Lana Del Rey fans disturbed by new album’s ‘creepy’ pastor interlude

Freelance Reporter Alison Jones  23th  March 2023

Global star Lana Del Rey has left fans perplexed and disturbed by one of the interludes on her new album Did You Know There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd.  

The six-time Grammy nominee’s ninth album , will be  released on Friday (24 March), includes “Judah Smith Interlude”, a spoken-word sermon from controversial megachurch pastor Judah Smith.

Soft and ethereal piano instrumentals underlay the nearly five-minute recording, which appears to have been recorded by while Del Rey is in attendance.  

Preaching about love, children, marriage and God, Smith warns the congregation against leading a “life dominated by lust”.  “The Spirit of God says, ‘I’ll infuse you with desirеs for what you have and what’s in front of you’.”  

Amid Smith’s words, Del Rey can be heard giggling at times and making  comments.  

The 44-year-old pastor is famously known for his friendly connections with celebrities, including Justin Bieber. Smith was featured on the popstar’s 2021 EP, Freedom.

Smith has often been criticised for being seen as more of an influencer than a preacher. He currently has an Instagram following of 705k. 

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No Install. Ad Forge of Empires While Del Rey’s album has been mostly well-received – The Independent’s Annabel Nugent gave it four out of five stars – numerous listeners have been put off by “Judah Smith Interlude”. 

 “This album is genius and amazing IDC! It would be a skip less album if the ‘Judah Smith Interlude’ wasn’t on it,” one fan tweeted.  A second argued: “I think the ‘Judah Smith Interlude’ is going to be an issue to some later on.” 

 “Ok, we will be skipping ‘Juda Smith Interlude’ from now on,” a third declared.  “You got to be a whole other level of gay and religiously traumatised to sit through and enjoy all 4 and a half minutes of this shit,” a fourth wrote. 

 Some, however, said they found the interlude “interesting”. One person wrote: “If you don’t see the vision I can’t help you.”  Another said they were “obsessed” with it, writing that they found it “haunting”.