, people are more drawn to music that combines despondency, sadness, and cinematic fantasy with a sense of hope.

Source: rollingstone.co.uk

more to read
Unity in Diversity—Latin America with a touch of Hungary, Part I
gastronomy

Unity in Diversity—Latin America with a touch of Hungary, Part I

Somewhere far far away, or rather across the Atlantic Ocean, an incredible continent awaits visitors to the Land of Paradise. While for us, Europeans, it’s hard to imagine a world so interconnected yet so diverse, we might get an impression from all the different characters that one finds in
Why are there increasingly more Americans in Europe?
business

Why are there increasingly more Americans in Europe?

The US dollar and the euro are at parity for the first time in twenty years. The strengthening of the American currency means that imports from the United States are becoming more expensive, but it also makes Europe more attractive for American remote workers as their salary worth increasingly more
Relaxing minimalism | Markéta Bromová Architekti
stúdió

Relaxing minimalism | Markéta Bromová Architekti

What do we need for a perfect weekend house? Nature, soft pillows, delicate materials, and a cozy fireplace—based on this, Czech interior designer Markéta Bromová created the perfect model of relaxation and silence in her latest project with a little twist. By looking through the works of Markéta Bromová,