Lana Del Rey at Wembley Stadium: Inspired, inventive, inconsistent

Wembley Stadium, London, 4 July 2025

There is something surreal about watching Lana Del Rey perform on the Fourth of July. Her association with a nostalgic Americana-inspired aesthetic, soaked in glamour and melancholy, feels particularly resonant on Independence Day. Entering Wembley Stadium, there’s a buzz of excitement from the crowd, most of whom were teenage and young adult girls dressed in cowboy boots and white miniskirts alongside a reluctant boyfriend. For once, London’s notorious grey clouds are absent, and the sun shines down on the stage to welcome the opening act: Addison Rae.

Despite gaining a massive following and rising to fame through social media since 2019, Addison Rae has only recently broken into the music scene. Although many influencers who emerged during the pandemic have since tried to establish a music career, Addison Rae appears to have surprised fans with her talent and infectious energy. This is especially evident in her performance of ‘Fame is a Gun,’ where she sets down her microphone and begins an intense set of mountain climbers in heels. The crowd erupts with excitement as Rae pumps her exercises to the rising beat of the remixed song, leading seamlessly into her most popular track, ‘Diet Pepsi.’ As the song that cemented her place in mainstream pop, there’s a sense of emotional triumph and hope seeing the young influencer from our TikTok screens now perform confidently at stadiums. Rae also uses this moment to debut ‘Money is Everything’ and ‘Summer Forever’ from her new album, Addison. I admit that Rae sings with conviction and skill, setting a high standard for The Addison Tour in August. However, her breathy, whispering vocals don’t always translate well on stage. Sometimes her falsetto cracks and her stamina wanes, making it difficult to deliver challenging songs at the same quality as studio recordings. Yet, as a new performer with a long career ahead, Rae exceeds my expectations. Her sweet demeanour and overall energy leave the audience with renewed excitement for Lana Del Rey.

Her first two songs, ‘Stars Fell on Alabama’ and ‘Henry, Come On,’ are performed beautifully

Despite Lana Del Rey’s reputation for being late, the lights dim, and the soundtrack begins five minutes before the scheduled start time. On stage, a full-scale, Southern-inspired suburban house with a porch, illuminated by hanging fairy lights from the ceiling, is revealed. Surrounding the house are white picket fences, a gorgeous swing, and a front garden. As the show kicks off, the house lights flicker on, casting shadows of female dancers gracefully twirling through the first and second-floor windows. We hear Lana Del Rey before we see her. To the lyrics of ‘Stars Fell on Alabama,’ anticipation builds as the audience wonders which window she’s dancing in. The curiosity is quickly satisfied as Del Rey emerges from the front doors, smiling, dressed in a pastel pink gown that features a romantic silhouette reminiscent of a dreamy, elegant 1950s-60s American suburbia. Her first two songs, ‘Stars Fell on Alabama’ and ‘Henry, Come On,’ are performed beautifully, but soon after, the first disappointment of the night arises.

Del Rey’s third song, ‘Stand by Your Man’, is a cover of an iconic Tammy Wynette tune. Wynette’s fame within the country music genre of the 1960s and ’70s aligns perfectly with Del Rey’s performance narrative. The song is sung beautifully; however, the disappointment lies in having a cover as the third number. While fans often note Del Rey includes one or two covers in her shows, there’s a noticeable dip in audience energy and engagement. Though I value the cover and its thematic significance, it may be too early in the set for everyone to fully appreciate it. From my vantage point, many audience members leave for a break, only to return after the next song, ‘Chemtrails Over the Country Club’, begins. This is swiftly followed by ‘Ultraviolence’, which, judging by the volume of screaming fans, proves to be a crowd favourite.

While inventive, there’s something sinister and unsatisfying about singing your heart out to a hologram of the artist you came to see

Lana Del Rey quietly steps off stage after a beautiful performance of her greatest hits like ‘Ride’ and ‘Video Games’. As the soundtrack of ‘Norman fucking Rockwell’ starts to play, the audience eagerly awaits her return (perhaps in an outfit change?) but are disappointed when a video projection of her singing through a window appears instead. While inventive, there’s something sinister and unsatisfying about singing your heart out to a hologram of the artist you came to see. I might be more inclined to give her the benefit of the doubt at a smaller gig, but at a sold-out stadium, expectations are higher, and this hologram fails to meet them. It persists for two songs and an interlude — much longer than what can hold the audience’s interest, especially since she returns without a change of outfit. This happens a second time, after just two songs and an interlude, but instead of her hologram, a long video projection appears, causing many fans to leave their seats once more. During the second interlude, the house on stage is made to look ablaze, symbolising a transformation of lost innocence, as Lana Del Rey reappears singing ‘Young and Beautiful’ beneath a wedding arch. Thankfully, this time she re-emerges in a powder-blue, glittered version of her previous dress — a beautifully elegant, more mature adaptation.

Overall, Del Rey’s singing was outstanding, with her backing singers’ talents shining through solo riffs in ‘Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd’. Her set follows a unique narrative of glamorous yet tragic loss of innocence and self, with moments where not a dry eye is seen as phone torches are raised and swayed. However, her disappearances and covers created an inconsistent energy and left a somewhat underwhelming aftertaste for a stadium concert.

★★★