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Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor (born 7 November 1996), known professionally as Lorde ( ), is a New Zealand singer-songwriter. Taking inspiration from
aristocracy Aristocracy (, ) is a form of government that places strength in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocracy (class), aristocrats. The term derives from the el, αριστοκρατία (), meaning 'rule of the best'. At t ...
for her stage name, she is known for her unconventional musical styles and introspective songwriting. Lorde expressed interest in performing at local venues in her early teens. She signed with Universal Music Group (UMG) in 2009 and collaborated with producer Joel Little in 2011 to start recording music. Their first effort, an extended play (EP) titled '' The Love Club'', was self-released in 2012 for free download on SoundCloud before UMG's commercial release in 2013. The EP's international chart-topping single "
Royals Royals may refer to: Entertainment * The Royals (band), a Jamaican reggae vocal group * The Royals, original name of The Midnighters * "Royals" (song), a 2013 single by Lorde * ''The Royals'' (TV series), a 2015 E! network drama series * ''The ...
" helped raise Lorde to prominence. Her debut studio album ''
Pure Heroine ''Pure Heroine'' is the debut studio album by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde. It was released on 27 September 2013 by Universal Music Group, Universal, Lava Records, Lava, and Republic Records. After several unsuccessful sessions with song ...
'' was released that same year to critical and commercial success. The following year, Lorde curated the soundtrack for the 2014 film '' The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1'' and recorded several tracks, including the single " Yellow Flicker Beat". Lorde's second studio album ''
Melodrama A modern melodrama is a dramatic work in which the plot, typically sensationalized and for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodramas typically concentrate on dialogue that is often bombastic or exces ...
'' (2017) received widespread critical acclaim and debuted atop the US ''Billboard'' 200. For her third studio album, '' Solar Power'' (2021), she ventured into
indie folk Indie folk is a music genre that arose in the 1990s among musicians from indie rock scenes influenced by folk music. Indie folk hybridizes the acoustic guitar melodies of traditional folk music with contemporary instrumentation. The genre has its ...
and
psychedelic Psychedelics are a subclass of hallucinogenic drugs whose primary effect is to trigger non-ordinary states of consciousness (known as psychedelic experiences or "trips").Pollan, Michael (2018). ''How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of ...
styles. The album reached number one in Australia and New Zealand and charted inside the top-10 in numerous countries, although it polarised music critics and fans alike. Lorde's accolades include two
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
, two Brit Awards, and a
Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
nomination. She appeared in '' Time''s list of the most influential teenagers in 2013 and 2014, and the 2014 edition of ''Forbes'' 30 Under 30. In addition to her solo work, she has co-written songs for other artists, including Broods and
Bleachers Bleachers (North American English), or stands, are raised, tiered rows of benches found at sports fields and other spectator events. Stairways provide access to the horizontal rows of seats, often with every other step gaining access to a row ...
. , Lorde has sold over five million albums worldwide.


Life and career


1996–2009: Early life

Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor was born on 7 November 1996 in Takapuna, New Zealand, a suburb of Auckland, to poet
Sonja Yelich Sonja Yelich (; born 1965) is a New Zealand poet. She is the mother of pop singer Lorde. Early life Sonja Yelich () was born in Auckland, New Zealand in 1965, into an immigrant family from the region of Dalmatia. She studied literature at th ...
( hr, Jelić) and civil engineer Vic O'Connor. Her mother was born to Croatian immigrants from the region of
Dalmatia Dalmatia (; hr, Dalmacija ; it, Dalmazia; see #Name, names in other languages) is one of the four historical region, historical regions of Croatia, alongside Croatia proper, Slavonia, and Istria. Dalmatia is a narrow belt of the east shore of ...
, while her father is of Irish descent. They announced their engagement in 2014, after a 30-year relationship, and they married in a 2017 private ceremony in Cheltenham Beach. Lorde holds dual New Zealand and Croatian citizenship. Lorde is the second of four children: she has an older sister Jerry, a younger sister India, and a younger brother Angelo. They were raised in Auckland's North Shore suburbs of Devonport and
Bayswater Bayswater is an area within the City of Westminster in West London. It is a built-up district with a population density of 17,500 per square kilometre, and is located between Kensington Gardens to the south, Paddington to the north-east, and ...
. At age five, she joined a drama group and developed
public speaking Public speaking, also called oratory or oration, has traditionally meant the act of speaking face to face to a live audience. Today it includes any form of speaking (formally and informally) to an audience, including pre-recorded speech deliver ...
skills. Her mother encouraged her to read a range of genres, which Lorde cited as a lyrical influence. More specifically, she cites the young adult
dystopian A dystopia (from Ancient Greek δυσ- "bad, hard" and τόπος "place"; alternatively cacotopiaCacotopia (from κακός ''kakos'' "bad") was the term used by Jeremy Bentham in his 1818 Plan of Parliamentary Reform (Works, vol. 3, p. 493). ...
novel '' Feed'' (2002) by
M.T. Anderson Matthew Tobin Anderson (born November 4, 1968), is an American writer of children's books that range from picture books to young adult novels. He won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature in 2006 for '' The Pox Party'', the first ...
as well as authors J.D. Salinger, Raymond Carver and Janet Frame for influencing her songwriting. After a suggestion from a school instructor, her mother had her take the Woodcock–Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities to determine her intelligence. The results concluded that Lorde, age 6, was a gifted child. She was briefly enrolled at George Parkyn Centre, a gifted education organisation. Sonja unenrolled her, however, citing
social development Social development can refer to: * Psychosocial development * Social change * Social development theory * Social Development (journal) * Social emotional development * Social progress or social regress The word decadence, which at first meant ...
concerns. As a child, Lorde attended Vauxhall School and then
Belmont Intermediate School Belmont Intermediate School is a state coeducational intermediate school located in Belmont on the North Shore of Auckland, New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of ...
in her early teens. While attending Vauxhall, she placed third and first respectively in the North Shore Primary Schools' Speech competition, a national contest, in 2006 and 2007. Lorde and her Belmont team were named the runner-up in the 2009
Kids' Lit Quiz The Kids' Lit Quiz is an annual literature competition, in which teams of four students, aged 10 to 14, work together to answer wide-ranging literary questions. The winning team from each region competes in the national final. The winner of the n ...
World Finals, a global literature competition for students aged 10 to 14.


