As of late, Lana Del Rey has become known for a few specific things. Feuding with Christian influencers. Serving tables at Waffle House. Becoming a figurehead for the Mexican community. But long before her current Ocean Blvd era, Del Rey shared a particular affinity with Elvis’ first wife Priscilla Presley. In the early days of her career, Presley’s presence was baked into Del Rey’s style codes, from the bouffant hair to the 60s-inspired makeup. In her 2013 short film Tropico, Del Rey cast an Elvis impersonator in the opening sequence, and she even sings the line “Elvis is my daddy” in her song “Body Electric”. Surely all of this evidence means that an original Del Rey song would be a shoo-in for the Priscilla soundtrack? Alas, the world was robbed of what could have been.
In a recent interview, the film’s director Sofia Coppola expressed that there was a desire to nab Del Rey for the soundtrack, but revealed it didn’t work out because of scheduling conflicts. “I’m learning that people really connect Lana Del Rey and Priscilla, and I didn’t realise that,” began Coppola, adding that she, “got a lot of requests with, ‘how is [Del Rey] gonna be a part of the movie?’”
“We were hoping she could do a song for it, but it didn’t work out with the timings”, Coppola went on to say, before adding that she had extended Del Rey an invitation to the premiere of the film but she unfortunately wasn’t able to attend. “I’m excited for her to see it,” the director concluded.
In Del Rey’s defence, she has been very busy this year. Christian influencers aside, the singer released her critically acclaimed album, Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd? back in March, which was followed by a slew of festival appearances in the summer, and then a 10-date “Bible Belt” tour of North America in September and October. Del Rey may not have been able to make time for the movie, however one eager fan recently asked Priscilla herself if she was a Lana fan, to which Presley replied “I am, I like her very much.” Every cloud!
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