There is a new teen queen on the rise to royalty. Sixteen-year old Lorde released her album "Pure Heroine" on Sept. 30. Ella Yelich-O'Connor, more commonly known as Lorde, is from New Zealand. She released an EP in Nov. 2012 and has been climbing the charts ever since. Recently she came in like a wrecking ball and knocked Miley Cyrus off the number one spot on the iTunes Top Ten.
At sixteen, Lorde already is a new type of teen star. She didn't start out on Disney Channel or get discovered on YouTube. She doesn't sing about ex-boyfriends or ecstasy. She doesn't wear sparkly costumes...or flesh-colored bikinis. She is achieving everything through pure talent.
Based on Lorde's voice alone you would never guess she is sixteen. Her voice has a mature, raspy quality. "Pure Heroine" has a rhythmic flow, which is different from any other album in the pop genre. Indie and pop music have recently been colliding more than ever before. Although this tends to upset the cigarette toting, thrift store-frequenting music snobs, listening to other songs on the radio besides "Blurred Lines" will be music to my ears.
"Pure Heroine" is an album that you simply have to listen to all the way through. Lorde has such a distinct sound that the tracks all mesh into a glorious conglomerate.
Although there are a few stand-out tracks, including the singles "Royals" and "Team" which are anthem-esque sing-alongs, overall the album comes across as an effortless, breathy melody. The simple approach and low-key production of the album keep the music mellow, but still it falls short of momentous.
The music is captivating yet somewhat repetitive. It builds but never reaches the precipice. However, I thoroughly enjoy the album and wholeheartedly recommend it. The music is a refreshing deviation from what has become the standard of pop music today.
Lorde acknowledges the shambles that many teen pop sensations have fallen into on her track "Still Sane." She croons, "... Still like hotels, and my newfound fame. Hey, promise I can stay good." She goes onto address her work ethic, stating, "All work and no play never made me lose it. All business all day keeps me up a level." The fact that she is already aware of the path many young stars have found themselves on and is pledging to be different is promising.
She has been in close contact with a certain young star as of late. When she rose to the throne of the iTunes charts with her single "Royals", she was met with some hateful tweets from Smilers (aka Miley Cyrus fans). Lorde was unfazed, even re-tweeting some of the outrageous hate including: "kill yourself you crusty old hag" and "your eyes are too far apart." Miley replied in Lorde's defense, essentially telling her to "Forget the haters cause somebody loves ya." Classic Miley.
Lorde is a brilliant breakthrough artist with a unique voice and alluring new album. At only sixteen the simplicity of the record is a testament to the authentic talent she possesses. Although the tracks start to blend and are sometimes indistinguishable from each other, the effect is appealing. In summation: listen to what Lorde has made, for it is good.
