c/o New York Post
It’s safe to say that Lorde’s first two albums are iconic. Both 2013’s Pure Heroine and 2017’s Melodrama are beloved, groundbreaking, and influential albums, with publications like New Musical Express (NME) calling them modern classics. After earning a #1 single and two Grammys at only sixteen, Lorde was able to not only avoid a sophomore slump, but instead expand and improve upon her powerful lyricism.
These two albums cemented her as one of pop’s most revered stars, but in 2018, at the top of her fame, Lorde left the public eye. Throughout the next three years, Lorde wiped her social media pages, traveled to Antarctica, lived in New Zealand, and dealt with personal tragedy. She reflected on her time away in a fan newsletter from May 2020:
“I knew I needed a break from touring at the end of the last cycle…. I needed to make some food, grow some stuff, go to the beach a bunch, finally acknowledge (and kick) my social media addiction,” she wrote.
But, after years of silence, she used the newsletter to finally confirm that she was working on her next album:
“The work is so fucking good my friend,” she wrote. “I am truly jazzed for you to hear it.”
On Aug. 20th, Lorde released her third studio album, Solar Power. A departure from her previous albums, the acoustic, happier tone of Solar Power has sparked heavy debate, with some fans claiming that they want the old Lorde back. Despite the criticism it has received, Lorde’s Solar Power shows the artist reveling in a newfound sound and confidence.
On the opening track “The Path,” Lorde deconstructs any and all expectations about the album.
“Now, if you’re looking for a savior, well, that’s not me/You need someone to take your pain for you?/Well, that’s not me,” the artist sings in her characteristic breathy vocals.
Throughout the album, Lorde doesn’t box herself in, using Solar Power to reflect on a variety of topics such as fame, nature, love, and, of course, growing up. If there’s one thing about Lorde, you can always expect her to write a killer song about the highs and lows of getting older, and on Solar Power, this song is “Secrets From A Girl (Who’s Seen It All).”
“I was listening to ‘Ribs’ and just thinking about who I was at that time of life,” Lorde said in an interview with Spotify. “I was so apprehensive about what was to come. I took two of the chords from that song and reversed them. This is future me talking back to her sort of saying ‘It’s going to be okay.’”
Throughout the song, Lorde offers advice to her past self.
“Everybody wants the best for you/But you’ve got to want it for yourself, my love,” she sings. “Your dreams and inner visions/All your mystical ambitions, they won’t let you down.”
Much like on “The Path,” Lorde uses “Secrets From A Girl (Who’s Seen It All)” to acknowledge that she’s changed, but also to deeply examine her journey with self-acceptance and come to terms with growing up. This song stood out to me on the first listen, and is one of the strongest on Solar Power. While Lorde has always been honest in her music, “Secrets From A Girl (Who’s Seen It All)” feels extremely personal, almost like you’re reading one of her journal entries. Through fellow pop singer Robyn’s voice-over at the end of the song, Lorde reaffirms the message to herself that she deserves happiness, a refreshing sentiment rarely heard in her earlier songs.
Standout tracks from Solar Power include “Fallen Fruit,” a moving metaphor for climate change, “Mood Ring,” a catchy, satirical song about wellness culture, and bonus track “Helen of Troy,” a reflection on fame and public image that should have made the regular version of the album. But my favorite song from Solar Power has to be “Big Star.”
“Big Star” is a moving tribute to Lorde’s dog Pearl, whose death sadly delayed the release of Solar Power. The song is simple, relying on a stripped-back production of guitars, but the combination of heartwarming, relatable lyrics and Lorde’s hushed voice makes the song unforgettable. It is an unabashed love song, with lyrics like: “Everyone knows that you’re too good for me, don’t they?” and “Shivering pines and walls of color/I can’t believe I used to stay inside.” She even references her past on the song, singing “But every perfect summer’s gotta say goodnight,” a play on the line “But every perfect summer’s eating me alive until you’re gone,” from “Liability.” “Big Star” perfectly captures that feeling of being so head over heels in love with someone, or in this case, some animal, that they make you want to be better. This love has changed your world, and you just want to scream from the mountaintops about how much you love them.
“Big Star” reminds me of Phoebe Bridgers’ “Waiting Room” and Taylor Swift’s “gold rush;” each of these songs perfectly expresses the wonderfully suffocating nature of love. It’s Lorde like we’ve never heard her before, and it’s gut-wrenchingly beautiful.
Solar Power is incomparable to Lorde’s past works, but who cares? Each of her albums can, and should, stand alone. They all encapsulate different phases in Lorde’s life: her teenage angst, her post-breakup pain, and her current self-reflection. Lorde doesn’t need Solar Power to be her magnum opus; she’s already made Melodrama. So, why not let her create what she wants to create? Solar Power”is a triumph, and I believe its songs will only get better with time.
Liz Pace can be reached at lpace@wesleyan.edu