2009–2011: Career beginnings

In May 2009, Lorde and her friend Louis McDonald won the Belmont Intermediate School annual talent show as a duo. In August that year, Lorde and McDonald made a guest appearance on Jim Mora's ''Afternoons'' show on
Radio New Zealand Radio New Zealand ( mi, Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa), commonly known as Radio NZ or simply RNZ, is a New Zealand public-service radio broadcaster and Crown entity that was established under the Radio New Zealand Act 1995. It operates news and c ...
. There, they performed covers of Pixie Lott's "
Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh) "Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh)" (also known as "Mama Do") is the debut single by English singer and songwriter Pixie Lott released as the lead single from her debut studio album, '' Turn It Up'' (2009). Written and produced by Mads Hauge and Phil Thor ...
" and Kings of Leon's " Use Somebody". McDonald's father then sent his recordings of the duo covering "Mama Do" and
Duffy Duffy may refer to: People *Duffy (surname), people with the surname Duffy or Duffey *Duffy (nickname) *Duffy (singer) (born 1984), Welsh singer, born Aimee Ann Duffy Places *Duffy, Australian Capital Territory, a suburb of Canberra * Duffy, Ohio ...
's " Warwick Avenue" to Universal Music Group (UMG)'s A&R executive Scott Maclachlan. Maclachlan subsequently signed her to UMG for development. Lorde was also part of the Belmont Intermediate School band Extreme; the band placed third in the North Shore Battle of the Bands finals at the Bruce Mason Centre, Takapuna, Auckland on 18 November 2009. In 2010, Lorde and McDonald formed a duet called "Ella & Louis" and performed covers live on a regular basis at local venues, including cafés in Auckland and the Victoria Theatre in Devonport. In 2011, UMG hired vocal coach Frances Dickinson to give her singing lessons twice a week for a year. During this time, Maclachlan attempted to partner Lorde with several different producers and songwriters, but without success. As she began writing songs, she learned how to "put words together" by reading
short fiction A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest t ...
. Lorde performed her original songs for the first time at the Victoria Theatre in November 2011. In December, Maclachlan paired Lorde with Joel Little, a songwriter, record producer, and former
Goodnight Nurse Goodnight Nurse was a New Zealand pop punk band formed in Auckland in 2001. The group originally began as a trio, but later changed to a four-piece prior to the release of their second album. It consisted of lead vocalist Joel Little, guitaris ...
lead singer. The pair recorded five songs for an extended play (EP) at Little's Golden Age Studios in Morningside, Auckland, and finished within three weeks. While working on her music career, she attended
Takapuna Grammar School Takapuna Grammar School is a state coeducational secondary school located in the suburb of Belmont on the North Shore of Auckland, New Zealand. Established in 1927, the school mainly serves the eponymous suburb of Takapuna and the entire Devo ...
from 2010 to 2013, completing
Year 12 Year 12 is an educational year group in schools in many countries including England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. It is sometimes the twelfth year of compulsory education, or alternatively a year of post-compulsory educa ...
. She later chose not to return in 2014 to attend
Year 13 Year 13 is an educational year group in schools in many countries including England and Wales, Northern Ireland and New Zealand. It is sometimes the thirteenth and final year of compulsory education, or alternatively a year of post-compulsory e ...
.


