God might have created Adam, but Lana Del Rey (“God” to many fans) created Rob Grant. At least in his current incarnation as “musician.” While most parents either want to reap the benefits of their famous child’s bank account in relative anonymity or use that fame to make another child in their family famous (see: the Culkins), Lana Del Rey’s father, Rob Grant (a.k.a. Robert England Grant), has opted to parlay his daughter’s devoted following into a musical career of his own. While it has long been rumored that Del Rey’s musical journey would itself not be in existence without her father’s fortune to keep pushing it along (which isn’t entirely untrue, as having the knowledge that you can always be bailed out by Daddy makes it impossible for one to live like “Common People,” to quote Pulp), Del Rey has technically done her father even more of a solid by using her industry connections to help him create his dream record, Lost At Sea. A “classical” album buttressed by two tracks featuring Del Rey (proudly promoted with the copy, “Featuring Daughter Lana Del Rey”), “Lost At Sea” and “Hollywood Bowl.” It is the latter during which Del Rey has the bravado to say, “I’ve got a dad who plays like Billy Joel.”
Although Grant has no formal training in piano, he can sit down and “play perfectly” without requiring any sheet music or otherwise preconceived rehearsal. That’s how “Sweet Carolina,” the final track on Lana Del Rey’s Blue Banisters album came to be. And with that, the seed was planted for Grant to create a record of his own. Complete with access to Del Rey’s go-to producer, Jack Antonoff. Because yes, it was never really a question in his mind that he wouldn’t be able to release whatever music he wanted using the best resources. Not just because he’s a millionaire, but because his daughter’s support would greatly increase his chance of garnering interest in his work, therefore the chance for success.
This has already manifested in the news that Lost At Sea took the number one spot on the US iTunes Classical Album Chart and the number one spot on the UK Classical Artist Albums Chart. The latter prompting Grant to gush, “I think it’s fitting that Father’s Day falls on this weekend—because Lost At Sea is a Grant family affair. I could not have made this album without my remarkable children by my side. So thank you Lana, Chuck and Charlie… I am a very lucky dad!” Not sure why Charlie got thanked (at least Chuck did the photography for the album), but it’s clear he’s more than grateful for Del Rey’s clout in giving him a leg-up/allowing him to take a major shortcut in the line of “musical success.” Granted, it certainly helps to have a niche shtick like classical music to assist in securing said success.
Of course, Grant is no stranger to hedging bets. As has been mentioned in the various articles about him and his new record, he’s dabbled in many a lucrative trade (most famously, purchasing a number of generic web domain names prior to the internet really taking off) before finally landing on “pianist” in time for his septuagenarian years. Indeed, one might say he knew the importance of securing his bag before leaning into music as much as he leaned into being dubbed the industry’s first notable case of a “nepo daddy”—you know, as opposed to adhering to the usual norm of being a nepo baby.
At one point in all the hullaballoo surrounding the nepo daddy jokes, Pebe Sebert, mother to nepo baby Kesha, “jokingly” tweeted, “Is he single?” (cue the Kesha line from “Only Love Can Save Us Now” that goes, “I’m gettin’ sued because my mama’s been tweetin’”). Rob responded to that question by reminding People magazine of his enduring marriage to the mother Del Rey seems to despise (if her lyrical references to Patricia a.k.a. “Pat” are any indication). Thus, he stated, “God bless her. Of course, I’m married. I have a wife, so we want to make that clear, but I thank [Pebe] for her support.” Not to mention the legion of Del Rey fans who are mostly “supporting” him because of their obsession with Lake Placid’s most famous former resident. And, speaking of, Papa Del Rey still lives in Upstate NY with the woman Daughter Del Rey has no qualms talking shit about.
Perhaps if Pat had been a bit more compassionate toward Del Rey when she was a youth instead of shipping her off to boarding school, “Lizzy” would have also helped her matriarch out with any potential entertainment industry goals. But her Electra complex seems to be partially at play here in terms of ensuring Rob lives out his “rock star” fantasies while her mother has to watch from the sidelines in the midst of her husband gaining more love, now even from total strangers. More than just a “kind gesture” from Lana, it feels like a conscientious dig. Conscientious enough for Del Rey to give the greatest Father’s Day gift of all—industry clout—with Lost At Sea being released so close to the third Sunday of June, which is itself also close to Del Rey’s June 21st birthday. This done while willfully speaking out against Mother’s Day in years prior.
As the world further embraces the so-called first Nepo Daddy, Grant seems convinced the chance for a Nepo Mommy to come along is close at hand, too—hence, telling The Face, “I also registered nepomommy.com.” Because Rob remains all about the Benjamins before he remains all about his “art.” What he seems to be underestimating, however, is the extent to which people don’t want “older” women to succeed. And they barely “let” the ones who have done so on their own merit do it past “a certain age” (with the rare exception of Kylie Minogue, who owes a debt to Madonna for that). In contrast, older men are continually fetishized and championed—obviously by the likes of Lana Del Rey herself. She being the inarguable number one “Champion of Daddy.” And now, the number one “Champion of Nepo Daddy.”
Whereas mothers like June George (Amy Poehler) in Mean Girls (or Kris Jenner doing a sendup of her in Ariana Grande’s “thank u, next” video) can’t be seen as a “cool mom,” Rob is confirmed as a definite “cool daddy” (gross), with Del Rey telling The Face, “He was definitely cool. He was so easygoing. I never heard him yell one time. I thought of him like playtime… I haven’t seen anything ever affect him.” Another point in the minus column for Pat, who wasn’t “playtime” at all.
Grant’s soothing effect on his daughter is evidently something he wants to share with everyone, announcing of his album, “This is literally music for a troubled world. And that’s why the wellness space has grown. [It’s] now bigger than the classical and jazz [worlds] combined. And it’s getting bigger, because the whole world is on edge now.” One of those reasons for being “on edge,” incidentally, is nepotism in the entertainment industry being written off with jocular shrugging by those who have benefitted from it.
And yet, the nepotism Grant has been bestowed isn’t just from being ferried, like some sort of god (Zeus), into the industry. It’s a nepotism from Del Rey herself—and one clearly designed to dig the knife further into Pat for “fucking up big time” when “Lizzy” was a child. Ergo, the “Fingertips” lyrics, “What the fuck’s wrong in your head to send me away never to come back/Exotic places and people to take the place of being your child?” Though one isn’t quite sure how Rob gets a pass on what happened when he was just as responsible for the decision ultimately made. Call it the blessing of being a “Daddy.” So much less easy to vilify than Mommy when it comes to daughter dynamics.
Genna Rivieccio
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