Ella Yelich-O'Connor's (AKA Lorde) stage name was inspired by her love of figures such as Marie Antoinette, Louis XVI of France, and Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. Yelich-O'Connor's management paired her with other local songwriters, none of whom worked out very well until she met Joel Little of the pop-punk group Goodnight Nurse. 1 on the U.S. [168] Zach Schonfeld, writing for Newsweek, said "Royals" led "a trail of imitators mimicking the song's effortless pop minimalism". [129] Her performance was met with positive reviews. If anything, she comes off more her age than ever before. Daniel Lanois on his album Heavy Sun, and the inside stories of songs he produced for U2, Peter Gabriel, and Bob Dylan. The New Zealandborn star is fascinated by shining gilded royals and aristocracy, as noted by her name and her songs, but her fashion sense tends to lean toward the opposite: an all-black wardrobe and dark muted lipstick. [6], Lorde is the second of four children: she has an older sister Jerry, a younger sister India, and a younger brother Angelo. [32] In 2015, she received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Song as a songwriter for "Yellow Flicker Beat". Who is Lorde? 5 Things to Know About the Singer Behind "Royals Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor (born 7 November 1996), known professionally as Lorde (/lrd/ LORD), is a New Zealand singer and songwriter. [167] Lindsay Zoladz from The Ringer noted the song's impact was "larger and harder to define because it completely rewrote the rules for young women making radio-friendly pop". Lorde is a Grammy Award-winning New Zealand singer and songwriter who became an international crossover sensation with her hits "Royals" and "Team. [41] Chris Coplan of Consequence of Sound described the lyrics of "Royals" as "romantic and playful"[42] while Duncan Greive of The Guardian called them "simultaneously vulnerable and imperious". [15] On 8 March 2013, UMG removed "Royals" from SoundCloud and release it to online stores in New Zealand and Australia. At age 13, Lorde began writing songs. And I was like 'I really love that word,' because I'm a big word fetishist, I'll pick a word and I'll pin an idea to that. [43] The Boston Globe writer James Reed selected "Royals" as the highlight of the album Pure Heroine. [11][12] During the songwriting process, she criticized their references to extravagant alcohol and cars, which did not represent her reality. [114] In a 2017 interview with NME, she declared "I don't think about staying in my genre lane". Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. This won for Song Of The Year at the Grammy Awards in 2014. [170] David Bowie called Lorde "the future of music"[171] and Dave Grohl, lead singer of Foo Fighters, described "Royals" as revolutionary. Many estimate Lorde to be somewhere . Now, She Vibes. A lot of people make pop music because it will make them rich, she told TIME in 2013. [134], In early 2014, Lorde performed a reworked version of "Royals" at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards. [122] The same boy visits an indoor swimming complex and boxes with a friend in a living room. Lorde is a singer/songwriter who became an international crossover hit in 2013 with her debut studio album, Pure Heroine. The significant start of Lorde's career is with the Universal Music Group in 2009. [103] "Royals" sold 82,551 units. Lorde, whose new album Solar Power was released Aug. 20, 2021. [100] Surprised by the news, Lorde commented; "I'm so incredibly excited to be in first place this week and very grateful to all fans in the UK who bought 'Royals'! Royals by Lorde - Daily Song Facts. [11] She was briefly enrolled at George Parkyn Centre, a gifted education organisation. [146], Bruce Springsteen performed an acoustic cover of "Royals" in April 2014 in Auckland, New Zealand, during his High Hopes Tour. [154] The following year, Lorde made a NZ$20,000 donation to Fuel the Need, a New Zealand charity that provides lunches for underprivileged schoolchildren. And . She was also the first New Zealand act to achieve a Billboard Hot 100 #1 as lead artist (fellow Kiwi Kimbra was featured on Gotye's "Somebody That I Used To Know" in 2012). [149] The Fader expressed that she should be celebrated for her dancing as it is "more freeform and spontaneous" than structured choreography and "speaks an entirely different