She's done it again. Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor, better known as her stage name Lorde, has crashed some serious waves against the shores of popular music. It has been a whooping four years since her last album, "Pure Heroine", and it has been well anticipated even before news spread that she was releasing a second album.
Who is Lorde?
Ella, or Lorde as everyone knows, is a singer and songwriter from New Zealand. When her first hit single, "Royals", followed her from New Zealand and Australia to the United States, she was in her early teens.
That's a mighty accomplishment for someone of her age.
Her style of music has been compared to Lana Del Ray and even Halsey at times. It's a mix of electro pop and indie at times, with most describing it as dream pop. Her lyrics, however, are the key to her success.
The first is (almost) always the best
When "Pure Heroine" was released in 2014, it was regarded with the highest compliments possible. Critics praised the incredible songwriting and the solemn vocals she's known for now.
The album focused on what all teens at her age thought of: anxiety, love and fulfilling tedium. But what makes it more unique than the angst poems and lyrics you find anywhere online is how she's approached the concepts.
She takes these themes common in youth and tears them down. She takes advantage of the critiques given by society and calls foul.
The eerie detachment behind her vocals and lyrics is a shout-out to the fact that, despite popular belief, she's just a child in the music business. There is rebellion but it's woven so intricately in the lyrics and the presentation that it takes music-lovers a while to catch on.
It's amazing.
The next-in-line
But "Melodrama" takes a different turn then it's predecessor.
There's still that iconic Lorde charm present throughout the album, from lyrics to production. But there are more distinct changes: different lyrics, an array of rhythms and sounds, even the titles of the tracks are different.
"Melodrama" tells the story of personal growth, of a woman that's grown out of her teen years and into adulthood.
It seems more personal, especially since it is also considered a break-up album. There's more reflection of her and her relationships with others.
But it's still #Lorde, with her tendency to point out the hypocritical complaints of what society offers. In the end, however, there's still change and it's apparent but it draws you back in, back to the reason why anyone started listening to Lorde in the first place.
You're not missing out listening to her new album. It's still Lorde.
