'I may not have a record out now, but I have been singing for a very long time,' Del Rey tells critics who argue she hasn't earned 'SNL' slot.
By James Montgomery
Lana Del Rey
Within the span of six months, Lana Del Rey has risen from a much-discussed blog curio to a major-label recording artist with an anticipated disc (Born to Die, due at the end of the month) waiting in the wings.
It's the kind of leap few have made, one that's led many to question whether she deserves so much so quickly. This weekend, she'll perform on "Saturday Night Live," the kind of gig usually reserved for the biggest of the big — and, yes, those same critics have already expressed their displeasure over that fact.
So when Del Rey stopped by the MTV Newsroom earlier this week to discuss her meteoric climb, we asked about the backlash over her "SNL" performance. Not surprisingly, she had plenty to say on the matter.
"I definitely think it's an honor. ... I don't think they've ever had anyone [perform] who didn't even have a record out, so I do appreciate it," she said. "[But I got it] because I'm a good musician. And I may not have a record out now, but I have been singing for a very long time, and I think that ['SNL' creator] Lorne [Michaels] knows that, and everyone over there knows that. It's not a fluke decision.
"It's not a traditional choice for 'Saturday Night Live,' especially because the content of the record is different; it's not pop," she continued. "But they're also having ... Bon Iver, so again, not the most traditional choice."
Though she's aware there will be plenty of folks watching her Saturday, Del Rey remains rather unfazed by the whole thing. In fact, she doesn't care what her critics have to say, and she's not interested in debating whether she's paid her dues. To be honest, she's just focused on not screwing up royally.
"You just think to yourself, 'Don't f--- up.' And that's it. That's all you ever think with live television. You hope that it goes well, and I'm just going to put my dress on, there's going to be a spotlight, I got this amazing band I've worked with this year, they'll be there," she said. "I don't even know what I'm singing yet. I'm singing 'Video Games,' and I don't know what the second song is. ... A lot of it depends on what's going on with my family and everyone around me. If I have other things to think about, and I'm not in my own way, it doesn't really matter. Sometimes it seems more important to me than others."
Will you watch Lana Del Rey on "SNL"? Let us know in the comments!
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