Lana Del Rey's Epic Retort to Accusations of Witchcraft: 'Say Hello to the Queen of Dark Magic!'

Messing with Lana Del Rey can bring trouble, as religious influencer Traci Coston recently discovered. Coston accused the 38-year-old singer of practicing witchcraft, using footage from Del Rey's concert at Foro Sol in Mexico City on August 17. While the audience members experienced a "progressive crowd collapse," Coston attributed it to Del Rey's alleged involvement in the dark arts.

“Lana Del Rey has a captivating charm that seems to bewitch and enthral both the crowd and individual attendees at these shows,” she commented. This Halloween-inspired trick did not please Del Rey, prompting her to respond on her @honeymoon Instagram account. According to Stereogum, she wrote, “I am well-versed in the Bible, perhaps even more so than you. By the way, you’re emitting a rather unpleasant gremlin vibe.”

Coston has disabled comments on that post. Del Rey is associated with the Los Angeles branch of Judah Smith's Churchome. In her 2023 album, "Do You Know That There's A Tunnel under Ocean Blvd," she included a five-minute recording of one of Smith's sermons. Del Rey can be heard laughing throughout the recording, leading The Daily Beast to describe the track as "a satirical and provocative critique of commercialized spirituality and a testament to Del Rey's dedication to her own artistic vision."

Lana Del Rey performs on stage at L’Olympia on July 10, 2023 in Paris, France. Kristy Sparow/Getty Images

Del Rey has never publicly acknowledged her spirituality, but she discussed her personal beliefs in an interview with The Quietus in 2011. She shared that her understanding of God is based on her own experiences, particularly during tough times in New York. While she may not adhere to traditional religious practices like attending church, she expressed a belief in a higher power that can be called upon when needed. Del Rey compared her approach to religion to her approach to music, taking what resonates with her and disregarding the rest.

In contrast, the influencer attributed the collapse of the crowd to demonic forces. However, G. Keith Still, an expert in crowd safety and risk analysis from the University of Suffolk, disagreed. He stated in an interview with The Messenger that crowd collapse occurs when proper crowd management is not in place at concerts. Specifically, when crowd flow is not regulated within enclosed areas, overcrowding can lead to shockwaves and progressive collapse of the crowd.

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Lana Del Rey