Lana Del Rey's music is often associated with two D's: daddy issues and depression. Born Elizabeth "Lizzy" Woolridge Grant, the singer recently appeared in the music video of Lost at Sea from the eponymous debut album of his dad, Rob Grant.
For the longest time, fans had always assumed that the once-canceled artist was estranged from her dad. In her 11th Blue Banisters track, Wildflower Wildfire, she sings: "My father never stepped in When his wife would rage at me," as well as "I was lookin' for the father I wanted back."
A Redditor even analyzed it, saying it "indicates she was looking for a father figure in men she dated because she felt like her dad wasn't there to fully protect her from her mother growing up."
"She was never fully protected from her mother's rage," they added. "Another theory I have is that Wildflower Wildlife is about her not wanting to repeat her mother's patterns. She doesn't want to burn/hurt anyone, especially not the person the song is addressed to. She wants to light up their night with 'only [her] smile and nothing that hurts.'"
Recently, Grant himself discussed his relationship with Del Rey, as well as his thoughts on being the internet's new "Nepo Daddy" — a reference to the controversial rise of nepotism or "nepo babies" in Hollywood.
What Does Lana Del Rey's Dad Rob Grant Do?
Aside from currently pursuing music with his two-track album with his daughter, Grant has previously worked as an advertising copywriter; owned a restaurant, a boat-building company, and a furniture store; and even made money collecting domain names.
According to People, he's always spent a lot of time on the ocean, growing up in Rhode Island. It's what inspired his first album. "When I play the piano, I'll often drift off into almost a hypnotic state," he said of his 14-track piano record.
"I can remember and envision many, many times when I was out on the ocean, and it all flows through me right into the music," he continued. Without any professional training, Grant learned to play the instrument around the same time he'd developed a passion for sailing when he was 15 and would sail on his own.
"We had a beautiful Steinway baby grand, and I would look out over Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island. It's just a beautiful vista, and I would just improvise and play," he remembered. "I'll hear chords, I'll hear notes, and I'll begin to put the song together organically. I do it in a very intuitive way."
25 years ago, he got inspired to write a song with his cousin and friend, country songwriter Phil Madeira. It was a country song that they later submitted to a publishing company on Music Row. Unfortunately, he "got the sense that he [the executive] was offended" by it. More than 10 years after the rejection, he "proudly" watched his daughter break into the music industry.
Does Lana Del Rey Have Daddy Issues?
Del Rey is known for having a thing for older men. Speaking to BBC One in 2012, the Daddy's Girl songstress teased details of the Ride music video, saying: "I love running narratives and long monologues with beautiful visuals. [We filmed Ride] in Las Vegas and so I got to tell one side of my story that way. Does that involve snogging and caressing older men? Yes that's my style!"
Then she clarified, "No, not really, but I do love men who have experienced a lot of life and who have known and done it all. The men in the video were Las Vegas natives and it was fun to have them on board."
Del Rey has never officially confirmed whether she has daddy issues or not. But based on Grant's description of their relationship, they seem to get along well that they'd written "four or five beautiful songs" together in the last two years.
He even gushed about getting to explore music with his daughter. "To be honest, I kind of kept my expectations grounded because I'm so new to the whole music industry thing," shared Grant. "Obviously, I've been with my daughter and seeing her evolution. But now, for me to enter the fray, it's a very unique experience."
What Does Lana Del Rey's Dad Rob Grant Feel About 'Nepo Daddy' Nickname?
Grant doesn't mind being called "Nepo Daddy" by Del Rey's fans online. "I thought, 'Oh, s—, that's fabulous. I've got to go get that domain,'" he said of the label. "I want to do merch. I want to create a brand around this thing."
He added that he'd "leaned right into it, embraced it and really loved it. Then, of course, it blew up. Now, I'm the Nepo Daddy, and that's fine. They call me a lot of things — Robster, Daddy Del Rey, Papa Del Rey, Robster Lobster and now, Nepo Daddy."
Even Kesha's mom, singer-songwriter Pebe Sebert joined in on the craze, tweeting, "Is he single?" When asked about it, Grant told People: "God bless her. Of course, I'm married. I have a wife, so we want to make that clear, but I thank her for her support."
He also expressed interest in collaborating with Sebert, Kesha, and Del Rey. Referencing his failed country song, he quipped, "Maybe we'll do Big Bubba together." Well, that would be an interesting sound...
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