Screenshot from Spotify of Del Rey’s newest single, “White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter”
The Xavierite
On Feb. 17, 2026, Lana Del Rey released the third single from her upcoming album titled “Stove.” “White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter” was met with divided reviews from critics. To me, the track feels like a step back for Del Rey.
The song is completely different from the other two singles for this album: “Henry, come on” and “Bluebird.” Those two songs evoke Del Rey’s signature sound and quality writing. They’re both slow ballads, while “White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter” is an eerie, Southern Gothic soundscape masquerading as a love song.
Off-putting lyrics and production aren’t new for Del Rey, but they just don’t land in this track. She sings about the love between her and her husband over horror-movie-esque strings and overuses cheeky lines like: “Whoopsie-daisy yoo-hoo / yelling ‘I love you.’”
Upon the single’s release, many compared the haunting production to Ethel Cain, who Del Rey’s had public conflicts with in the past. Cain is known for her own Southern Gothic ballads about obsessive love, and many might argue she’s inspired by Del Rey.
At some point, it doesn’t matter who’s inspired by who. Cain does Southern Gothic better than anyone. She’s found her niche, and her work makes “White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter” sound derivative and bland.
Del Rey needs to stick to what she does best. The highlights of her career, like Grammy-nominated album “Norman F***ing Rockwell!,” showcase her writing and vocal skills at their most grounded.
On that album, she’s not concerned with trends or petty drama with other artists. She’s in her element, which allows for her Americana style to flourish under the influence of producer Jack Antonoff.
Del Rey’s never been a predictable artist. Her tenth studio album was originally titled “Lasso” and was slated for release in 2024. It was described as a country album but never came to fruition.
In late 2024, Del Rey announced that “Lasso” would now be titled “The Right Person Will Stay.” Release was postponed yet again.
In 2025, Del Rey released two singles off the album. Both of those songs sounded more like classic Del Rey, although some fans thought the tracks were boring and too similar to her previous album: “Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd.”
Personally, I enjoyed both tracks. Considering the evolution of Del Rey and her career, I don’t expect punchy songs reminiscent of her debut album, “Born To Die.” I’m fine with Del Rey focusing on her writing and letting the lyrics speak more than the instrumentation or production.
After all, Del Rey’s emphasized her focus on poetry in recent years. “White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter” doesn’t sound like poetry; it sounds like scattered musings grouped together by creepy production.
Being a Del Rey fan is challenging in and of itself. Between constant release delays and problematic allegations, I’ve learned to separate Del Rey from her art. So far, I’ve been able to enjoy her music despite my misgivings to her as a person.
Now, the music isn’t even living up to Del Rey’s standard. I’m not sure if it’s because of the drama with Cain, the gratuitous amount of collaborators, or if Del Rey’s just lost what she once had.
“Stove,” the long-awaited tenth album, will apparently be released “soon,” according to Del Rey. I’ll listen out of curiosity, and I genuinely hope Del Rey is able to prove my current apprehension wrong.