expressive language". Lorde's style sure has changed ever since she burst onto the international music scene with her 2013 smash "Royals." Lorde got real about the body shaming she faced when "Royals" came out Lorde grew up to the tunes of soul . [56] Lorde also curated the accompanying soundtrack for the 2014 film The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, overseeing the collation of the album's content as well as recording four tracks, including its lead single "Yellow Flicker Beat". On September 3, 2013, Royals was released to rhythmic contemporary radio in the US. Sonja unenrolled her, however, citing social development concerns. But for me, Im going to spend my life worshipping the form. [157][158] In 2014, "Royals" was featured in the rhythm game Fantasia: Music Evolved. The EP is sung entirely in Te Reo Mori, and was translated by Hana Mereraiha. [68] Listeners' votes placed the song in second place on Australian radio station Triple J's Hottest 100 of 2013, after Vance Joy's "Riptide" (2013). Who is Singer Lorde? Her Age, Songs & More - Web of Bio The singer also took on the larger role of curating the film's soundtrack. Lorde Explained How She Came Up with Her Stage Name - Showbiz Cheat Sheet [120] In an interview with The Huffington Post, Lorde said the video's concept was to show how teenage life can be "so mundane and so boring. Two months later, the song was sent to alternative radio stations in the United States and on 13 August 2013, it was sent to contemporary hit radio stations. There, they performed covers of Pixie Lott's "Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh)" and Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody". What is Lorde's biggest hit? The record was previously held by Soulja Boy Tell'em, who had just turned 17 when his self-written and produced ", Lorde revealed during an interview with VH1 that the song was inspired in part by a photograph she saw of baseball legend George Brett. [178] They feature back zip fastening, logo-engraved tags, chunky platforms, and high heels with deep-treaded biodegradable soles. [163][164] Some sources have said it paved the way for other alternative-leaning pop artists such as Banks,[165] Billie Eilish,[166] Clairo,[167] Halsey,[165] Mallrat, and Olivia Rodrigo. All Rights Reserved. But in truth, Lorde recorded these songs as a 16-year old Kiwi championed by the likes . Before releasing the album, Lorde posted a message to her fans on her Facebook page about the project: "Writing Pure Heroine was my way of enshrining our teenage glory, putting it up in lights forever so that part of me never dies, and this record well, this one is about what comes next. The year of our lord 2020 massively sucked for many obvious reasons, but the one thing that managed to keep me (and millions of others) sane was all the amazing music we got despite . How old was Lorde when Royals came out? - Pvillage.org [8] She said during a VH1 interview in September 2013, "It was just that word. It'd be easy to mistake Ella for a seasoned tunesmith from the American South, one who carries a heavy heart that's been ravaged by careless men over time. But don't expect "Royals" vibes with the title track. [24] While working on her music career, she attended Takapuna Grammar School from 2010 to 2013, completing Year 12. [18][22] As she began writing songs, she learned how to "put words together" by reading short fiction. It's the CCR edition of Fact or Fiction. The first few deep, bass-thumping beats of Lorde's hit Royals are instantly recognizable. A month later Lorde debuted her first full-length album, Pure Heroine. Pop songs traditionally rest on pronouns: you . Critics have credited the song for paving the way for other alternative-leaning pop artists. The track won awards for Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance at the 2014 Grammy Awards, and the APRA Silver Scroll Award. - The New York Times. Now I'm in love with being king.". The pair recorded five songs for an extended play (EP) at Little's Golden Age Studios in Morningside, Auckland, and finished within three weeks. On being told news of her coronation by, Lorde was the youngest artist to top the US charts since Tiffany (who was also 16) reached the summit with ", The numerous Royal-ties arising from this chart-topping satire of material excesses resulted in an ironic situation for Lorde due to the potential riches that might become available. In . [8][9] At age five, she joined a drama group and developed public speaking skills. The video begins with a monochromatic scene of an unmade bed, which fades to a receding suburban neighbourhood. Lorde is Pop Music's Next Big Thing - Interview Magazine One of the most successful songwriters in the business, Desmond co-wrote "Livin' La Vida Loca," "Dude (Looks Like A Lady)" and "Livin' On A Prayer.". 