Bluebird (Lana Del Rey song)
{{Short description|2025 single by Lana Del Rey}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Bluebird
| type = single
| artist = Lana Del Rey
| cover = Lana Del Rey - Bluebird.png
| alt =
| album =
| released = {{start date|2025|4|18}}
| genre =
| recorded =
| studio =
| length = 4:02
| label =
| writer =
- Lana Del Rey
- Luke Laird
| producer =
- Lana Del Rey
- Luke Laird
- Drew Erickson
| prev_title = Henry, Come On
| prev_year = 2025
| next_title =
| next_year =
| misc = {{External music video|header=Audio video|{{YouTube|SzXe0H0pr1s|"Bluebird"}}}}
}}
"Bluebird" is a song by American singer-songwriter, and record producer Lana Del Rey. It was released on April 18, 2025, via Interscope and Polydor Records, as the second single from her upcoming tenth studio album.
Background
Del Rey released "Bluebird" as the second single from her forthcoming album, following "Henry, Come On".{{cite web |url=https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/lana-del-rey-bluebird-lyrics-meaning |title=LANA DEL REY'S "BLUEBIRD" LYRICS, EXPLAINED |first=Dylan |last=Kickham |website=Nylon |date=April 18, 2025 |access-date=April 18, 2025 }} The song was co-written with Luke Laird and co-produced by Laird and Drew Erickson,{{cite web |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2304598/lana-del-rey-bluebird/music/ |title=Lana Del Rey - "Bluebird" |first=Danielle |last=Chelosky |work=Stereogum |date=April 18, 2025 |access-date=April 18, 2025 }} featuring a fingerpicked arrangement that reflects a continued interest in Americana and country elements.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/lana-del-rey-soars-high-bluebird-stream-it-now-1235949824/ |title=Lana Del Rey Soars High on New 'Bluebird' Single: Stream It Now |first=Tyler |last=Jenke |magazine=Billboard |date=April 18, 2025 |access-date=April 19, 2025 }}{{cite web |url=https://people.com/lana-del-rey-posts-video-on-instagram-about-new-song-bluebird-11718416 |title=Lana Del Rey Breaks Down the Meaning Behind Her New Song 'Bluebird' |author=Madison E. Goldberg |website=People |date=April 19, 2025 |access-date=April 19, 2025 }} Although the album was previously referred to as Lasso and The Right Person Will Stay, its final title and release date have not been officially confirmed.{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/lana-del-rey-shares-new-song-bluebird-listen/ |title=Lana Del Rey Shares New Song "Bluebird": Listen |first=Jazz |last=Monroe |work=Pitchfork |date=April 18, 2025 |access-date=April 18, 2025 }} She is scheduled to perform at Stagecoach in late April, following her 2024 Coachella headlining appearance.{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/lana-del-rey-bluebird-new-song-1236194629/ |title=Lana Del Rey Releases "Bluebird," Second Single From Newly Untitled Album |first=Mckinley |last=Franklin |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=April 17, 2025 |access-date=April 18, 2025 }}{{cite web |url=https://consequence.net/2025/04/lana-del-rey-bluebird-stream/ |title=Lana Del Rey Unveils New Song "Bluebird": Stream |first=Eddie |last=Fu |work=Consequence |date=April 18, 2025 |access-date=April 18, 2025 }}
Composition
"Bluebird" is a sparse, fingerpicked country folk{{cite web |last1=Rodulfo |first1=Grace |title=Track Review: Bluebird // Lana Del Rey |url=https://www.indiependent.co.uk/track-review-bluebird-lana-del-rey/ |website=The Indiependant |access-date=27 April 2025}} ballad{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/lana-del-rey-bluebird-single-1235320460/ |title=LANA DEL REY SHARES INTIMATE BALLAD 'BLUEBIRD' |first=Emily |last=Zemler |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=April 18, 2025 |access-date=April 18, 2025 }} that aligns with Del Rey's ongoing shift toward Americana influences, featuring acoustic guitar and harmonica.{{cite web |url=https://numero.com/en/culture-en/what-we-know-about-lana-del-reys-upcoming-album/ |title=What we know about Lana Del Rey's upcoming album |first=Violaine |last=Schütz |website=Numéro |date=April 18, 2025 |access-date=April 18, 2025 }} According to Nylon, the raw production highlights the song's emotionally charged lyrics, which depict the experience of a woman in an abusive relationship. The track continues Del Rey's exploration of minimalist storytelling, relying on understated instrumentation to underscore its themes.
Critical reception
"Bluebird" was met with critical acclaim.
People noted that the lyrics and sound of "Bluebird" have drawn comparisons to the Beatles' 1968 song "Blackbird", which also uses avian imagery to convey themes of freedom and transformation. Lines such as "Blackbird singing in the dead of night / Take these sunken eyes and learn to see" and "You were only waiting for this moment to be free" reflect similar emotional territory.{{cite web |url=https://people.com/lana-del-rey-releases-next-song-bluebird-11717819 |title=Lana Del Rey Releases Hauntingly Dreamy Single 'Bluebird' — Listen |first=Marina |last=Watts |website=People |date=April 18, 2025 |access-date=April 19, 2025 }}
Showbiz by PS described "Bluebird" as a confident step forward from "Henry, Come On", highlighting it as a strong indication of the sonic direction for Lana Del Rey's upcoming album. The review praised the track's raw Americana and classic country influence, noting its emotional storytelling and stripped-down production. The metaphor of the bluebird — representing a woman breaking free from abuse — was seen as powerful and intimate, with the publication emphasizing Del Rey's natural shift away from mainstream pop toward a more grounded, authentic sound that resonates across her discography.{{cite web |url=https://www.showbizbyps.com/music/lana-del-rey-bluebird |title=LANA DEL REY - BLUEBIRD |first=Pavel |last=Snap |work=Showbiz by PS |date=April 17, 2025 |access-date=April 18, 2025 }}