2012–2015: ''Pure Heroine''

When Lorde and Little had finished their first collaborative effort, '' The Love Club EP'', Maclachlan applauded it as a "strong piece of music", but worried if the EP could profit because Lorde was obscure at the time. In November 2012, the singer self-released the EP through her SoundCloud account for free download. UMG commercially released ''The Love Club'' in March 2013 after it had been downloaded 60,000 times, which signalled that Lorde had attracted a range of audiences. It peaked at number two in New Zealand and Australia. "
Royals Royals may refer to: Entertainment * The Royals (band), a Jamaican reggae vocal group * The Royals, original name of The Midnighters * "Royals" (song), a 2013 single by Lorde * ''The Royals'' (TV series), a 2015 E! network drama series * ''The ...
", the EP's single, helped Lorde rise to prominence after it became a critical and commercial success, selling more than 10 million units worldwide. It peaked at number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, making Lorde, then aged 16, the youngest artist to earn a number-one single in the United States since
Tiffany Tiffany may refer to: People * Tiffany (given name), list of people with this name * Tiffany (surname), list of people with this surname Known mononymously as "Tiffany": * Tiffany Darwish, (born 1971), an American singer, songwriter, actress kn ...
in 1987, and has since been certified diamond by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA). The track won two
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
for Best Pop Solo Performance and
Song of the Year Song of the Year may refer to: * Country Music Association Award for Song of the Year * Dove Award for Song of the Year * Golden Melody Award for Song of the Year * Grammis Song of the Year * Grammy Award for Song of the Year * Latin Grammy Awa ...
at the 56th ceremony. From late 2013 to early 2016, Lorde was in a relationship with New Zealand photographer James Lowe. Lorde's debut studio album ''
Pure Heroine ''Pure Heroine'' is the debut studio album by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde. It was released on 27 September 2013 by Universal Music Group, Universal, Lava Records, Lava, and Republic Records. After several unsuccessful sessions with song ...
'' containing the single "Royals" was released in September 2013 to critical acclaim; it appeared on several year-end best album lists. The album received considerable attention for its portrayal of suburban teenage disillusionment and critiques of mainstream culture. In the United States, the album sold over one million copies in February 2014, becoming the first debut album by a female artist since Adele's 2008 album '' 19'' to achieve the feat. ''Pure Heroine'' earned a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album and had sold four million copies worldwide as of May 2017. Three other singles were released from the album: " Tennis Court" reached number one in New Zealand, while " Team" charted at number six in the United States, and "
Glory and Gore "Glory and Gore" is a song by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde from her debut studio album, ''Pure Heroine'' (2013). The song was released on 11 March 2014 as the album's fourth and final single by Lava Records and Republic Records. The tra ...
" was released exclusively to US radio. In November 2013, Lorde signed a publishing deal with
Songs Music Publishing Songs Music Publishing, also known as SONGS, is a Music publisher (popular music), music publishing company founded by Matt Pincus and joined by partners Ron Perry (music), Ron Perry in 2004 and Carianne Marshall in 2006. The company has offices in ...
, worth a reported US$2.5 million, after a bidding war between companies, including Sony Music Entertainment and her label UMG. The agreement gave the publisher the right to license Lorde's music for films and advertising. Later that month, Lorde was featured on the soundtrack for the 2013 film '' The Hunger Games: Catching Fire'', performing a cover of Tears for Fears' 1985 song " Everybody Wants to Rule the World". '' Time'' included her on their lists of the most influential teenagers in the world in 2013 and 2014. '' Forbes'' also placed her on their 2014 edition of
30 Under 30 ''Forbes'' 30 Under 30 is a set of lists of people under 30 years old issued annually by ''Forbes'' magazine and some of its regional editions. The American lists recognize 600 business and industry figures, with 30 selected in twenty industries ...
; she was the youngest individual to be featured. ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' featured her on their 21 Under 21 list in 2013, 2014, and 2015. In the first half of 2014, Lorde performed at several music festivals, including the Laneway Festival in Sydney, the three South American editions of
Lollapalooza Lollapalooza (Lolla) is an annual American four-day music festival held in Grant Park in Chicago. It originally started as a touring event in 1991 but several years later made Chicago the permanent location for the annual music festival. Musi ...
Chile, Argentina, Brazil—and the
Coachella Festival The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (commonly called the Coachella Festival or simply Coachella) is an annual music and arts festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Coachella Valley in the Colorado Desert. I ...
in California. She subsequently embarked on an international concert tour, commencing in North America in early 2014. Amidst her solo activities, Lorde joined the surviving members of Nirvana to perform " All Apologies" during the band's induction ceremony at the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...
in April 2014. Band members Krist Novoselic and
Dave Grohl David Eric Grohl (born January 14, 1969) is an American musician. He is the founder of the rock band Foo Fighters, in which he is the lead singer, guitarist, and principal songwriter. Prior to forming Foo Fighters, he was the drummer of gru ...
explained that they selected Lorde because her songs represented "Nirvana aesthetics" for their perceptive lyrics. Lorde also curated the accompanying soundtrack for the 2014 film '' The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1'', overseeing the collation of the album's content as well as recording four tracks, including its lead single " Yellow Flicker Beat". In 2015, the track earned Lorde a
Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
nomination for Best Original Song. Later that year, she was featured on British electronic duo Disclosure's song " Magnets" off their 2015 album '' Caracal''.


