Lana Del Rey Inspires Many With ‘Ultraviolence’: Taylor Swift Mimics The Moodiness

Lana Del Rey is hard to put into words, as her music difficult to assign a specific genre. She says she’s not a feminist, yet her music has colossal feminist-like themes, including domestic abuse and empowerment, particularly on her sophomore album, Ultraviolence.

Her videos have an artsy, surreal edge to them reminiscent of the early indie music movement in the 1990s. Her style and beauty are turning heads everywhere; shock rocker Marilyn Manson seems intrigued by her and a bit unsure of how to pin her down, although somehow she is involved in a scene depicting rape in some footage from one of his videos. All of this seems fairly consistent with the image she’s portrayed since she dropped the “Lizzie Grant” name and image several years ago.

There’s one singer, however, who unexpectedly appears to be mimicking her moody videos: Taylor Swift. While Swift is no doubt evolving from the country girl from her “When you think Tim McGraw” days and leaving in her wake a sleeker, more sophisticated, pop-music icon with her hits such as “Shake It Off” and “Blank Space,” her music still seems strange when paired with Lana Del Rey’s signature melancholy-like videos. In fact, it appears she has copied her style multiple times.

Swift debuted the new video on Friday, and with its edgy, angsty feel and smoky aesthetic. The video is very similar in nature to “Summertime Sadness” from Del Rey. While the music itself does not have that mysterious artsy feel, Swift’s videos have some of the video style of Lana Del Rey.

Some of the scenes that have been identified as very similar to Del Rey’s themes include the use of fog, saddened lonely (albeit sexy) car rides, mystical woods scenes, silhouette profiles, vintage lace and red lipstick, white crop tops, and an affinity for crooning about the problems that come along with loving bad boys.

If you haven’t seen Swift’s newest video “Style,” you can catch it here.

Nobody can blame Taylor Swift if she is indeed taking some pointers from Del Rey’s themes, as the sultry femme fatale combined with 1950s throwback seems to be working well for both ladies. Del Rey’s continuing rise to fame and the mystery that surrounds her no doubt means that many younger artists will be inspired by her music and videos.

What do you think, readers? Can you see the similarities or is it a coincidence?

[image via radiofacts.com]