The first time I heard who Lorde was, was at a girl scouts during a troop meeting. One girl, who often never talked, was suddenly full of life. She was telling us all that we just have to listen to the song ‘Royals’.
Shortly after that, the artist Lorde took over the music charts and was played constantly on the radio. Ella O’Connor, who uses the stage name Lorde was just a 15-year-old girl when she had her rise to fame from her lyrics that struck everyone in the heart. At just 17, Lorde won Album of the Year at the 2014 Grammys.
Her debut album has become the soundtrack to my adolescent years. The memories I have attached to the songs, both good and bad, always put me in a state of nostalgia.
When her sophomore album came out, it was another success. Lorde had done it again, another album that perfectly feels the bittersweetness of growing up. Her latest album had some critics, but it wasn’t the music her target audience wanted to hear (depressed teenagers & young adults). The album is the perfect third album that shows her growth and healing from her past.
I fully agree that Lorde is a lyrical genius. I never once doubted her talent, since she’s been in my top three artists for the past eight years. It was a surprise to me to one day, I opened TikTok and saw my feed was full of conspiracy theories that Lorde was lying about her age. They claimed that no 15-year-old can write the songs that she did.
Those who went along with this conspiracy showed how women once again are underestimated. There was no more evidence other than commenting on her body as they claim she appeared “older.” This whole idea stems from no matter what women achieve there will always be someone ready to discredit them. Not only are they dismissing the idea that young girls can be successful, but they are also pushing the idea that women need to look a certain way. Society seems to be obsessed with young girls but once they reach a certain age they are pushed to the curb.
When Lorde first released her album she got nothing but praise for being so young and producing this, but now since there are assumptions that she was older, critics have labeled her as a liar and claim that her work is less impressive.
Lorde raised me and I will never stop defending her.