‘Mongolia’s eternal sweetheart’: Is Lana Del Rey really 2025’s Mongolian Woman of the Year?

Lana Del Rey has one of the most ionate and committed fanbases in modern music. Anyone who’s been to one of her shows *raises hand* will know it’s a storm of tears, screaming, and hugs, the entire crowd caught up in some seriously tempestuous emotions. We know Del Rey is a global music phenomenon, but one recent report indicates she’s so beloved in Mongolia that she’s been named “Mongolian Woman of the Year”.

You’d be forgiven for wondering whether this is legit or not. The story originates in an X post from @honeymounz that claims to show a recent cover from the 100th issue ‘Billboard Mongolia’ granting her the honor:

Lana Del Rey stuns for the 100th issue of Billboard Mongolia pic.twitter.com/nINVwy3vG6

— honeymoun (@honeymounz) March 23, 2025

The same later provided a translation of the article, which claims her “nostalgia-drenched aesthetic resonated deeply with the people”, that “the vast, open landscapes of Mongolia seemed to mirror the infinite highways, and deserted motels of Lana’s music”, and that “Rise became an unofficial anthem for Mongolian motorcyclists traversing the Gobi desert”.

This is the translated article pic.twitter.com/xncUNlw8NO

— honeymoun (@honeymounz) March 23, 2025

Del Rey also apparently triumphed in a busy category, as “the selection process for Mongolia’s Woman of the Year is no small feat”, but “the announcement was met with fireworks in Ulaanbaatar and an impromptu parade, where fans donned flower crowns and faux fur coats in her honor”.

Did this actually happen?

As much as I would like this to be true, Lana Del Rey’s crowning as “Mongolia’s eternal sweetheart” appears to be wishful thinking. I can’t find anything online about the magazine “Billboard Mongolia”, though to be fair that could be because any coverage of it is in the Mongolian alphabet.

Digging a little deeper I also can’t find any record of Del Rey saying “I think Mongolia understands longing. And I write about longing” in interview and “cultural historian” Batsaikan Altangerel appears to share a name with a basketball player. In addition, a reply claims that the Chinese text on the magazine cover reads “b***h we’re going to china”. Hmm.

All that said, over in r/Mongolia there’s a post that insists Mongolia searched “Lana Del Rey” more than any other country in the world:

Even so, it appears that this map is also a parody, as further down the page its creator says in response to a criticism that it’s “BS”, with “just for fun”.

Without a trip to Mongolia, we may never know for sure. It’s easy to imagine the sweeping, wistful melodies of Lana Del Rey being a perfect accompaniment to the blissful bleakness of the Mongolian steppe. But, at least as far as Del Rey being the “Mongolian Woman of the Year”, we strongly suspect someone is pulling your leg.