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Lana Del Rey outraged by interview quote 'I wish I was dead already'

"His leading questions about death and persona were calculated," the singer says.

By Annie Martin
American singer Lana Del Rey performs at "Lovebox Festival" in Victoria Park in London on June 17, 2012. UPI/Rune Hellestad
1 of 3 | American singer Lana Del Rey performs at "Lovebox Festival" in Victoria Park in London on June 17, 2012. UPI/Rune Hellestad | License Photo

LOS ANGELES, June 20 (UPI) -- Lana Del Rey is not happy with The Guardian.

The 27-year-old singer spoke to the publication earlier this month to discuss her new album Ultraviolence. The interview, published June 12, received extra attention due to a morbid statement she made in conversation.

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When asked by reporter Tim Jonze if she sees glamor in an early death, the star responded, "I wish I was dead already." When Jonze urged her not to say that, she continued, "I do! I don't want to have to keep doing this. But I am."

Del Rey took to Twitter on Thursday to slam the interview and The Guardian. She mistakenly referred to Jonze as Guardian music critic Alexis Petridus, and has since deleted the series of tweets.

"i regret trusting the guardian- i didn't want to do an interview but the journalist was persistent. Alexis was masked as a fan / but was hiding sinister ambitions and angles Maybe he's actually the boring one looking for something interesting to write about. / His leading questions about death and persona were calculated."

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Jonze responded to Del Rey's comments in an essay on Friday, and also posted an audio clip of their interview.

"Besides the fact Lana doesn't remember who actually interviewed her, there are a number of things about her statement that sound a bit iffy to me," he writes. "It's not pleasant asking a pop star if she thinks the idea of dying young herself is attractive -- it's a dark question, but it's not a leading one."

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