"Carmen" is a song by American recording artist Lana Del Rey, taken from her second studio album Born to Die (2012). It was released as a single on the iTunes Stores of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland on January 26, 2012 by Universal Music Group. A music video, directed by Del Rey, was released on April 21, 2012. During reviews for the album, "Carmen" garnered high acclaim from critics, most of whom praised the song's lyrics.