Clayton Johnson, who was engaged to singer Lana Del Rey from 2020 to 2021, has shared his heartfelt reaction to her recent marriage while addressing his appearance on a season of The Bachelorette. In a candid interview, the country singer emphasized that there is no ill will between him and his famous ex.
“I think that when you love somebody,” Johnson reflected on the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast, “and it comes from a pure place—and she's somebody that I loved and I have love for her—to find her person and for her to be as happy as she is, like she is glowing, nothing could make me happier for her than that.”
He acknowledged that hearing about her nuptials to Jeremy Dufrene in 2024 “might sting a little bit,” but added, “if you really love somebody in the purest form, how could you be upset at that?”
Johnson and Del Rey first met at their church years ago and reconnected during the COVID-19 pandemic, which he described as accelerating their relationship. “I think COVID was a lot like dog years,” he said. “One month in COVID time is really like one year in the real world. So, it accelerated things a little bit, but at the same time, it just felt so right in all the ways.”
Despite the personal nature of their past, Johnson remains respectful of Del Rey's privacy. “Above anything, I just respect her as a person,” he noted. “She's a pretty private person. So, I really don't want to go into any crazy details, but at the same time, that was a huge chapter of my life.”
Addressing speculation that he joined Taylor Frankie Paul's since-canceled season of The Bachelorette to retaliate against Del Rey—a known fan of reality TV—Johnson firmly denied any malicious intent. “I truly don't have any place in my heart for any sort of revenge, any hate,” he stated. “It did not come from a place of wanting to get back at her by any means. This was for me.”
As Johnson continues his journey in the public eye, he looks back on his relationship with Del Rey with fondness and clarity, celebrating her happiness while carving out his own path forward.