Live Review: Lana Del Rey – 3rd July 2025 – Wembley Stadium, London, UK

Few artists capture atmosphere quite like Lana Del Rey. Since her arrival in the early 2010s, she’s created a world entirely her own – one of hazy Americana, doomed romance, and faded Hollywood allure. Her performance at the iconic Wembley Stadium last night – the first of two back-to-back performances at the enormous performance space – offered a near-cinematic experience, transporting the audience through a brief but carefully selected journey of fan favourites, lesser-known gems, and a pair of cover songs for good measure. It was a reminder of her singular position in modern music: a pop icon who thrives in melancholy and mystery.

Lana Del Rey’s return to the UK capital brought a wave of anticipation as she headlined the iconic Wembley Stadium for a sold-out show on Saturday night. With her cinematic sound and distinct vintage Americana aesthetic, the singer-songwriter delivered a set that was both visually mesmerising and, at times, a little perplexing.

From the moment fans arrived at the venue, it was clear that this was going to be an ear-deafening spectacle. A heaving crowd of mostly teenage girls were super-charged with excitement as a large Southern-style stage set was revealed – a wooden green house with blue shutters nestled next to a droopy tree. It was a remarkably detailed design, one of the most elaborate Wembley has seen in years, immediately transporting the audience into Lana’s melancholic, storytelling world.

Adding to the immersive experience, a 4-piece string section sat within a leafy alcove to the left of the stage, providing a rich, cinematic backbone to much of the evening’s music.

The show opened with Stars Fell on Alabama, a gentle and nostalgic entry point to the night before the recently surprise-released, Henry, Come On with almost every smile, word or glance to the crowd being met with a thunderous applause from fans that could be seen crying on the towering screens that say on both sides of the stage.

However, momentum stalled early with a curious rendition of Tammy Wynette’s Stand By Your Man. While the perfect cover for a voice like Del Rey’s and while intended as a nod to classic country roots, the cover didn’t land well with a young crowd largely unfamiliar with Wynette’s legacy. Instead, it served more as an extended early toilet break for many who didn’t want to run the risk of missing a major hit than a meaningful moment in the set.

Thankfully, things picked back up with a haunting performance of Chemtrails Over the Country Club, enhanced by elegant dancers dressed in white, their flowing cloths used as striking props that Lana herself engaged with on stage. This visual artistry continued into Ultraviolence, which saw Del Rey lying on the stage floor while a thunderstorm raged on the massive screens above her – a theatrical and powerful highlight and one that showcased the stage design to its fullest effect as the sun was starting to set over the enormous, famous Wembley Stadium arch above us.

The spoken-word Ride Monologue offered a shift in tone as house lights came up, allowing Lana to connect more directly with the audience before launching into the full version of Ride. A particularly sweet moment came when her father was spotted peeking out from the side of the stage and getting a sweeping cheer from the 80,000 fans as he waved.

Video Games was another standout with its distinctive harp opening, with Lana gently swaying from a vine-wrapped swing that descended from the heights of the Wembley rig. The strings shone here, elevating one of her biggest hits into something almost symphonic.

But while the first half of the set leaned heavily into showmanship and artistry, things became confusing mid-show when back-to-back pre-recorded performances of Norman Fucking Rockwell and Arcadia were projected through the windows of the stage set. Lana herself disappeared for what many assumed would be a costume change but never re-emerged during these two numbers. The appearance of a beautifully flowered piano on the extended stage served little purpose, with dancers using it as a prop.

Things got back on track quicky however with Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd which was also used as a showcase for Lana’s backing vocalists, who added soulful, gospel-tinged harmonies. Then came Quiet in the South, a brand new song featuring a country twang and slide guitar.

Young and Beautiful reminded the crowd of Lana’s prowess as a balladeer, before Summertime Sadness brought the stadium to life with a stadium singalong that had every voice in the house joining in. Born to Die followed, delivering another sweeping, melancholic highlight that also served as another reminder of Del Rey’s incredible songwriting talents.

The show concluded with a cover of John Denver’s Take Me Home, Country Roads. While endearing in its own way, it didn’t carry the same emotional depth as the earlier songs and felt a bit out of place. Much like her cover of Tammy Wynette, it seemed to go over the heads of much of the audience – many of whom likely mistook Denver for a TikTok personality rather than recognizing him as a country music legend from a bygone era. The choice also raised questions about the exclusion of some of Del Rey’s own standout tracks. Deep cuts like my personal favourite, Radio or more recognizable singles such as Doin’ Time and West Coast would have been more fitting and resonated more strongly with the younger fans who come out to see her.

Despite a few hiccups during the night, including a 40-minute delay that tested some fans’ patience, Del Rey ultimately reminded everyone why she’s considered a modern music icon. The haunting allure and emotional depth she brings to her music and stage presence make any imperfections easy to overlook.

Setlist:
Stars Fell on Alabama
Henry, come on
Stand by Your Man (Tammy Wynette cover)
Chemtrails Over the Country Club
Ultraviolence
Ride Monologue
Ride
Video Games
Norman fucking Rockwell
Arcadia
Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd
Quiet in the South
Howl
Young and Beautiful
Summertime Sadness
Born to Die
57.5
Take Me Home, Country Roads (John Denver cover)

Brendon Veevers

::: RenownedForSound.com’s Editor and Founder –
Interviewing and reviewing the best in new music and globally recognized artists is his passion.
Over the years he has been lucky enough to review thousands of music releases and concerts and interview artists ranging from top selling superstars like 27-time Grammy Award winner Alison Krauss, Boyz II Men, Roxette, Cyndi Lauper, Lisa Loeb and iconic Eagles front man/songwriter, Glenn Frey through to more recent successes including Newton Faulkner, Janelle Monae and Caro Emerald.
Brendon manages and coordinates the amazing team of writers on RenownedForSound.com who are based in the UK, the U.S and Australia.