Lana Del Rey is facing backlash after speaking out about the importance she places on inclusivity.
On Sunday night, the singer shared the artwork for her upcoming album Chemtrails Over the Country Club on Instagram. The black-and-white photo features a group of women dressed in vintage attire, seated at a table covered with a checkered tablecloth. Del Rey also showed off the back of the album, which includes the track list along with a faded photo of the star, 35, among the women — one of whom is noticeably wearing a face mask.
Adding to her caption for the album art post, the singer wrote a lengthy note in the comments section.
"I also want to say that with everything going on this year! And no this was not intended — these are my best friends, since you are asking today," she began the comment. "And damn! As it happens when it comes to my amazing friends and this cover yes there are people of color on this records picture and that's all I'll say about that but thank you."
"My beautiful friend Valerie from Del Rio Mexico, my dearest friend Alex and my gorgeous friend Dakota Rain as well as my sweetheart Tatiana," Del Rey continued. "These are my friends this is my life. We are all a beautiful mix of everything- some more than others which is visible and celebrated in everything I do."
The "Let Me Love You Like a Woman" songstress (who previously faced criticism back in May, when some felt she was singling out nonwhite female performers) went on to say she has "always been extremely inclusive without even trying to" over the 11 years she has been working in music.
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"My best friends are rappers my boyfriends have been rappers. My dearest friends have been from all over the place. So before you make comments again about a WOC/POC issue, I'm not the one storming the capital," Del Rey said. "I'm literally changing the world by putting my life and thoughts and love out there on the table 24 seven. Respect it."
The singer received criticism for her comments on social media, with many flocking to Twitter to express disappointment over some of her language.
"I AM TRYING TO LIKE HER BUT SHE MAKES IT SO HARD SOMETIMES," wrote one, while another called Del Rey's comments "embarrassing."
"I think the ironic thing about her inclusivity is that she tries so hard to SHOW it but her vocabulary just says that she doesn't actually know what she's talking about only that she doesn't want to be a part of the conversation," a third alleged.
A rep for Del Rey did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
The Grammy nominee (born Elizabeth Grant) previously clapped back about what she said people were misconstruing as "a WOC issue" when name-checking top female artists like Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande and Cardi B, having initially stated that "there has to be kind of a place in feminism for women who look and act like me."
"This is sad to make it about a WOC issue when I'm talking about my favorite singers. I could've literally said anyone but I picked my favorite f—ing people," she wrote in the comments of a post in May, addressing critics who felt she was targeting women of color.
"And this is the problem with society today, not everything is about whatever you want it to be," Del Rey continued. "It's exactly the point of my post — there are certain women that culture doesn't want to have a voice it may not have to do with race I don't know what it has to do with."
Added the singer, "I don't care anymore but don't ever ever ever ever bro — call me racist because that is bulls—."
Del Rey left one "final note on everything" in the comments, writing that when she said "people who look like me" in the context of feminism, she "meant the people who don't look strong or necessarily smart, or like they're in control etc." She concluded, "It's about advocating for a more delicate personality, not for white woman — thanks for the Karen comments tho. V helpful."
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