She was once a "Sad Girl." But not anymore.

If her first few offerings from the record weren't enough of an indication, Lana Del Rey is in a different mindset with her latest studio album, Lust For Life — namely: happiness. And, as evidenced from her strikingly beautiful Elle UK June 2017 photo shoot and cover story, it shows.

"I think happiness is the ultimate life goal. I think it's the only thing that's important. There are no mechanisms in place for routes to happiness, that's the whole f--king problem," she tells the magazine.

As showcased within the lyrics of "Love," she's especially thinking about her younger fans as of late.

"I think people are unhappy in school – the education structure has been the same for a long time and kids are still not satisfied with their educational experience," she says.

"And you don't have enough conversations when you're young about what makes for a satisfying, mutual relationship. Those collective life experiences – your youth, your academic education and your education about business, marriage or relationship goals – they all lead up to your collective happiness. I think the emphasis is on the wrong things and it has been for a long time."

In a preview of the forthcoming article, out on May 16, Lana also reiterates the fact that her forthcoming album veers on the political side: "I think it would be weird to be making a record during the past 18 months and not comment on how [the political landscape] was making me or the people I know feel, which is not good."

Lana Del Rey even comments on...Lana Del Rey: "I know that if I had more of a persona [before], I have less of one now. And I think it comes down to getting a little older. Maybe I needed a stronger look or something to lean on then. But I feel like it wouldn't be hard for me today to play a mega show in jeans without rehearsing and still feel like I was coming from the right place."

From opulence to attaining enlightenment while hidden away in the "H" of the Hollyweird sign: our Queen of Coney Island truly is growing up.

Check out a preview of the full cover story over at Elle UK, as well as the gorgeous subscriber cover below.

Lana Del Rey Elle Magazine June 2017
ELLE UK
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