2016–2018: ''Melodrama''

In January 2016, Lorde relocated to
Herne Bay Herne Bay is a seaside town on the north coast of Kent in South East England. It is north of Canterbury and east of Whitstable. It neighbours the ancient villages of Herne and Reculver and is part of the City of Canterbury local government ...
, an affluent suburb in Auckland. At the
2016 Brit Awards Brit Awards 2016 was held on 24 February 2016 and was the 36th edition of the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The awards ceremony was held at The O2 Arena in London and were presented by Ant & Dec. Award nominations wer ...
in February, Lorde and David Bowie's final touring band gave a tribute performance of his 1971 song " Life on Mars". Pianist Mike Garson, a frequent band member for Bowie, explained that Bowie's family and management selected Lorde because he admired her and felt she was "the future of music". Later that year, Lorde co-wrote "
Heartlines "Heartlines" is a song recorded by New Zealand music duo Broods from their second studio album, ''Conscious (Broods album), Conscious'' (2016). Georgia Nott and Caleb Nott, the sole members of Broods, wrote the song with New Zealand singer Lord ...
", a song by New Zealand music duo Broods from their 2016 album '' Conscious''. The lead single from her second studio album ''
Melodrama A modern melodrama is a dramatic work in which the plot, typically sensationalized and for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodramas typically concentrate on dialogue that is often bombastic or exces ...
'', " Green Light", was released in March 2017 to critical acclaim; several publications ranked it as one of the best songs of the year, '' NME'' and '' The Guardian'' placing it in the top spot on their respective lists. It achieved moderate commercial success, reaching number one in New Zealand, number four in Australia and number nine in Canada. Later that month, she co-wrote and provided background vocals for American indie pop band
Bleachers Bleachers (North American English), or stands, are raised, tiered rows of benches found at sports fields and other spectator events. Stairways provide access to the horizontal rows of seats, often with every other step gaining access to a row ...
's song " Don't Take the Money", taken from their 2017 record '' Gone Now''. On ''Melodrama'', Lorde's songwriting showed signs of maturity with introspective, post-breakup lyrics. The album was released in June 2017 to widespread critical acclaim; Metacritic placed it second on their list of the best-received records of 2017 based on inclusions in publications' year-end lists, behind Kendrick Lamar's ''
Damn Damnation (from Latin '' damnatio'') is the concept of divine punishment and torment in an afterlife for actions that were committed, or in some cases, not committed on Earth. In Ancient Egyptian religious tradition, citizens would recite th ...
''. It debuted at number one on the US ''Billboard'' 200, giving Lorde her first number-one album on the chart, and on record charts of Australia, Canada and New Zealand. It earned a Grammy nomination for
Album of the Year Album of the Year, often abbreviated to AOTY, may refer to: Awards * ARIA Award for Album of the Year, Australia * Brit Award for British Album of the Year, UK * Grammy Award for Album of the Year, US * Juno Award for Album of the Year, CA * Lati ...
at the 60th ceremony. Two other singles from the album were released: "
Perfect Places "Perfect Places" is a song by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde. It was released on 1 June 2017 through Universal Music New Zealand as the second single, following " Green Light" (2017), from her second album, '' Melodrama'' (2017). Lorde c ...
" and a remix of "
Homemade Dynamite "Homemade Dynamite" is a song by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde from her second album, ''Melodrama'' (2017). She wrote the track with Tove Lo, Jakob Jerlström, & Ludvig Söderberg ,and produced it with Frank Dukes and vocal producer Kuk ...
" featuring
Khalid Khalid (variants include Khaled and Kalid; Arabic: خالد) is a popular Arabic male given name meaning "eternal, everlasting, immortal", and it also appears as a surname.
, Post Malone and
SZA Solána Imani Rowe (born November 8, 1989), known professionally as SZA ( ), is an American singer and songwriter. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, she began making music in the early 2010s, releasing two extended plays before signing with the hip ...
. To promote ''Melodrama'', Lorde embarked on an international concert tour, the first leg of which took place in Europe in late 2017, featuring Khalid as the supporting act. She later announced the North American leg, held in March 2018, with
Run the Jewels Run the Jewels, also known by the initials RTJ, is an American hip hop super-duo composed of Brooklyn-based rapper and producer El-P and Atlanta-based rapper Killer Mike. They released their critically acclaimed self-titled debut studio album ...
, Mitski and
Tove Styrke Tove Anna Linnéa Östman Styrke (; born 19 November 1992) is a Swedish singer and songwriter. She gained popularity as a contestant on '' Swedish Idol 2009'', finishing in third place. After the show, she started a solo career in electropop. Sh ...
as opening acts. A political controversy occurred in December 2017 when Lorde cancelled her scheduled June 2018 concert in Israel following an online campaign by Palestinian solidarity activists supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign. While Lorde did not explicitly indicate her reasons for the cancellation, she admitted that she had been unaware of the political turmoil there and "the right decision at this time is to cancel". Pro-Palestine groups welcomed her decision, while pro-Israel groups were critical of the cancellation. ''Billboard'' included Lorde on their 2017 edition of 21 Under 21, while ''Forbes'' included her in their 30 Under 30 Asia list.


2019–present: ''Going South'' and ''Solar Power''

Lorde revealed on 20 May 2020 that she started working on her third studio album with Antonoff following the death of her dog Pearl. In November 2020, she announced the release of '' Going South'', a book documenting her January 2019 visit to Antarctica with photos taken by photographer Harriet Were. On 25 May 2021, Lorde was announced as a headlining act for Primavera Sound's June 2022 festival, her first live show performance in over two years. On 7 June, Lorde posted an image on her website with the caption "Solar Power", along with the message: "Arriving in 2021 ... Patience is a virtue." " Solar Power" was released on 10 June, as the lead single from her third studio album of the same name, which was released on 20 August to mixed reviews. "
Stoned at the Nail Salon "Stoned at the Nail Salon" is a song by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde, released through Universal Music New Zealand on 22 July 2021 as the second single from her third studio album, '' Solar Power''. The song was written and produced by ...
" and "
Mood Ring A mood ring is a finger ring that contains a thermochromic element, or "mood stone", that changes colors based on the temperature of the finger of the wearer. Finger temperature, as long as the ambient temperature is relatively constant, is si ...
" were released as the album's second and third singles on 21 July and 17 August, respectively. Lorde released on 9 September 2021 as a companion piece to ''Solar Power''. The EP is sung entirely in , and was translated by Hana Mereraiha. Other translators included Sir Tīmoti Kāretu and Hēmi Kelly. The project was led by Dame Hinewehi Mohi. All proceeds from the album are going towards two New Zealand-based charities: Forest & Bird and .


