Lana Del Rey, the American icon and famous singer, has finally lent her distinctive voice to the James Bond universe by releasing the theme song for the new video game 007 First Light.
On 16 April, Del Rey surprised fans by releasing a new song titled “First Light,” which will serve as the official theme song for the upcoming James Bond video game 007 First Light.
The song, co-written with renowned composer David Arnold, who has scored five 007 films including Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, marks a significant milestone for the artist of Born to Die (2012), the gothic, rock-influenced Ultraviolence (2014), and the high-rated masterpiece Norman Fucking Rockwell! (2019).
In a statement accompanying the release, Arnold said: “Lana brings the James Bond universe into her world, creating her own musical interpretation for the game’s reimagined origin story. The Bond theme is a unique storytelling moment; it has to capture scale, drama, and intrigue all at once. Having been part of that musical lineage, I understand how important it is to honour its heritage whilst allowing it to evolve.”
This collaboration follows statements by Del Rey, whose real name is Lizzie Grant, revealing in a 2024 BBC News interview that her song “24” had previously been rejected for a Bond film, eventually appearing on her 2015 album Honeymoon. She spoke candidly about her long-standing ambitions regarding Bond:
“I mean, how has that not happened yet? Can we just say, (singing) ‘it’s only 24 hours in a day’, I wrote that for them, but Sam (Smith, who sang ‘Writing’s On The Wall’, the theme to 2015’s Spectre) you did a wonderful job, really, no I’m just kidding… One day maybe, but probably not, but I’m going to continue to sing and do my little Nancy Sinatra thing every now and then, and just pretend that it’s the title track.”
The release of the game 007: First Light from IO Interactive is scheduled for 27 May 2026, although it was previously planned for March but was postponed for polishing.
Prior to “First Light,” she released numerous singles for films such as “Young and Beautiful” in 2013 for The Great Gatsby, “Once Upon a Dream” in 2014 for Maleficent, “Big Eyes” in 2014 and “I Can Fly” for Big Eyes, and “Don’t Call Me Angel” for 2019’s Charlie’s Angels.
