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Lana Del Rey has been frequently teasing and pushing back her follow-up to 2023's Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd for more than two years now. When she first announced it at a Grammys party in 2024, it was called Lasso and billed as a country album. Since then its title has changed at least twice — first to The Right Person Will Stay, then to Stove — and Del Rey has clarified that it won't be a drastic departure from her usual Americana-tinted sound.
It's true: The songs she's released along the way don't seem especially country, be it the string-laden swoon "Henry, Come On" to the freaky avant-retro incantation "White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter." But "Bluebird" had some elegant twang to it, and Del Rey has continued engaging in extremely country activities like duetting with Jelly Roll), performing at Stagecoach, and marrying an alligator tour guide.
Now, in the latest of many updates, Del Rey says Stove has been done for a while and she's been busy completing a companion album that came together. "Stove is so lovely and intact as it was intended to be-a classic album if I may say, a lot of of which we’ve toured and you’ve heard – but not all of it," she writes on Instagram, before revealing, "And as the years went by, came a beautiful, secondary album… A commentary of sorts on everything that has been going on, and the patience that was required- and the trust I had to have that not all the things that weren’t working was just because of me."
She says she needs another month to finish the second project, and then both albums will be pressed to vinyl. We've heard that song before. As another great Americana singer-songwriter once put it, all Lana's lies are always wishes. But maybe this one will come true? She did share mockup artwork for two vinyl records at the end of her Instagram carousel. On the other hand, that same photo collection included completely different artwork apparently intended for Stove.
Here's the full text of Del Rey's message:
So much has happened over the last four years, so much time waiting for things to come together and so much time wondering if it was ok that things were falling apart. Patience was the key, and in between the songs came new thoughts about old friends and new dreams and from the doubt of whether the tree I had been planting would grow- came new sprouts and so grew a new rose bush underneath the willow-…A large companion album, compiled by as many people as I could find to help me gather my thoughts about how much was changing.
Stove is so lovely and intact as it was intended to be-a classic album if I may say, a lot of of which we’ve toured and you’ve heard – but not all of it. Thank you to everybody involved.
And as the years went by, came a beautiful, secondary album… A commentary of sorts on everything that has been going on, and the patience that was required- and the trust I had to have that not all the things that weren’t working was just because of me. I’m grateful for all my collaborators, I guess it took what it took to finish it. I need a month to finish putting it together, and then send my two albums to vinyl. Thank you for waiting. It certainly is two of my most beautiful pieces of work, rooted in what I thought would be made out of growth and joy but was peppered with a secondary compilation of songs that sprouted from doubt, hopefulness, and the understanding that new beginnings truly mean starting completely fresh and over. When life decides to send you down another river, it’s really not your choice and it’s truly an adventure of its own.
I wrote about it. Now it’s time to trust the process and go downstream. I’m so grateful to everyone who’s still on board with me. And of course, I wish the best to everyone who stayed on land. Of course I understand.
Just kidding. I thought we were in the boat together.
We at Stereogum HQ are ready for these records to drop.
English (US) · 