Lorde

The young New Zealander Ella Yelich-O'Connor, known as Lorde, established herself right away as the voice of her generation through a string of hit songs built on a delicate sensibility and a personal style.

In 2013, Lorde, at just 16 years old, released her debut album "Pure Heroine", rapidly becoming one of the most acclaimed stars in the world. It earned three Platinum certifications and sold over 4 million copies. She took home two Grammy Awards, including the prestigious "Album of the Year", and a Brit Award. The lead single, "Royals", racked up seven Platinum discs, set international records with over a billion streams, and went double Platinum in Italy. For the second track, "Team", Lorde picked up four Platinum certifications. With a range of influences running from Etta James to Lana Del Rey (an influence especially evident in a listless delivery), by way of producers such as SBTRKT and Burial, Lorde already displayed all her ambition. "Royals", in particular, showcases her originality through its "hiccupping" cadence, sharp, biting hip-hop beats, and a use of backing vocals that for once steers clear of the usual clichés of soul starlets with nothing to say: a real slap in the face to the tragic little tunes of the various pop divas busy dominating the charts.

If conquering the States is the crowning achievement for many seasoned musicians chasing glory, pulling it off on the first try, without much promotion behind it, is no small feat. Lorde is the youngest singer, and the only New Zealander, to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 since 1987. She won over critics instantly. Time included the artist in its list of the "world's most influential teens" and Forbes in its "30 under 30".

In 2014 Lorde curated the official soundtrack for the film "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1", with the lead track "Yellow Flicker Beat". In 2017 she released her second album, "Melodrama", which gives substance to its cover image through a series of songs that make up the New Zealand artist's definitive coming-of-age story. Eleven pieces that depict adolescence and its passing, between failed loves and nights of reckless abandon, with the self-awareness that follows. The record overtly follows a concept: a house party that becomes almost the last moment of release and togetherness, before tomorrow gives way to the uncertainties and doubts typical of that period separating adolescence from adulthood. This rather cinematic concept is rendered vividly through music that is, above all, euphoria and a zest for life.

"Melodrama" confirmed her success. It debuted straight at number 1 on the Billboard 200 Chart, at number 8 on the Italian album chart, and reached number one in 45 countries. A worldwide success that earned her an "Album of the Year" nomination at the 2018 Grammys. With the lead single "Green Light" she received Platinum certification in Italy.

In 2021, after three years of silence, Lorde returned with "Solar Power": the new album, featuring 12 tracks, is co-written and co-produced with Jack Antonoff, already by her side for "Melodrama". Solar Power" is, as the title suggests, first and foremost a celebration of the Sun's power. Lorde now presents herself to the public as a priestess of a solar cult, inviting new followers onto an imaginary isola where a collective dance ritual is celebrated. But say goodbye to the clean-cut minimal beats of "Pure Heroine" or the electronic hedonism of "Melodrama", and embrace a sonic dimension entirely new for the young artist: guitars, strings, woodwinds, piano and organ. An all-"natural", and in some ways even vintage, instrumentation that strives to resemble the pop-rock and sunshine pop of the Sixties and very early Seventies. The blinding light and briny smell of the beach, the whitening of the surf, the sound of cicadas harmonizing with the murmur of the Ocean all seep through the notes of the twelve tracks, managing to paint in detail the idyllic image of a breathtaking, quintessentially New Zealand landscape.

The title track "Solar Power" racked up 30 million streams in 5 days, along with 5-star reviews from NME and Pitchfork. The album explores the power of the environment over human wellbeing, and for this reason it was released in a one-of-a-kind format. The New Zealand artist in fact created an eco-conscious Music Box, available alongside the vinyl and CD, which contains no physical disc but rather a series of extra visual content, handwritten notes, exclusive photos and a card for downloading one's own personal digital copy.

In 2022 Lorde embarked on a world tour with over 40 dates, including two in Italy, in Rome and Verona.

In 2025 Lorde makes her musical comeback with "Virgin", an album in which the New Zealand singer-songwriter chooses to bare herself, rediscovering the electropop introspection of her early days.