Lana Del Rey was notably absent from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's recent wedding, choosing instead to attend a birthday party for YouTuber Oli Abbas. The decision comes as a surprise given Del Rey's years-long friendship with Swift, a bond that predates her newer acquaintance with Abbas.
Del Rey, 41, was with her sister Caroline Grant at the Fourth of July birthday bash for Abbas in Los Angeles while Swift and Kelce were celebrating their nuptials at Madison Square Garden with an estimated 1,000 guests. Abbas shared a video of himself with Del Rey at the party, expressing gratitude for the celebration.
Del Rey and Abbas's friendship began in 2023 after the singer expressed admiration for his YouTube channel. However, Del Rey's connection with Swift is much more established. The two music superstars first met over a decade ago at the 2012 MTV EMAs, where Del Rey presented Swift with an award. Their paths crossed again at Lady Gaga's 30th birthday party in 2016, and Swift later invited Del Rey to her American Music Awards after-party in 2018, where they shared a selfie.
A significant professional connection between the artists is their work with producer Jack Antonoff, who has produced albums for both Swift and Del Rey. This collaboration led to their joint song "Snow on the Beach" on Swift's 2022 album "Midnights." Swift has spoken highly of Del Rey, calling her a "legacy artist" and "legend in her prime."
Their friendship was further highlighted at the 2024 Grammy Awards, where Del Rey accompanied Swift on the red carpet. Swift even pulled Del Rey on stage when she accepted the Album of the Year award for "Midnights," which had been a category in which Del Rey was also nominated. Shortly after the Grammys, Del Rey attended the Super Bowl LVIII with Swift to support Kelce's Kansas City Chiefs.
Despite these public displays of friendship and support, Del Rey's absence from the wedding was notable. Swift's guest list reportedly included numerous celebrities such as Selena Gomez, Jennifer Lopez, Emma Stone, and Reese Witherspoon, among many others.