Is it just me or has Lana del Rey seemed almost happy during her promo for her new album? She’s always seemed, to me, like America’s Moody Depressive Witchy Retro Queen. And that was fine. Her brand was “crying because of Jackie Kennedy’s pink suit.” Maybe that’s still her brand as a singer, but her personal life seems… fine. She seems happy. It’s so weird. Recently, we learned that Lana is dating a COP. His name is Sean Larkin and he’s an analyst on A&E’s Live PD. He’s 46 years old (but he looks older because he’s got a full head of grey hair). The idea that Lana has daddy issues is not surprising in the least, but the idea that she’s happy because her older cop boyfriend/zaddy makes her happy is very surprising. But Lana wants us to know that it’s fine. She chatted recently with the LA Times, which you can read here. Some highlights:

On her happiness reflecting in her music: “There’s room now. There’s a little bit of a lightness to some of the stuff.”

Why she’s doing more press this time: “It’s just that people like it. I’m like, “Alright! Let me tell you about the album!” I remember when I made [the 2014 album] “Ultraviolence,” I put so much work into it. I mixed on my own console for months. And then I did extensive interviews and no one cared that I mixed anything. So I stopped promoting after that. I was like, “Honeymoon,” “Lust for Life” … just take them.”

Whether people misjudge her perfectionism as aloofness: “Maybe my privacy as aloofness. I’m not a perfectionist. My live shows are not perfect. They’re not choreographed to a T.

Being photographed with her boyfriend Sean “Sticks” Larkin, a cop from the reality show “Live PD.” “I didn’t know we were being photographed. I would’ve worn something different.”

Whether she was caught off guard with the photos: “Yeah. It’s funny because I was with someone for years and we never had that problem.

Whether she worries about dating a cop: “Well, the thing is, he’s a good cop. He gets it. He sees both sides of things.

Does she mind that people care about her personal life? “Hell no. I care about what Bob Dylan is doing right now. I’m curious to know if he’s wearing a hoodie or a blazer. I get it.

Whether she watches TV: “I watch a lot of reality TV. I’m obsessed with “The Bachelor.”

The brutality of her songs: “It’s brutal out there! Even good guys don’t know what toxic masculinity is. My friends and I didn’t either. We had bad experiences that we didn’t share with each other. We were like, “Oh, that was so stupid that I got myself into that.” Now, we realize, “Oh, you actually didn’t.”

Her latest inspo. “Lately, I was so inspired by Greta Thunberg. I’m not saying it’s similar to what I’ve experienced, but it’s interesting when people say how “angry” she is. I think one of the reasons that climate-change advocates haven’t made more progress is because they are kindhearted. It’s not the Trumpian way of the iron fist. It’s very interesting to see someone who’s so young come off as so angry, and then see people’s reactions. I’m sure she smiles and is nice to her family, but why should she smile at people who are killing the planet? I really like when she said something to the effect of, “I don’t want to hear you say that we understand and we hear you. Because if that were really true, it would mean you were evil, because you’re not taking any action.” I think that line also sums up the #MeToo movement … and every cultural shift we’ve been experiencing lately.

[From The LA Times]

That’s an interesting observation about Greta Thunberg and the anger of a girl and how people – mostly men – react to it. That being said, did people ever talk about Lana being “angry”? No? We talk about how she’s sad. As for her cop boyfriend being one of the good ones… I hope so. Because as I get older, I would NEVER. I just hear too many horror stories about what it’s really like to date a cop and that makes me worry a little bit about Lana.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid.