Most teenagers — juggling schoolwork, sports, clubs, and friends — find themselves stressed and preoccupied with petty, dramatic problems as they work their way through high school, striving to achieve their dreams upon graduating. This lifestyle was relevant to the grammar school students of Davenport, New Zealand with the exception of one — twelve year old Ella Yelich-O’Connor— who upon uploading a video of her singing in her school talent show online, in just four short years, accomplished her dream, producing and co-writing a chart-topping original album that reveals her distinct, teenage maturity.
Following her school talent show, Yelich-O’Connor was signed to Universal Music by Scott McLachlan after seeing her performance on YouTube. For the next three years, the young singer underwent many vocal and songwriting lessons, worked creatively with her label, and adopted a special stage name — Lorde.
Much of Lorde’s hard work paid off when she released her first EP in November 2012, The Love Club, which features five of her first original songs. The success of one single, “Royals”, immediately gained fame in her native country, topping the New Zealand Top 40 on March 15th, and staying in that position for three weeks. Now six months later, Lorde’s talents have achieved great recognition internationally, most notably in her recent chart defeats of famed American pop veterans Katy Perry and Miley Cyrus.
Holding a number one hit in many countries including the United States provided Lorde with a great advantage upon the release of her first album, Pure Heroine. The album debuted at #2 on iTunes on September 30th, just trailing Justin Timberlake’s album, The 20/20 Experience. The album, described by many as “royally addictive,” has the potential to change pop and alternative music entirely .
What makes this debut album so unique is the level of maturity and ingenuity that Lorde expresses throughout her lyrics. She opens the album with the line, “Don’t you think that its boring how people talk?” and after relaying her experiences throughout the album’s ten tracks, concludes with, “Let them talk,” on the last song, “A World Alone.” Citing Burial and The Replacements as inspiration lyrically, Pure Heroine features songs thematically similar to the two bands that are smart, daring, and criticize material wealth and fame.
In addition to the wildly popular “Royals,” the catchiest tracks are the album’s other two singles, “Tennis Court” and “Team.” In “Team,” Lorde utilizes voice alteration reminiscent of Vampire Weekend’s “Diane Young” and mocks the exhausted, stereotypical lyrics of popular music, saying “I’m kind of over getting told to throw my hands up in the air.” Throughout the chorus, she notes her humble upbringings in New Zealand, singing “We live in cities you never see on screen.” She demonstrates a keen sophistication for writing of teenage experiences and relationships, which is a fresh, pleasant surprise considering that the famous tracks of today are mostly fluffy, bubble-gum pop songs.
Musically, many of Lorde’s songs follow similar patterns harmoniously and rhythmically. Her dynamic voice and accompanying synthesizer enable Lorde to create virtual any melody and the beats are infectious. Mellow songs like “Ribs” and “400 Lux” feature a booming bass, ambient atmosphere, and catchy repetitive verses that stand out. One upbeat track, “White Teeth Teens” features doo-wop vocals that criticize flawless teenagers and celebrities Lorde observes around her. Another interesting aspect of Pure Heroine is the incredible bridges that appear at the end of the songs, as they often alter the mood of each song entirely.
Pure Heroine successfully encapsulates Lorde’s smart, unique style that is present in the her EP written two years prior, but the maturity of he vocals and lyrics have made a statement all around the world. Lorde has become the first woman in 17 years to top the Billboard Alternative chart and recently, she made her U.S. television debut on the Late Night Show with Jimmy Fallon where she peformed “Royals.” Her success in and criticism of the industry she has now become a part of has certainly made an impact on the music world, and hopefully she will produce more great albums in the years to come.
