“I mean, how has that not happened?”: A decade after her first effort was rejected, Lana Del Rey finally has her Bond theme – but is it the one she deserved?

With her smoky vocal style and fondness for cinematic arrangements, Lana Del Rey always seemed destined to sing a Bond theme, but perhaps she thought her chance had come and gone.

Speaking to the BBC in 2024, she revealed that she’d previously submitted a Bond song, believed to be for 2015’s Spectre, in the shape of 24, but had it rejected in favour of Sam Smith’s The Writing’s On The Wall. Instead, it appeared on her fourth studio album, Honeymoon, which was released that same year.

She hadn’t given up hope, though – “I mean, how has that not happened?” she asked the BBC’s reporter at the time – and now her dream has come true… sort of.

Del Rey’s new Bond theme, First Light, was released on Friday, and has strong 007 pedigree thanks to the fact that it was co-written and produced by David Arnold, who’s scored five Bond films and co-written two main themes (Garbage’s The World Is Not Enough and Chris Cornell’s You Know My Name).

But there’s a catch: Del Rey’s new Bond theme isn’t for a film (details of the next 007 adventure are still to be announced), but a forthcoming video game, also known as First Light.

Lana Del Rey - First Light (Lyric Video) - YouTube

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Now, you could argue that, given the fact that the video game industry is now bigger than the movie business, getting this particular Bond gig is just as much of a feather in Del Rey’s cap as it would have been had she got the nod for Spectre. But let’s face it: the theme for the next big-screen 007 mission is the prize that most artists really crave.

It remains to be seen if Del Rey is now ruled out of that race, which she was previously seen to be in, but it seems unlikely that she’d get the nod so soon after releasing First Light. The current favourites are apparently Olivia Dean and Raye.

What we can tell you is that First Light definitely hits all the Bond beats, with an eerie melody, widescreen production and big orchestral stabs. There’s even a whiff of that classic chord as the song comes to a close.

"The music of James Bond has always been a huge part of its identity," says David Arnold. "A title song has to tell us about the world we are about to enter into. It has to intrigue, excite, and beckon us in. This song joins a long line of genre defining songs, each one creating a benchmark of style that adds to the magnificent heritage that is ‘The Bond Song’.

"That’s why I was so excited to work with Lana, an artist who brought elegance, atmosphere, and her totally unique character to this piece, which I hope will open the world of Bond to a whole new audience."

007 First Light is scheduled to launch on 27 May, 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, and Summer 2026 on Nintendo Switch 2.

Oh, and, incidentally, Del Rey wasn’t the only one to have their Spectre Bond song rejected. In fact, Radiohead had two songs turned down - OK Computer offcut Man of War and Spectre, both of which ended up being released outside of the 007 universe.