Ever-infamous for her delayed releases and unpredictable timelines, Lana Del Rey finally dropped “Henry, Come On,” the lead single of her 10th studio album. Originally entitled Lasso, then The Right Person Will Stay, Del Rey first teased the album in 2021 when she announced that she had recorded an entire cover of country music songs based on two singles she released in the 2010s: “Ride” (2012) and “Video Games” (2011). In an interview with Mojo, Del Rey stated, “I went back and listened to ‘Ride’ and ‘Video Games’ and thought, you know, they’re kind of country. I mean, they’re definitely not pop. Maybe the way ‘Video Games’ got remastered, they’re pop — but there’s something Americana about it for sure. So let’s see how these things come out — I’m not going to have steel pedal guitar on every single thing, but it is easy for me to write.” In keeping with her transition to country-inspired music, Del Rey released a cover of “Take Me Home, Country Roads” in Dec. of 2023 and “Tough,” a country-rap track, with Quavo in July 2024. Originally slated to drop in Sept. 2024, Del Rey has pushed her album release date to May 21, 2025. Though its title remains elusive after a second name change, I’m one of many Lana fans hopeful for more after she released not one, but two new singles in the span of a week: “Henry, Come On” on April 11, and “Bluebird” on April 18.
In anticipation of the drop of this mysterious, potentially life-altering new album, here’s my take on Del Rey’s latest releases and how they’ve changed my predictions for the future of her music.
“Henry, Come On”
To me, “Henry, Come On” sounds straight out of Del Rey’s 2021 album, Blue Bannisters, echoing the lyricism and musicality she explores in tracks like “Violets for Roses” and “Sweet Carolina.” An achingly beautiful ballad with a cinematic take on older style country, “Henry, Come On” is a clear indicator of the Southern Gothic genre Del Rey ascribed to the album upon its original announcement. While the upbeat modernity of “Tough” may have led some listeners astray in their predictions for Del Rey’s newest sound, I’m certainly not disappointed with her old-school approach. If you’re looking for the poppy twang of current chart-toppers in the industry, the orchestral strings and slow crescendos characteristic of “Henry, Come On” probably won’t be to your liking. The song’s lyricism, however, is the most obvious hallmark of its country inflections. Verses like “Tell him that his cowgirl is gone” and “Soft leather, blue jeans” are scattered throughout “Henry, Come On” and will surely make their way into many a “Lana Summer” post on social media in the coming months.
“Bluebird”
Though “Henry, Come On” made its entrance as another solid addition to Del Rey’s extensive repertoire, “Bluebird” is my strong preference of the two. Poetic and meaningful in its own right, the lyrical content of “Henry, Come On” is stunted by its attempts to stay within the bounds of straightforward, country-style word play. It feels almost as if Del Rey hesitated to push the linguistic depth of “Henry, Come On,” relying on literal inclusions of cowboy-inspired lyrics rather than delving as deeply as she could into country music’s signature storytelling style. “Bluebird,” with an equally beautiful instrumental composition, slightly outperforms “Henry, Come On” for this very reason. Where the lead single outright states the new direction of Del Rey’s music, “Bluebird” quickly picks up and grows in warmth until its final acoustic chords. With incorporations of her iconic chamber pop flair, Del Rey’s vocal mastery in “Bluebird” is both soothing and harrowing, a true testament to her classic trifecta: deep-cut lyricism, cinematic instrumentation and timelessly beautiful vocals.
Based on these past two drops, I can’t say for certain what Del Rey’s May album holds in store. In all likelihood, she will mimic the country music entrances of other well-known artists in recent years. If you’re familiar with Post Malone’s F-1 Trillion (2024) and Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter (2024), you’ll know that both artists put their signature spin on country, making sure to include influences from the musical styles that originally made them famous — pop for Malone and hip-hop with bluesy R&B elements for Beyoncé. Based on what we’ve seen so far from both tracks, especially “Bluebird,” Del Rey intends to do the same, incorporating uplifting vocals with an Americana style that is sure to stand out in the coming summer months.
Charlotte Feehan is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at cgf47@cornell.edu.
