Emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, alternative pop artist Lana Del Rey released her highly-anticipated ninth album, “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd,” on March 24, 2023, containing 16 tracks. 

Born Elizabeth Woodridge Grant, Lana Del Rey is known for her poignant lyrics that infuses themes of rebelliousness, romance, and isolation, as well as her edgy yet glamorous musical style.

Her appeal to fans lies in the way that “she furthers the idea that human beings are multifaceted and at the same time have universal experiences. For women in particular, I believe her image conveys the message that it’s cool and beautiful to be different and original,” said English Instructor Mary Dalton.

With verbose song titles like “Grandfather Please Stand on the Shoulders of My Father While He’s Deep Sea Fishing” and “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd,” Lana continues to embed her iconic, dreamy, and melancholic music style in them while navigating her identity amidst current events through audacious lyricism.

In songs like “Peppers,” which features Canadian rapper Tommy Genesis, Lana makes commentary how COVID-19 and the Internet have impacted the interpersonal relationships in the modern age, yet retains her sultry musical style.

However, the marked shift in musical direction in her new album has left some fans reminiscing over her older work.

Dalton remarked, “The album still has the same distinct and haunting sound, but it doesn’t grip me like her previous work does. While this new album has a pleasing sound, the melodies are not as catchy or memorable to me as they are in her previous work.”

Despite this, other fans continue to relish her hypnotic vocal style which flawlessly complements the atmospheric instrumentation.

Nayeli Casique ’24 expressed her love for a particular song on the album. “Margaret is a beautiful song with beautiful instrumentals.”

She added, “I usually don’t listen to songs that are this slow anymore, but Lana’s voice mixed with the instrumentals makes the song completely mesmerizing from the start.”

“Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd” is an overall beautiful and authentic album that captures Del Rey’s progression as both an artist and person while simultaneously maintaining her iconic music style.