Singer Lana Del Rey provided assistance to a woman reportedly fleeing an abusive relationship while driving in Los Angeles on Sunday. The encounter occurred when Del Rey, 41, noticed a woman holding a sign outside her car window at a stoplight.
Del Rey shared the moment on her Instagram Stories, explaining that the woman's sign indicated she was trying to escape an abusive relationship. In the video, the singer is seen reaching into her wallet and handing what appeared to be a $100 bill to the woman. Del Rey also offered words of encouragement, telling the woman to "try and stay away" and "be careful."
The woman expressed gratitude, asking for the singer's name and thanking her. Del Rey, in turn, noted that she was not expecting the encounter while filming her video.
This incident comes years after Del Rey faced criticism for lyrics in her songs that some perceived as glorifying abuse. In 2012, the artwork for her single "Blue Jeans" depicted a man choking her, which drew controversy. Her 2014 song "Ultraviolence" also sparked debate with the lyric, "He hit me and it felt like a kiss."
In May 2020, Del Rey addressed these criticisms in an Instagram post, arguing that she had been unfairly targeted while other artists were celebrated for songs with explicit themes. She stated that her "minor lyrical exploration detailing my sometimes submissive or passive roles in my relationships" should not lead to accusations of glamorizing abuse.
Del Rey also commented on feminism in a 2014 interview with Fader magazine, calling it "an uninteresting concept" and expressing more interest in topics like space exploration. She has since married Jeremy Dufrene, an alligator tour guide, in 2024. Her fans are currently awaiting her next album, "Stove," a follow-up to her 2023 record "Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd."