By Natalie Soldatova
Lana Del Rey’s new album “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd” is finally out, with 16 new songs since it was first announced last December.
Songs from Lana are known to bring some sense of nostalgia, be emotional or personal.
In this album Lana is getting a closer look at herself and trying to make the listeners understand what she is trying to tell them. This album especially pays homage to her family, and exposes more than who Lana is, and why she is who she is.
This album is so far the most soul-searching album from the artist.
Lana is processing grief, heartbreak and loneliness, especially in the first song “The Grants”. She also sings about an experience of watching a loved one die in the song “Kintsugi“.
Her music also seems to be cinematic and spiritual. In one of the songs “Judah Smith Interlude“ we can also hear the voice of pastor Judah Smith and preaching against lust, which gives the songs some background.
But not all the songs are about sad emotions, some of them also tell us a story about hope and reuniting with lost family members.
The name of the album speaks for itself. Many would have thought that it is a tunnel under Ocean Boulevard in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. However, Lana has mentioned that the underground tunnel is in Long Beach, California. That is not far from the place where she has lived for many years.
Lana has spoken about the way the album was created. She admitted that she would sneakily record some parts of the music while Mike Hermosa, who produced many of the songs from the album, played on the piano in her living room.
Later, she would also try to sing with the music he was playing and that is how the first song for the album. While working on the album, Lana said that it did not feel like they were working on something.
According to the Los Angeles Times, this album may be Lana’s most personal and her best one yet. The way she is thinking and putting emotions in her songwriting is the deepest and most penetrating.
In order to not make the album tiring for its listeners, the producers kept creating unexpected sounds and textures into the album’s songs.
“If anyone ever had a question about why I ever was feeling what I was feeling, when I was feeling it and why I might need some kind of veil, it’s all there and it always has been,“ said Del Ray on her Instagram story.
Lana has many fans and faithful listeners around the world and she never fails to disappoint them with music. Some would say they listen to her because they can relate to her emotions and feelings, while some find her music calming and soothing.
“I started to listen to Lana about two years ago. I like her music, because she has a very soothing voice and it sometimes helps me to study.“ says Ivey Hermesman.
For some people her music is inspiring and they find her music exceptional in honesty and transparency.
“I listen to Lana at least a couple times a week. I love her because I think her music is very inspiring and it touches a lot of people,“ says Amanda Cusack.
Even though Lana is sharing her feelings through her songs, she is also learning how to be kinder to herself. In one of her songs in the album, she reminds herself that there is always light at the end of the tunnel.
The album now marks ninth on Billboard’s Top 200.