By June Peers and Hilda Rico Valdez
On July 20, California-based music artist, Lana Del Rey, was spotted working at a Waffle House location in Florence, Alabama. Fans speculated that her appearance in this area was connected to her newest album, “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under the Ocean Blvd.” In a song from the album, “Paris, Texas,” Lana sings of visiting “to see some friends of mine, down in Florence, Alabama.”
Fan theories abound as to why the successful singer would work at a Waffle House. Some suggest that she’s working there for fun, while others believe it’s because the restaurant is in the area of a recording studio known as “Muscle Shoals.” In spite of these theories, her fans just hope that whatever the reason may be, she still continues to create music.
Her popularity continues to thrive due to her music resurfacing. Her fans have been posting about her old songs on social media platforms, such as TikTok, allowing people to revisit her music again.
Many of the singer’s fans have been given the opportunity to meet the artist while also taking candid photos with her at Waffle House. They have been able to catch her at the restaurant’s parking lot, and have even received service from her. Through social media platforms, such as TikTok and Facebook, fans have been sharing their encounters with the singer.
“Casual day in Florence meeting Lana Del Rey. It was great! She was so down to earth and real with us,” Facebook user and fan, Macy Ladner posted.
Part of this excitement is due to the singer’s growing popularity in both the release of her new album in March and her ongoing tour.
The start of Covid-19 marked the period in which Lana stopped touring. However, even after the pandemic-related lockdowns began to ease, Lana still did not tour for another four years. Instead, she released three new albums, which left fans anticipating her next tour.
On May 27, she finally returned from her long hiatus by performing as the headliner of the 2023 Mita Music Festival in Rio De Janeiro. More recently, she toured internationally in cities, such as Mexico City, London, and São Paulo. Additionally, for the upcoming weeks, she is scheduled to tour big cities and small towns across the US.
Though Lana has released several albums recently, her set list mostly consists of her early hits, such as Young and Beautiful, and Summertime Sadness. These songs have amassed over 100 million streams on Spotify, explaining why fans are still ecstatic about the revival of Lana’s concerts. So much so, that her tour tickets sold out within hours of their release.
Though there is no news of an upcoming album release, her second poetry book entitled “Behind the Iron Gates” is said to be published soon. Her first poetry book, Violent Bent Backwards over the Grass, which was published in 2020, landed on The New York Times Best Sellers list. After receiving such great reviews from this book, perhaps she feels inspired to write more poetry rather than compose another album.
As described in this quote by Lana, “I’m a writer first and a singer second.” Perhaps this quote can serve as a reminder to her that she’s only human, and can engage in a lifestyle that is separate from her fame. Working at Waffle House for her could be an escape from the pressures that often come with fame, and it is perhaps a method to redirect her to her poetry.
The most important thing to remember is that above all, she is her birth name, Elizabeth Woolridge Grant first, and her pseudonym, Lana Del Rey second. After all, she is only human.
The Plaid Press 