Yes, Lana Del Rey's Headlining Coachella Set was complicated — and deep

Not only did Lana Del Rey get an early start headlining Coachella, but her entrance was epic.

On Friday, April 12, at 11:16 p.m., screens on the festival's main stage showed an aerial view of Del Rey and her entourage fast approaching. As she got closer, it became clear that her crew weren't going in the expected golf carts that often ferry stars around the Indio, California festival, but rather on motorcycles. And as she played a snippet of her never-to-be-released song 'Jealous Girl' – with the line 'Baby, I'm a gangster too' – Del Rey's motorcade made a lap through the crowd as she smiled. and greeted the thousands of fans who gathered for this very moment.

“What's up, Coachella,” she casually asked after taking center stage and flashed a small smile before performing 'Without You' to a mash-up of Sublime's 'Doin' Time' and 'Summertime Sadness'. “I'm so happy to be here,” she added with another faint, and even shorter, smile. But keep in mind, this is it Lana del Rey – sad girl pop president and eternally committed to the track, headlining Coachella or not.

As such, her demeanor matched the elaborate setting that looked very much like a dilapidated version of Gatsby's mansion long after he had thrown his last party. Making it, of course, the perfect fictional stage for Del Rey to host an evening of partying with a swing band and 20s-inspired dancers.

Early in the set, Del Rey noted that she last played Coachella “exactly 10 years ago” (during which she debuted her single “West Coast”), before softly singing, “We still do.” Still, it's less impressive that she's still here a decade on, but more that she's still completely and unapologetically herself after all these years – or at least, that Lana Del Rey's persona is still so intact. In fact, across her nine studio albums, Del Rey has become a seemingly equal more herself, taking more experimental swings and offering bigger, more eyebrow-raising track titles along the way.

And tonight, her headlining set seemed to be a quiet celebration, during which Del Rey ran across the stage performing career-spanning hits that, at a staged festival like Coachella, almost seemed like underground gems she was churning out carefully. Even the expected headliners were presented with a subtle twist: He performed “Ride” while slowly twirling through a circular, leaf-covered swing. delivered a wonderful a cappella rendition of “The Grants” along with her three backup singers. and, notably, sang “Hope Is a Dangerous Thing for a Woman Like Me to Have – but I Have It” via hologram accompanied by collaborator and close friend Jack Antonoff on piano, who co-produced the track. (Earlier in the night, she was joined by Jon Batiste on piano for an extended version of “Candy Necklace.”)

The hologram – albeit a bit morbid, especially considering the lyric, “Hey, it's the most famous woman you know on the iPad/Calling from beyond the grave” – perfectly captured the spirit of the set. As evidenced by her song choice to close “Young and Beautiful” (which was widely used in The Great Gatsby), it became increasingly clear that Del Rey had come to make a statement.

As she sings on “Young and Beautiful: “I've seen the world, I've done it all, I've had my cake now. I have seen the world, I have lit it as my stage now.' All the while, the main question of the song arose: “Will you still love me when I'm no longer young and beautiful?”

Earlier in the evening, Billie Eilish gave an affirmative answer.

After online rumors that the superstar would be guesting on Del Rey's set (an artist of whom Eilish has long been a fan), she emerged towards the end from above the arched trellis to duet on 'Ocean Eyes' and ' Video Games” with Del Rey. After the two were done, they sat for a while longer, looking genuinely surprised by each other's presence. “Get the f—k out of my face,” Ailis laughed, addressing her hero.

“Yes, this is the voice of your generation, the voice of our generation,” Del Rey replied. “I'm so thankful that he's standing by me right now.” To which Ailis replied, “That is the reason for the existence of your halves, including mine.”

This simple sentence cuts to the core of the evening. Sure, the set was spotty at times – with moments of darkness and silence between several songs, and some mic volume issues, which Del Rey audibly called out. And yes, Del Rey's soft-spoken tendencies on and off the stage might not have made her the most obvious headliner to kick off Coachella. But she is effect this remains undisputed.

But don't take my word for it, take it from “the voice of our generation”. The artist we might not have had it not been for an artist like Lana Del Rey to do what she has and always will do best: be Lana del Rey.

As she delivered the final note of 'Young and Beautiful', the band kicked up steam and her dancers reappeared with bottles of champagne in hand as fireworks exploded into the night sky – all the makings of a signature Gatsby explosion. And as Del Rey rode off on a motorcycle, once inside, the stage party continued long after she was gone. And that's the point.

Her undeniable influence is also unforgettable – and that's exactly what makes Lana Del Rey the icon she is. And one worth celebrating.