The way Lorde has grown over the past five years is reflected in the introspective musical masterpiece that is her third album “Solar Power.” Her most authentic self shines through peaceful melodies and clever lyrics that have captured the enchantment of summer, the freedom of releasing emotional burdens and the exciting adventure that is evolving as a human being.
David Bowie was right when he said Lorde was the future of music. We don’t need repetitive radio hits, recycled melodies and beats that reach boredom with their overwhelming intensity, or artists afraid to speak their truth just satisfy an audience or an industry standard. Lorde conquered the music industry in her teens and after a five-year break from the public eye she returned stronger than ever, making genuine music, art, something with a purpose besides obtaining views and awards.
The opening track to an album should introduce the overarching themes of the project and set a solid foundation for what’s to come. “The Path” is a perfect example of a good opening track. Lorde plays with references to the opioid crisis, her homeland, the changing weather, events of the Met Gala and reflects on the burden of fame at a young age. She is afraid of the paparazzi and their invasive nature and how the public eye tried to dissect her life. Now she is alone, at peace, far away and unreachable. This is the human, Ella, speaking, and her definitive message is loud and clear: she’s not anyone’s savior. Pop stars are often raised on a pedestal by their fans and seen as role models, or even worse, idols. The “stan culture” can be damaging as it teaches people to look up to others for salvation when this should be a process of introspection. Lorde saved herself by writing her truth in “Solar Power.” She’s inviting people to do the same and find solace in nature and sunlight.
Similar thoughts flourish in “California,” a personal favorite. Lorde paints a perfect picture of California through the eyes of a celebrity, with all its charms and pitfalls, most of which she’s tired of. Having said goodbye to the bottles and supermodels, she’s also moving away from her “Melodrama” era and embracing the growth and maturity that comes from that distance. California gave her many things, maybe a little too much, and now she’s living her best life in New Zealand — away from the crazy dreamlike scene that drains its inhabitants.
As much as this was album Lorde wrote for herself, there are recurring messages in her songs warning us about climate change, how beautiful the world is, but also how that beauty is bound to disappear because of the damage we’ve done. She offers ways to help the planet and by doing so becomes one of the first popular musicians that are genuinely invested in reverting the climate crisis, infusing her record with the subject rather than posting an occasional Instagram story that is merely performative activism. The song “Fallen Fruit” points fingers at the generations that caused all this damage and now expect us to fix it for them. We’ve inherited a dying planet. The song narrates the decay of paradise, a place where nothing grows anymore and we must simply accept the fallen fruits as everything we’ll receive. It’s tragic. It’s the truth. Although the melodies are hypnotic, the subject at hand is dark and frightening. Lorde raises the question many of us have regarding the planet. “But how can I love something I know I am gonna lose?”
The sweets moment of introspection came with “Stoned at the Nail Salon.” What better place and state of mind to take a long hard look at yourself and reflect on who you are and who you’ve been? This song is a detailed account of Ella’s domestic life, no longer Lorde touring the world and living like a Rockstar. The soft instrumentals mirror the quiet and peace of this life. She’s cooling down and learning more about herself, sometimes questioning if there’s a life better than the other, but at the end of the day they are symbiotic. There’s Lorde in the tour bus and Ella in the grocery store. Different names but the same person. It’s always a pleasure to hear an artist explore the contrast of those two lives and what each of them means to them. The song is rich with memorable lines, but perhaps my favorite is “Spend all of the evenings you can with the people who raised you.” That right there sounds like the best advice anyone can give you right now.