1 in March, with an irresistibly teenage blend of defiance and longing. [73] It earned a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year at the 60th ceremony. [65] It achieved moderate commercial success, reaching number one in New Zealand, number four in Australia and number nine in Canada. In addition to her solo work, she has co-written songs for other artists, including Broods and Bleachers. 1 Album Of 2013", "Lorde Beats James Arthur To Claim Her First Number One Single", "Katy Perry, Lorde Grab Top Spots on U.K. [183] Insider ranked "Royals" as one of the eight best songs of the decade. "[104] The single fell to number two in its second week, selling another 59,903 copies, and by April 2014 it had shipped more than 470,000 copies in the UK. 15 Lorde: 'Royals', "Lorde review: Modern, unconventional pop at its best", "Lorde salutes Prince at St. Paul show and gushes about His Royal Badness", "In an age of manufactured stars, Lorde is a refreshing change", "Lorde review voice of the generation, with a dash of gold lam and confetti", "Lorde: Melodrama review maximum overwrought", "Review Lorde: Green Light review comeback track signals new dance diva direction", "Lorde really is 17, but the New Zealand singer-songwriter who plays Jacobs Pavilion has an old soul", "Mutual Admiration, Across the Sea, Across the Years", "Meet Lorde: She's a Talented Teenage Badass", "Lorde, 'Pure Heroine' Track-By-Track Review", "Review: At the Oracle Arena Last Night, Lorde Gave Fans What They've Been Waiting For", "Lorde at Alexandra Palace, London, review: Artist performs her clever, danceable pop at a perfect live show", "Lorde is teaching herself piano for her new album", "Here's the Music Theory Behind Why Lorde's Songwriting Is Objectively Kickass", "Lorde 101: Who Is This 16-Year-Old New Zealand Singer Everyone's Talking About? [152] In 2015, Lorde recorded "Team Ball Player Thing", a charity single, as part of the supergroup Kiwis Cure Batten. [94], Lorde grew up listening to American jazz and soul musicians Billie Holiday, Sam Cooke, Etta James, and Otis Redding, whose music she admires for "harvesting their suffering. Unfortunately, these Stella McCartney boots are already sold out. Lorde on tour: 21 things you need to know about the pop star [7] The title "Royals" came to Lorde after she saw a 1976 photograph of Kansas City Royals baseball player George Brett signing baseballs with his team's name "Royals" emblazoned on his shirt. [162] She had sold over five million albums worldwide as of June 2017[163] and 15 million certified single units in the United States. The album's debut single, "Royals," soared to no. Celebrities [37] Other analysts noted themes of income inequality,[40] and "unabashedly pop [songs] attacking unabashedly pop music". [2] Her vocal performance and songwriting abilities impressed Little, who composed songs with musical structures that were based on her lyrics. [164], WoodcockJohnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities, Recording Industry Association of America, List of awards and nominations received by Lorde, "Lorde's Parents Finally Got Engaged After 30 Years", "Grammy Award Winner Lorde Talks Croatian Heritage", "Lorde's parents get married in Auckland", "Pop star Lorde reveals she has dual citizenship with Croatia", "Lorde's younger sister makes musical debut", "Singer now on centre stage: Shore kid makes good at Splendour in the Grass", "Pet project goes down a treat with judges", "Lorde returns to Belmont Intermediate School to judge talent show", "Interview with Scott MacLachlan, manager of Lorde", "Watch 12-Year-Old Lorde Wow Crowd with Her Middle School Band", "From Devonport to diva: The story of Lorde so far", "Birthday girl Lorde's earnings estimated at $11m-plus", "Lorde is Youngest Performer to Top Billboard Charts in 26 Years", "There Are Now Over 20 Singles That Have Been Certified Diamond", "Lorde's Boyfriend on Singer's accomplishments: 'I Couldn't Be Prouder', "Reports: