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Lana Del Rey appears to be gearing up for her 10th studio album with a new single titled Tough, where she collaborates with Atlanta native Quavo to deliver a trap-infused country record.
Back in February, Lana Del Rey sat down for an exclusive interview with iHeartRadio's country channel. During the discussion, the singer expressed an interest in exploring more of the "Western" genre in her upcoming album.
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Lana did confirm this desire to bring in more country music production on her LP during an interview with NME magazine in May, where she also suggested her album could be titled Lasso when she stated:
"When I gave Jack Antonoff his award for best producer of the year and I said Welcome Nashville to Hollywood, and Hollywood welcome Nashville, ‘cause the music business is gone, gone country... then the next week, three major artists announced big country albums, so where’s Lasso going? I really have no idea now”
Given the tracklist, among other details, for this LP is yet to be announced, it is still unclear how much of this upcoming album and Lana's sonic direction will be inspired by country music.
Lana Del Rey's latest single was delivered to DSPs (Digital Streaming Platforms) on July 3, 2024, via Motown Records and Quality Control Music, under an exclusive license to UMG Recordings.
Breaking down Lana Del Rey and Quavo's latest single Tough
Lana teamed up with producers, Cirkut and Watt, to compose the emotional country-trap ballad that features some of her best country vocal performances and lyricism, reminiscent of songs from her 2017 project Lust for Life.
The Wyatt Spain Winfrey-directed music video finds Lana and Quavo seemingly acting as a romantic couple, spending time together relaxing and driving around the countryside, shooting shotguns, and embracing each other in a field. Both artists deliver verses reflecting life's hardships, as they find solace in themselves.
Lana Del Rey and Quavo's Tough has a complete runtime of 3:08 minutes, with the following themes being highlighted on the track:
- Relationships
- Struggles
- Faith
- Love
- Intimacy
- Growth
- Success
- Perseverance
- Loss
- Death
- Pain
Disclaimer: This review is rated explicit. Reader's discretion is advised.
(Chorus)
"Tough like the scuff on a pair of old leather boots / Like the blue-collar, red-dirt attitude / Like a .38 made out of brass / Tough like the stuff in your grandpa's glass"
Lana opens Tough by drawing inspiration from America's southern culture, highlighting how she's grown up "tough" by making comparisons to the resilience of old leather boots, guns, and liquor.
The theme of "red dirt" is the clearest indicator of Western iconography by referring to a popular genre of country music that originated in Oklahoma and whose name was inspired by the color of the soil found in the southern state.
"Life's gonna do what it does / Sure as the good Lord's up above / I'm cut like a diamond shinin' in the rough / Tough, Tough"
Lana ends her hook by identifying that life is unpredictable, and as long as she believes in God and trusts her faith, she'll continue to persevere throughout her career.
The final line is an interesting comparison as the singer compares herself to a "diamond" shining in the rough, reaffirming Tough's theme of success through hardships.
(Verse)
"Come on, take a ride with me / Like the 808s beatin' in the trunk in Atlanta, it was tough / It was kinda hard for me / Crawlin' through the mud, I couldn't find love, then we came up"
Quavo then opens on the song's first verse, citing his own struggles, drawing similar comparisons to Lana's life, and speaking about growing up in Atlanta and pursuing a career as a hip-hop artist.
The rapper seems to explain how it was difficult to find intimacy in his relationships since he was struggling and "crawling through the mud." However, that has changed since he achieved massive wealth and attained elevated industry status with the Migos.
"Look at what we are, baby / Standin' through the storm, still shinin' like a diamond in the rough / Still shinin', and that's hard / If you ever lost someonе that you love"
Quavo goes on to proclaim how Lana and he have gone through difficult, but similar, situations in their lives. The rapper cites how they've weathered their "storms" and continue to shine like diamonds in the rough, referencing Rey's final line on the song's hook.
The music video is intriguing as Quavo seemingly crosses his arms in a "T" while explaining how coming out of tough times is hard, especially when you lose someone you love.
This bar appears to allude to the rapper's late nephew and fellow Migos member Takeoff, who lost his life after being fatally shot in Houston, Texas, on November 1, 2022.
(Pre-chorus)
"Through the pain, gotta show 'em, givе 'em light / Still family if you're wrong or you're right / No matter, we together / It's not somethin' that you wanna do, it's just somethin' you goin' through"
Quavo then delivers a single bar as a pre-chorus for the second hook of the song, which both he and Lana perform together. On this bar, the rapper explains how it is important to push through one's pain and instead strive for humility.
The themes of family and love fill this pre-chorus with a somber energy that complements the hook that follows.
(Verse 2)
"Tell me how it's hard for you / Like a nickel on strings and your good old Gibson guitar / Tell me what it feel like / Like the smoke and the drawl every now in the way you talk slow"
Lana Del Rey and Quavo then deliver the second verse of the track together. The rapper playfully questions Lana about life's hardships and how they've affected her, to which she responds by comparing her pain to strumming a guitar with a nickel instead of a pick.
"Oh yeah, yeah / Like the songs that your mama sing to you / And the way that it makes you tell the truth / If you come from where you come, then you were born tough"
The final couple of lines highlight Lana Del Rey's love for her family, citing how her mother's teachings allowed her to be more forthcoming and truthful about her life.
Lana ends the verse by stating how a person's upbringing and experiences shape their character and instill a sense of resilience in their personality, which inherently makes them a stronger individual.
(Bridge)
"Here, say where you come from / It's not what you wanna do, it's what you're gonna do / Now, it's no place to run / If that's what you're gonna do, what am I gonna do? (Tough)"
The bridge on this track finds Lana displaying a sense of honesty in her relationship. The singer highlights how actions speak louder than words and ends with a line that states that if her partner decides to walk away from something she believes can be worked through, she'll continue to stand tough.
(Outro)
"You wanna come to the Nawf? (Mm-hm) / I'll show you around / That's why I said, Come take a ride with me / When? Whenever, whenever you ready / Call on me, brr / I'll give it back when I get there / Aight, that's a bet"
Although rumors of the two artists dating have been piling up on the internet, their latest single and accompanying music video do less to draw attention away from their alleged relationship.
The song ends with a spoken word outro where Quavo invites Lana to come and spend time with him on the "Nawf" side of Atlanta, more specifically referring to Gwinnett County, which is where the Migos originated from.
A new album from Lana Del Rey will officially follow up on her ninth studio LP Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, which was released on March 24, 2023.
More recently, the singer performed as a headliner at this year's Coachella Music Festival, surprising fans with cameo appearances from Billie Eilish and Camilla Cabello, who performed her Hot 100 hit featuring Playboi Carti titled I LUV IT.
