What’s the reason behind Lana Del Rey delaying her upcoming country album Stove?

Lana Del Rey's 10th studio album has been eagerly awaited, and fans now understand why this highly anticipated project isn't being released as soon as initially promised.

In her new W Magazine cover story interview, published on August 26, the West Coast hitmaker opened up about the delay.

The album, which has already gone through a series of name changes — from Lasso to The Right Person Will Stay and now Stove — is now slated for release at the end of January 2026.

According to the alternative pop icon, the holdup came down to writing. She referenced new songs she decided to add in Stove, explaining:

“They were more autobiographical than I thought, and that took more time."

The songstress emphasized her connection to narrative songwriting, pointing to the genre’s natural fit with her lyrical style.

“The storytelling is there in both. And I’m always drawn to world-creating, especially in country music."

For Stove, Lana Del Rey worked alongside producer Luke Laird, a notable figure in Nashville’s country music scene, as well as longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff.

While her sound has always flirted with Americana and vintage aesthetics, she confirmed this record will lean even deeper into a rustic sensibility. As she put it:

“The majority of the album will have a country flair.”

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“Drawn to world-creating": Lana Del Rey on her love of country and classic California songs

The album isn’t her only recent affinity for country. Lana Del Rey revealed she had also considered releasing a garland of covers, tentatively titled Country and Western, that would spotlight classic California songs alongside the genre's staples. She shared:

“I love ‘California Dreamin’ ’ and ‘California’ by Joni Mitchell!”

The Dark Paradise singer added that she’s equally enamored with Waylon Jennings’ Luckenbach, Texas. She elaborated further:

“The storytelling is there in both. And I’m always drawn to world-creating, especially in country music.”

Lana Del Rey's love for Americana seems like a natural next step for her, as her music often blends melancholic themes of love and beauty related to America's old glamour.

Fans who first heard her whisper-sing about blue jeans, white shirt in 2012 may not be surprised that ten years later, she is more firmly establishing her presence in Nashville. She told W of Stove:

“Eight years ago, when I was looking to make a country record, no one else was thinking about country. Now everyone is going country! I’ve asked myself, Should I retire all my snakeskin boots? Should I put my cowboy hats in storage?”

While Stove is expected to arrive in 2026, fans may savor a taste of the genre with her latest singles, Bluebird and Henry, Come On, both released in April.

Back in the spring, Lana Del Rey had already teased that the process would stretch longer than planned. In a since-deleted Instagram Reel from April 11, she told fans:

“I’m really happy for this album to be moving along. I do have a lot more to say [about] that ... I mean, you do know it’s not going to come on time right? Like... should I even tell you that the name changed again?”

She playfully added:

“Should I tell you that now, while you’re so happy you even have a song? Yeah... maybe I’ll wait.”