Lorde: The Unlikely Heir to David Bowie’s Creative Legacy
In a musical landscape where artists often struggle to find their unique voice, Lorde has consistently demonstrated a bold and adventurous approach to her craft. Dubbed the future of music by the inimitable David Bowie, the New Zealand-born singer-songwriter has continued to forge a path that is both innovative and true to her artistic vision. According to an in-depth feature by Music Radar, Lorde’s rise to fame was meteoric, with her debut single "Royals" in 2013 catapulting her onto the global stage.
The article from Music Radar notes that Lorde’s debut album, "Pure Heroine", was a masterpiece of lyrical honesty and musical eclecticism, showcasing a breadth of influences that belied her tender years. At just 16, Lorde had already demonstrated a level of maturity and artistry that few her age could match. As Music Radar reports, the sudden jolt to global mega-star status needed some adjusting to, and Lorde retreated from the spotlight, taking a breath before making her next, heavily anticipated, move.
It was a move that would prove to be worth the wait. On her luminous second album, "Melodrama", Lorde expanded her sonic universe via some spellbinding songwriting – and unpredictable production choices. Music Radar highlights that this evolution was exemplified by "Melodrama"’s lead single "Green Light", a track that musically lurches from desolate piano to one of the most euphoric choruses ever committed to tape. As Lorde herself told Music Radar, "I was like, ‘There has to be a different way to express how I’m feeling.’"
Music Radar reveals that the writing process for "Pure Heroine"’s follow-up had begun almost as soon as that debut had hit shelves, but it would take a further four years until "Melodrama" came to fruition. A gig curating the soundtrack for the film "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1", plus a collaboration with Disclosure on "Magnets" in 2015, had sidetracked the album’s development. Lorde’s choice to remain as far from the public view as possible – and embark on a period of travelling – also contributed to the delay.
According to Music Radar, when the time came to finally lock down her second album, Lorde sought a fresh creative foil to help achieve her aims. Jack Antonoff, fresh from his first collaboration with Taylor Swift on her 2014 classic "1989", seemed an adroit choice as musical partner. Music Radar quotes Lorde as saying, "I was basically speed-dating different producers and songwriters in LA and hating it… And then I walked into a room with [Jack Antonoff] and just felt like home."
Music Radar reports that decamping to Antonoff’s Brooklyn home studio, the development of the record began in earnest. The article notes that a major shadow over Lorde’s songwriting at the time was her recent breakup with boyfriend of three years, James Lowe, and many of her new songs were haunted by the emotional heft of the separation. Lorde decided that "Melodrama" should follow a loose concept of a house party – attended by various different couples each at various stages of a relationship.
The article by Music Radar provides an in-depth analysis of the track "Green Light", noting that the song’s busy arrangement took a much longer period of time to settle into place. Music Radar quotes Lorde as saying, "I always want to run toward the thing that feels challenging and scary and exciting, and that didn’t feel like a drum beat and a vocal anymore." The article highlights that "Green Light" was a quirky choice – but the rapid delirium of this part of the arrangement singularly expressed Lorde’s bitterness.
Released as "Melodrama"’s first single on March 2nd 2017, "Green Light" was met with rapt acclaim from both fans and critics alike. Music Radar notes that though its hooks were strong, "Green Light" was a singularly peculiar piece of experimental, (almost prog-like) pop. The article reports that it initially landed on the US Billboard top 100 at the very bottom of the chart, yet before long – once its hooks got firmly rooted – "Green Light" stormed upward to number 19.
Music Radar quotes Lorde as saying, "It’s very different, and kinda unexpected. It’s complex and funny and sad and joyous and it’ll make you DANCE." The article highlights that as it transpired, "Green Light" was only the first taste of an album that would later be hailed as a modern classic. "Melodrama" became a critically venerated and heavily garlanded release, announcing to the world that Lorde had fully emerged as a creative force to be reckoned with.
In the words of Lorde, as quoted by Music Radar, "I realised everything I’d ever done, or would do from then on, would be done like maybe he was watching. I realised I was proud of my spiky strangeness because he had been proud of his." As Music Radar notes, it’s almost fateful that Lorde’s ongoing stature as one of modern music’s most fearless creatives was presaged by a meeting with a previous holder of that mantle – David Bowie.
