Lana Del Rey live in Cardiff: A dazzling stadium debut

The last time this writer saw Lana Del Rey, 40, was at Glastonbury 2023. For those who were there, or, perhaps, read about it online, it was a bit of a tough night. Plagued by lateness, vape breaks and sound curfews cutting the ‘Video Games’ singer mid-set, it was not the triumph fans had hoped for. Fortunately, she quickly redeemed herself in the eyes of UK audiences when she returned for a critically acclaimed stint at BST Hyde Park. This summer, the singer is touring the UK and Ireland again with a handful of shows and last night (Monday 23rd June) she took to Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, marking the start of her biggest dates in this country. Del Rey is gearing up to release her tenth studio album due at some point in the near future – we think! She’s gone country, but as the first two singles would suggest, she’s doing it her way. Going into last night, we were excited to see this latest iteration of the sultry pop siren and, hopefully, a drama-free set.

 Getting the train into town, it was remarkable to see so many young fans heading to see Del Rey. 14 years on from her debut, the singer has managed to stay relevant at no expense to her artistic growth; she’s effectively bridged the gap between the Tumblr and TikTok generations that make up her audience. One might suspect her collaboration with Taylor Swift on Midnights has helped, but there’s no denying Del Rey has played a long game that’s paid off. While her contemporaries have slowed down, the singer has continued to pour herself into her art at a remarkable rate.

On that, Del Rey, a mere 20 minutes late, announces at the top of the show: “We’re gonna do a couple of old ones, then basically run through the new album”. Are we finally locking in for Lana Del Twain? Sadly, not. After ‘Henry, Come On’, it’s a while until we’re treated to any new tunes. Following an emotional side-of-stage embrace from her new alligator-wrangling hubby, Del Rey digs out the old classics. ‘Ride’, arguably the singer’s earliest dip into the country pond, still goes off, with tens of thousands of teenyboppers screaming: “I am fucking crazy, but I am free”. It’s a sight to behold and a testament to the generation-spanning appeal of her earlier misfit persona. ‘Normal fucking Rockwell’, the title track from the singer’s 2019 magnum opus, receives an equally enthused reaction from the audience.

 Del Rey’s ever-growing confidence vocally is a joy to witness, with one such highlight being on ‘Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd’. Accompanied by her gifted backing singers, Del Rey possesses total control over her voice. She seems relaxed, and most importantly, is enjoying herself. It’s almost a shame to return to the mostly monotone ‘Young & Beautiful’ and ‘Born to Die’ following the soulful meandering of her most recent records.

As things begin to wind down, Del Rey announces that she’s going to play the yet-to-be-released ‘57.5’ from her upcoming album; it debuted live in April of this year. The crowd erupts with applause (a moment even she’s surprised by) and the band starts playing. The new track is easily Del Rey’s most radio-friendly yet. And it’s excellent. Catchy and undeniably country, it has serious potential to kickstart the new album campaign proper.

It’s frustrating, given the immediate reactions to ‘57.7’ and ‘Henry, Come On’, that we weren’t treated to more new material. This feels like a miscalculation and one that could have made this tour feel like it had more purpose. An opportunity to soft launch this new era, perhaps? As a breezy greatest hits moment, the show was a success. Something for casual and die-hard fans alike. But with the tease of new tunes, it felt somewhat non-committal. With no release date set for Del Rey’s next project, one thinks she should act fast. With just a month left of Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour, country music’s big pop moment could be nearing its end. Del Rey has never been a trend-chaser, but she has never been one to play catch-up, either. Tonight’s new material proves her country stint might still have legs if she just goes for it. We’re ready, Lana.