Fans have alleged that Lana Del Rey’s promotion for her upcoming album, Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd, seems to take aim at her ex-Sean Larkin. The 37-year-old singer’s specific placement of an ad led some to think she was shading her ex.
The rumors first started when Del Rey announced her new album on December 7. She made the announcement via social media, revealing its release date as March 10, 2023.
Nothing about the announcement was too unusual, as the singer tends to debut a new studio album roughly every two years, and her last album was released in 2021. However, some fans noticed that the date she announced her album happened to be on Larkin’s birthday.
The retired police officer celebrated his 49th birthday on December 7. Del Rey’s announcement of her new album on his birthday could’ve just been a coincidence, but fans became more convinced it was intentional after her billboard went up.
In promotion of her album, just one billboard was put up to advertise it. Meanwhile, that one billboard was placed in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which just happens to be the hometown of Larkin.
Del Rey allegedly confirmed on her private Instagram account that there was only one billboard. The Los Angeles Times also claimed that she stated in a comment on the post, “It’s. Personal.”
Is Lana Del Rey shading her ex?
It is difficult to confirm whether the promotions were just a coincidence or if there was more to them. However, her fans certainly think that Del Rey was being an ultimate form of petty with the promotions.
Fans also screenshotted the post from her private Instagram where she confirmed the one billboard in Tusla. One fan also stated that her shading her ex with a billboard is just “so Lana Del Rey.”
Meanwhile, some of her fans got quite a kick out of the apparent shading. Some users stated that they aspired to be the level of shady that Del Rey is.
Others pointed out how, not only did Del Rey place her billboard in Tulsa, but she actually took a trip to the city to pose in front of the billboard herself.
So far, Del Rey hasn’t publicly responded to the allegations that she is shading her ex-boyfriend with her promotions. However, if she is, it is safe to say that she got the last word where she and Larkin are concerned.
Who is Del Rey’s ex-boyfriend, Larkin?
The apparent shade has reignited interest in Del Rey’s ex-boyfriend Larkin and their relationship. The pair reportedly dated for about a year before splitting in early 2020.
At the time of the breakup, Larkin told The New York Times that the issue was busy schedules but indicated they were still friends. Del Rey never publicly addressed the split, and there seemed to be no bad blood between them until now.
Larkin was a police officer at the time that he started dating Del Rey. He even appeared on A&E’s reality show, Live PD, where he captured footage of himself on the job.
However, in May of 2021, he retired from the Tulsa Police Department, reportedly to focus on new career goals. He currently serves as a co-host on the show On Patrol: Live.
As for his relationship with Del Rey, Larkin revealed that they met while working in New York and hit it off from day one. They made their first appearance as an official couple on the red carpet of the 2020 Grammys Awards.
Considering they have been broken up for two years, it is unclear why Del Rey would choose now to throw some shade at Larkin. Like Del Rey, Larkin has not publicly commented on the billboard or timing of Del Rey’s announcement.