“At first I was very uncomfortable. Then, by the grace of God, I felt relieved,” Lana Del Rey said in a recent interview with Billboard magazine. What did he mean? In the creation of her new album, Did You Know There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Boulevard, and in particular in the decision she made to reveal her inner world through songs. Aspects of herself that she reluctantly began to reveal in her previous record Blue Railings (2021).

Now she is ready to “dig” deep inside. Reborn through music. This meant experimenting with the sound and messages underlying the lyrics. Modern jazz, classical piano and enigmatic vocals are masterfully mixed with hip-hop, “intoxicating” pop music and “impressive” gospel with choir voices. In fact, she “marries” her musical past to the present.

With her signature complexion and retro look, the flower fairy seems to be using her new record to re-introduce herself to her audience or remind them of her formidable talent in the industry. Del Rey’s ninth studio project, released last March, focuses on the importance of seeing yourself as a person worthy of study and understanding. “Now I sing exactly what I think,” she explains. Of course, the singer-songwriter also has the right companions on this inner journey as she collaborates with big names such as Father John Misty, Tommy Genesis, Bleachers.

“Del Rey has the ability to develop and select elite partners such as musicians or producers, so it is constantly updated. It’s nice that he has his own opinion to the last note,” says Yannis Petridis, music producer of the First ERT program and Kosmos frequency, “K”. “Did you know that there is a tunnel under Ocean Boulevard?” about her recent run, aiming to convey a sense of authenticity and emotional connection with listeners rather than simply giving a direct account of her life.

A star is born

Born Elizabeth Woolridge Grant in New York and raised in Lake Placid near the Canadian border, little Lana loved music. In fact, she sang in church, at school and at home, studying on her own without taking lessons.

With “Did You Know There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Boulevard”, he aims to convey a sense of authenticity and an emotional connection with listeners.

Later, while studying philosophy, she realized that she wanted to devote herself to music. So, in 2007, she signed a contract to build a career under the pseudonym Lizzy Grant, while she had previously recorded the collections “No Kung Fu” and “Sirens”. A character that many have called satirical, but that label was not accurate.

The first album signed “Lana Del Rey AKA Lizzy Grant” came out in 2010, but the one that made her world famous was 2012’s “Born To Die”. With it, Del Rey brought to the fore a special sound and enchanting, atmospheric melodies, which seemed to be singing thoughtfully over your shoulder, medicine in difficult times. Hence the nickname “the queen of melancholy.”

But despite its public success and immediate cultural significance for fans, the hip-hop-inspired instrumental pop album was initially underestimated by music journalists and bloggers. Last-minute production changes took the focus away from the record’s intention to reflect the artist’s personality. “I found it sounds very different. For this reason, instead of being judged as progressive, thought-provoking, interactive art, it was judged based on more traditional criteria,” Del Rey recalled in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine. The vicious reviews affected her so much that she stopped enjoying the life of a pop star.

However, music experts from the first moment highlighted not only her abilities, but also what the singer wanted to convey to the public. “He has a way for 12-13 years to perfectly combine the sound of yesterday with what is happening today,” explains Mr. Petridis. And he adds: “I remember when I played her first songs on my show, they immediately impressed and “touched” me, although I was not at the age they were designed for. And all because they reminded me of the voices of artists that I heard in the 60s, but even in the 50s. Over the years, he has been able to combine this often hypnotic style with a modern, but at the same time, sound that is entirely based on those decades.” They were followed by Ultra Violence (2014), Honeymoon (2015), Lust for Life (2017), Norman Fucking Rockwell! (2019), Chemtrails Over Country Club (2021) and Blue Railings (2021).

Introducing Del Rey

She takes seriously and recognizes the importance of traditional symbols such as American glamor and its decadence, disorders such as melancholy or depression experienced by women, especially in connection with their race and desires. And that was the inspiration for her recordings, according to The New Yorker magazine. Her ideas were ahead of their time and heralded alternative pop music, becoming an industry phenomenon that featured artists such as Lordi, Halsey, Skye Ferreira and Billie Eilish who received early recognition and were associated with a sullen and dark attitude.

Album with playful mood

The new album has a playful mood, freedom and honesty. Even the name is symbolic and corresponds to the content.

The Ocean Avenue Underground Tunnel is a real place. In Long Beach, Los Angeles, the abandoned Jergins Tunnel still shines. People walk on it, unaware of what is hidden under it, if the white tiles and beige mosaic on the floor are illuminated. It was sealed off and closed to the public in the late 60s, but once served as a subway for vacationers to get to the beach.

There were many candy and souvenir shops along the walls. Speaking metaphorically, Del Rey says, “Wouldn’t it be unsettling if such a collection of attractive objects or experiences remained available to only a few?”

With this question, she shows that she is now less sensitive and defensive about how she is perceived and understood by others. However, she still has a desire to maintain ambiguity about her identity. On the one hand, she is bold and very creative, on the other hand, closed and emotional.

Other information we learn from her new job concerns whether she will continue the family tradition of motherhood, her career choices and the decisions she makes. Confident and unattached to trends or radio charts, Del Rey is on her way to the next professional step. And that’s without the fame affecting her.

“For example, despite being a big star, she uses social media without paying attention to the antics of other singers of her era. Any other singer in 12-13 years could end her musical career, but Lana seems to have been and will be here for a long time thanks to her sound,” emphasizes Mr. Petridis.

On the one hand, she is bold and very creative, on the other hand, closed and emotional.

5 most popular songs

“Born to Die“: The 2012 song is “a tribute to true love and a tribute to life to its fullest.”

“Summertime Sadness“: Featured on the 2012 album Born to Die, and refers to the death of a loved one of the singer.

“Blue jeans“: Another hit from the record “Born to Die”, a song about Del Rey’s affair with a man she compares to James Dean. The man left her.

“young and handsome“: Heard in the film The Great Gatsby (2013). A love song at its finest. Love so mature and strong that it sees beyond a beautiful face and body.

“high on the beach»: After a hard and painful experience, Del Rey escapes and finds solace by the sea.