Artistry


Influences

Lorde grew up listening to American jazz and soul musicians Billie Holiday,
Sam Cooke Samuel Cook (January 22, 1931 – December 11, 1964), known professionally as Sam Cooke, was an American singer and songwriter. Considered to be a pioneer and one of the most influential soul artists of all time, Cooke is commonly referred ...
,
Etta James Jamesetta Hawkins (January 25, 1938 – January 20, 2012), known professionally as Etta James, was an American singer who performed in various genres, including gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, rock and roll, and soul. Starting her career in 1954, sh ...
, and Otis Redding, whose music she admires for "harvesting their suffering." She also listened to her parents' favourite records by the likes of
Cat Stevens Yusuf Islam (born Steven Demetre Georgiou; ), commonly known by his stage names Cat Stevens, Yusuf, and Yusuf / Cat Stevens, is a British singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. His musical style consists of folk, pop, rock, and, later in ...
, Neil Young, and
Fleetwood Mac Fleetwood Mac are a British-American rock band, formed in London in 1967. Fleetwood Mac were founded by guitarist Peter Green, drummer Mick Fleetwood and guitarist Jeremy Spencer, before bassist John McVie joined the line-up for their epony ...
in her early years. During production of ''Pure Heroine'', Lorde cited influences from electronic music producers, including SBTRKT,
Grimes Claire Elise Boucher (; born March 17, 1988), known professionally as Grimes, is a Canadian musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Her early work has been described as extending from "lo-fi R&B" to futuristic dance-pop, and has in ...
, and
Sleigh Bells Sleigh Bells may refer to: * Sleigh bells, a type of bell which produces a distinctive 'jingle' sound, especially in large numbers. * Sleigh Bells (band) Sleigh Bells is an American musical duo based in Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2008 and ...
, impressed by "their vocals in a really interesting way, whether it might be chopping up a vocal part or really lash or layering a vocal." Lorde also stated that she was inspired by the initially hidden identities of
Burial Burial, also known as interment or inhumation, is a method of final disposition whereby a dead body is placed into the ground, sometimes with objects. This is usually accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and objec ...
and the Weeknd, explaining, "I feel like mystery is more interesting." Other inspirations include
Grace Jones Grace Beverly Jones (born 19 May 1948) is a model, singer and actress. Born in Jamaica, she and her family moved to Syracuse, New York, when she was a teenager. Jones began her modelling career in New York state, then in Paris, working for ...
, James Blake, Yeasayer,
Animal Collective Animal Collective is an American experimental pop band formed in Baltimore, Maryland. Its members consist of Avey Tare (David Portner), Panda Bear (Noah Lennox), Geologist (Brian Weitz), and Deakin (Josh Dibb). The band's work is characterized ...
, Bon Iver, the Smiths, Arcade Fire, Laurie Anderson, Kanye West, Prince, and David Bowie. Lyrically, Lorde cited her mother, a poet, as the primary influence for her songwriting. She also named several authors, including Kurt Vonnegut, Raymond Carver,
Wells Tower Wells Tower (born April 14, 1973) is an American writer of short stories, non-fiction, feature films and television. In 2009 he published his first short story collection, ''Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned'' (Farrar, Straus and Giroux) to ...
, Tobias Wolff,
Claire Vaye Watkins Claire Vaye Watkins (born April 9, 1984) is an American author and academic. Her book of short stories '' Battleborn'' (Riverhead Books, 2012), won The Story Prize, among other awards. In 2012 the National Book Foundation named her a "5 under 35" ...
, Sylvia Plath, Walt Whitman, and
T. S. Eliot Thomas Stearns Eliot (26 September 18884 January 1965) was a poet, essayist, publisher, playwright, literary critic and editor.Bush, Ronald. "T. S. Eliot's Life and Career", in John A Garraty and Mark C. Carnes (eds), ''American National Biogr ...
as lyrical inspirations, particularly noting their
sentence structure In linguistics, syntax () is the study of how words and morphemes combine to form larger units such as phrases and sentences. Central concerns of syntax include word order, grammatical relations, hierarchical sentence structure ( constituency) ...
s. When writing her second album, ''Melodrama'', Lorde took inspiration from the melodic styles of a variety of musicians, including
Phil Collins Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English singer, musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and lead singer of the rock band Genesis and also has a career as a solo performer. Between 1982 and ...
,
Don Henley Donald Hugh Henley (born July 22, 1947) is an American musician and a founding member of the rock band Eagles. He is the drummer and one of the lead singers for the Eagles. Henley sang the lead vocals on Eagles hits such as "Witchy Woman", "Despe ...
,
Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to the ...
, Florence + the Machine, Tom Petty,
Joni Mitchell Roberta Joan "Joni" Mitchell ( Anderson; born November 7, 1943) is a Canadian-American musician, producer, and painter. Among the most influential singer-songwriters to emerge from the 1960s folk music circuit, Mitchell became known for her sta ...
, Leonard Cohen, and Robyn. During the recording process, Lorde stated that Frank Ocean's 2016 album '' Blonde'' inspired her to eschew "traditional song structures." She frequently listened to
Paul Simon Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actor whose career has spanned six decades. He is one of the most acclaimed songwriters in popular music, both as a solo artist and as half of folk roc ...
's 1986 album '' Graceland'' while riding subways in New York City and on taxi rides on the way home from parties in her hometown of Auckland. She cited the 1950 science fiction short story " There Will Come Soft Rains" by Ray Bradbury as inspiration for much of ''Melodrama''s story, relating it to her own realities she faced.


Musical style and songwriting

Lorde is noted for her unconventional pop sound and introspective songwriting. In a 2017 interview with '' NME'', she declared "I don't think about staying in my genre lane". AllMusic's
Stephen Thomas Erlewine Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance writer, occ ...
characterised her style as primarily
electropop Electropop is a hybrid music genre combining elements of electronic and pop genres. Writer Hollin Jones has described it as a variant of synth-pop with heavy emphasis on its electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a re ...
, while scholar Tony Mitchell categorized her as an alt-pop singer. Upon the release of ''Pure Heroine'', contemporary critics described her music as electropop, art pop, dream pop, indie pop, and
indie-electro Indie rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the music they produce ...
, with influences of hip hop. ''Melodrama'' was a departure from the hip hop-oriented minimalist style of its predecessor, incorporating piano instrumentation and maximalist electronic beats. Before ''Melodrama'', Lorde only sang and did not play musical instruments on her records or onstage, saying, " yvoice needs to have the focus. My vocal-scape is really important".
'' PopMatters'' described Lorde's vocals as "unique and powerfully intriguing", while ''Billboard'' characterised her voice as "dynamic, smoky and restrained". For the Melodrama World Tour, however, she played a drum pad
sampler Sampler may refer to: * Sampler (signal), a digital signal processing device that converts a continuous signal to a discrete signal * Sampler (needlework), a handstitched piece of embroidery used to demonstrate skill in needlework * Sampler (surna ...
, and xylophone onstage in some performances. Shortly after finishing her tour, Lorde said she had started learning to play the piano. '' Vice'' noted that her songs incorporated the
mixolydian mode Mixolydian mode may refer to one of three things: the name applied to one of the ancient Greek ''harmoniai'' or ''tonoi'', based on a particular octave species or scale; one of the medieval church modes; or a modern musical mode or diatonic scal ...
, a melodic structure used in "
blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
-based and alternative rock" music, which set her songs apart from those in pop music for not fitting a common
major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
or
minor Minor may refer to: * Minor (law), a person under the age of certain legal activities. ** A person who has not reached the age of majority * Academic minor, a secondary field of study in undergraduate education Music theory *Minor chord ** Barb ...
chord. Regarding her songwriting process, Lorde explained that the foundation to her songs began with the lyrics, which could sometimes stem from a singular word meant to summarise a specific idea she had tried to identify. For "Tennis Court", Lorde wrote the music before lyrics. She stated that the songwriting on ''Pure Heroine'' developed from the perspective of an observer. Similarly, in an interview with ''NME'', Lorde acknowledged that she used words of inclusion throughout her debut album, while her follow-up ''Melodrama'' presented a shift to first-person narrative, employing more introspective lyrics inspired by Lorde's personal struggles post-breakup and viewpoints on post-teenage maturity. Lorde's neurological condition chromesthesia influenced her songwriting on the album; it led her to arrange colours according to each song's theme and emotion.


