Del Rey was filming herself driving while listening to Tate McRae’s song when she noticed a woman asking for help
Singer Lana Del Rey has helped a woman fleeing an abusive relationship after encountering her at a traffic light in Los Angeles.
The 41-year-old singer shared the encounter on her Instagram Stories on Sunday, October 25, 2026.
Del Rey was filming herself driving while listening to Tate McRae’s song “Rubberband” when she noticed a woman holding a sign outside her car window.
The sign reportedly explained that the woman was trying to escape an abusive relationship.
Sharing the video, Del Rey wrote, “When you’re listening to Tate’s song about Highland when you’re sitting at a light on Highland and a woman sticks a sign on your window that says trying to stay out of an abusive relationship.”
The footage showed the singer reaching into her wallet and handing the woman what appeared to be a $100 bill. “You got me when I was filming,” Del Rey told her.
After the woman thanked her, the singer advised, “Well, try and stay away.” She later told the camera, “I was not expecting that.”
The encounter has renewed attention on Del Rey’s long-standing association with themes of troubled relationships in her music and prompted praise from fans for her charitable action.
“She’s so kind and sweet”, one social media user wrote, while another called her “the people’s queen”.
In 2020, the singer addressed criticism that her lyrics glamorised abuse in an Instagram post.
Defending her artistic expression, she questioned why her portrayals of complicated relationships had attracted criticism.
Her songs “Ultraviolence” and “Blue Jeans” have previously prompted debate over their depictions of unhealthy relationships.
Del Rey, who married Jeremy Dufrene in 2024, is also preparing her next album, Stove, which follows her 2023 release, Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd.