Public image and impact

Lorde's stage name illustrates her fascination with "
royals Royals may refer to: Entertainment * The Royals (band), a Jamaican reggae vocal group * The Royals, original name of The Midnighters * "Royals" (song), a 2013 single by Lorde * ''The Royals'' (TV series), a 2015 E! network drama series * ''The ...
and
aristocracy Aristocracy (, ) is a form of government that places strength in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocracy (class), aristocrats. The term derives from the el, αριστοκρατία (), meaning 'rule of the best'. At t ...
"; she added an "e" after the name Lord, which she felt was too masculine, to make it more feminine. She described her public image as something that "naturally" came to her and was identical to her real-life personality. Lorde identifies as a
feminist Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that society prioritizes the male po ...
. '' The New Zealand Herald'' opined that her feminist ideology was different from her contemporaries due to Lorde's disinterest in sexualised performances. She proclaimed herself in an interview with '' V'' magazine as a "hugely sex-positive person", saying, "I have nothing against anyone getting naked. ... I just don't think it really would complement my music in any way or help me tell a story any better". Critical reception of Lorde is generally positive, with praise concentrated on her maturity both musically and lyrically. '' The New York Times'' called her "the pop prodigy" who was not conformed to boundaries and always sought experimentation. ''Billboard'' recognised Lorde as a spokesperson for a "female rock resurgence" by introducing her works to rock and alternative radio, which had seen a traditional male dominance. The publication also named her the " New Queen of Alternative" in a 2013 cover story. Journalist
Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most well-known and influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and ...
was less enthusiastic towards Lorde's styles, labelling the singer as "a pop property" that was indistinguishable from other mainstream artists. Lorde's critiques of mainstream culture on ''Pure Heroine'' earned her the title "the voice of her generation", a label she dismissed, saying that "young people have never needed a specialised spokesperson".
Jon Caramanica Jon Caramanica (born 1975) is an American journalist and pop music critic who writes for ''The New York Times''. He is also known for writing about hip hop music. Biography Born in Brooklyn, New York (state), New York, Caramanica received his ba ...
, writing for ''The New York Times'', credited Lorde for bringing forth a "wave of female rebellion" to mainstream audiences that embraced an "anti-pop" sentiment. Sharing a similar viewpoint, '' Rolling Stone'' and NPR credited her debut studio album ''Pure Heroine'' as the foundation of that transformation.
Several analysts also noted Lorde's influence on the music trends of the 2010s, and have credited the singer with paving the way for the current generation of alternative-leaning pop artists. She placed at number 12 on NPR's 2018 readers poll of the most influential female musicians of the 21st century. Her work has influenced several contemporary artists, including Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo,
Sabrina Carpenter Sabrina Annlynn Carpenter (born May 11, 1999) is an American singer and actress. Carpenter made her acting debut with an appearance in the television crime show ''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' and had a recurring role on Fox Broadcasting ...
, Conan Gray, and Troye Sivan. Her onstage persona, particularly her signature unchoreographed dancing, has polarised audiences. Her detractors have described her dance moves as "awkward" in comparison to contemporary stage performers. '' The Fader'' expressed that she should be celebrated for her dancing as it is "more freeform and spontaneous" than structured choreography and "speaks an entirely different expressive language". The publication further elaborated that her "stage presence smore impactful than the average pop performance". Lorde was parodied in the ''
South Park ''South Park'' is an American animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone and developed by Brian Graden for Comedy Central. The series revolves around four boys Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormickand th ...
'' episodes " The Cissy" and "
Rehash In computing, a hash table, also known as hash map, is a data structure that implements an associative array or dictionary. It is an abstract data type that maps keys to values. A hash table uses a hash function to compute an ''index'', ...
", broadcast in October and December 2014, respectively.


Philanthropy

Lorde has been involved in several philanthropic causes. " The Love Club" was included in the 2013 charity album '' Songs for the Philippines'' to support the people in the Philippines who suffered from Typhoon Haiyan. In 2015, Lorde recorded "
Team Ball Player Thing "Team Ball Player Thing" is a 2015 charity single and the official supporters' song of the All Blacks in the 2015 Rugby World Cup. The song is performed by the charity supergroup #KiwisCureBatten and is in aid of research into Batten disease via t ...
", a charity single, as part of the
supergroup Supergroup or super group may refer to: * Supergroup (music), a music group formed by artists who are already notable or respected in their fields * Supergroup (physics), a generalization of groups, used in the study of supersymmetry * Supergroup ...
Kiwis Cure Batten. All sales from the song went towards research for the cure of
Batten disease Batten disease is a fatal disease of the nervous system that typically begins in childhood. Onset of symptoms is usually between 5 and 10 years of age. Often, it is autosomal recessive. It is the common name for a group of disorders called the n ...
, a fatal neurodegenerative disorder. Later that year, the singer was featured in the compilation album ''The Art of Peace: Songs for Tibet II'' to raise funds for the preservation of the Tibetan culture. The following year, Lorde made a NZ$20,000 donation to Fuel the Need, a New Zealand charity that provides lunches for underprivileged schoolchildren. In 2018, she donated NZ$5,000 to
Starship Hospital Starship Children's Hospital is a public children's hospital in Auckland, New Zealand. Opened on 18 November 1991, it was one of the first purpose-built children's hospitals in New Zealand, and is the largest such facility in the country. Althou ...
to fund the purchase of "five new portable neurology monitors." Lorde became a patron of MusicHelps, formerly the New Zealand Music Foundation, a musical charity helping New Zealanders who are vulnerable to or experiencing serious health issues, in November 2018.


Accolades and achievements

After her breakthrough, Lorde won four New Zealand Music Awards at the 2013 ceremony. The single "Royals" earned the APRA Silver Scroll Award, and two Grammy Awards for Best Pop Solo Performance and Song of the Year. In
2015 File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
, she received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Song as a songwriter for "Yellow Flicker Beat". Her second studio album ''Melodrama'' received a Grammy nomination for
Album of the Year Album of the Year, often abbreviated to AOTY, may refer to: Awards * ARIA Award for Album of the Year, Australia * Brit Award for British Album of the Year, UK * Grammy Award for Album of the Year, US * Juno Award for Album of the Year, CA * Lati ...
at the 60th ceremony. Lorde has received two Brit Awards for International Female Solo Artist. The singer has also won two ''Billboard'' Music Awards, one MTV Video Music Award and three World Music Awards. She had sold over five million albums worldwide as of June 2017 and 15 million certified single units in the United States.


Discography

* ''
Pure Heroine ''Pure Heroine'' is the debut studio album by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde. It was released on 27 September 2013 by Universal Music Group, Universal, Lava Records, Lava, and Republic Records. After several unsuccessful sessions with song ...
'' (2013) * ''
Melodrama A modern melodrama is a dramatic work in which the plot, typically sensationalized and for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodramas typically concentrate on dialogue that is often bombastic or exces ...
'' (2017) * '' Solar Power'' (2021)


Bibliography

* '' Going South'' (2021)


Filmography


Tours

*
Pure Heroine Tour The Pure Heroine Tour was the inaugural concert tour by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde, in support of her debut studio album, ''Pure Heroine'' (2013). Her first performance was at the Splendour in the Grass music festival as a last-minute ...
(2013–2014) * Melodrama World Tour (2017–2018) *
Solar Power Tour The Solar Power Tour is the third tour by New Zealander singer-songwriter Lorde, in support of her third studio album ''Solar Power'' (2021). Beginning in April 2022, the tour will play over 70 concerts in Australia, North America, Latin America, ...
(2022–2023)


References


Notes


External links

* * * * {{Portal bar, Biography, Music, New Zealand 1996 births Living people New Zealand women singer-songwriters New Zealand women pop singers New Zealand women in electronic music 21st-century New Zealand women singers Māori-language singers Art pop musicians Dream pop musicians Electropop musicians Child pop musicians Musicians from Auckland Grammy Award winners APRA Award winners Brit Award winners Shorty Award winners Universal Music Group artists Feminist musicians New Zealand feminists Sex-positive feminists Album-cover and concert-poster artists People educated at Takapuna Grammar School Citizens of Croatia through descent New Zealand people of Croatian descent New Zealand people of Irish descent People from Takapuna