Lorde has split from her boyfriend James Lowe after three years", "On 'Melodrama', Lorde Learns How Messy Adulthood Can Be", "Lorde's 'Pure Heroine' Hits 1 Million in Sales", "Pharrell Williams' 'Happy' Hits No. Aly Weisman of Business Insider noted Lorde's performance of the song on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon helped make it known to a wider audience. Lorde's fame with "Royals" came when she was only 16 years old. Lorde's first studio album, Pure Heroine, is a dream pop electronica album about teenage suburban life and its views on mainstream culture. Critics were divided over its placement in the rock category. . The Major League third baseman spent his entire 21-year baseball career playing for the Kansas City Royals, leading them to a World Series title in 1985. [125] PopMatters described Lorde's vocals as "unique and powerfully intriguing",[118] while Billboard characterised her voice as "dynamic, smoky and restrained". [35] The National Public Radio's Ann Powers said Lorde's sultry voice, "intriguingly sleepy beats and lyrics captured the exquisite ennui of a precocious teenager". [68], On Melodrama, Lorde's songwriting showed signs of maturity with introspective, post-breakup lyrics. It's really cool. [86] [49] Jon Hadusek from Consequence of Sound also named the track the album's standout, singling out its "self-reflexive" lyrics and "catchy" production. Shoes Accessories, Copyright Your Next Shoes 2010 - 2023 |, How Kristen Bell Sex Scene in Netflix Series Left Viewers Traumatized, Nordstroms 22 Best Womens High Heels and Shoes, Rag & Bone: Bringing British Tailoring to American Streetwear. [79] With sales of 307,000 copies (up 17%), "Royals" became the fourth release by an up-and-coming singer to reach the top of the Digital Songs chart. The song had the most digital downloads for five non-consecutive weeks. The duo were in the studio together and flying back and forth from Auckland, New Zealand to Los Angeles. [144], Other artists have recorded and performed versions of "Royals". "Royals" was released simultaneously with, UK sales figures for "Royals" as of June 2021, Recording Industry Association of America, Australian Recording Industry Association, List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 2013, List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 2013 (Canada), List of Mainstream Top 40 number-one hits of 2013 (U.S.), List of number-one singles of 2013 (Ireland), List of number-one singles from the 2010s (New Zealand), List of UK Singles Chart number ones of the 2010s, List of Ultratop 50 number-one singles of 2013, "Lorde finally meets George Brett, inspiration for 'Royals', "Interview with Scott MacLachlan, manager of Lorde", "Meet Lorde, the 16-Year-Old Singer Poised to Take Over Pop Music", "Lorde Q&A: New Zealand Star On Next Single, Nicki Minaj & Staying Mysterious", "The secrets of Lorde's right-hand man, Joel Little", "Joel Little Rings of the Lorde (page 2)", "VH1 You Oughta Know Artist Lorde Explains What Being 'Royal' Means To Her", "NZ Music Sensation, Lorde, Releases First Music Video For 'Royals', "Lorde 101: Who Is This 16-Year-Old New Zealand Singer Everyone's Talking About? A collection of five songs, including the hit "Royals," The Love Club EP was Lorde's first extended play, which she released at age 16, in collaboration with producer Little. Trivia. [42] Time included her on their lists of the most influential teenagers in the world in 2013 and 2014. How old was Lorde when wrote Royals? The publication further elaborated that her "stage presence [is] more impactful than the average pop performance". Focused on the themes of heartbreak, loneliness and solitude under an electropop mood, Melodrama is Lorde's second studio album. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. "This is the one thing I did not expect most out of tonight," Lorde said in accepting the award. Ella Yelich-O'Connor is a New Zealand singer-songwriter. [105] In October 2020, it was awarded a double platinum certificate by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for selling more than 1,200,000 copies in the country. [12] While attending Vauxhall, she placed third and first respectively in the North Shore Primary Schools' Speech competition, a national contest, in 2006 and 2007. [172] Geoff Nelson from Consequence of Sound noted the track became "perhaps, the single most influential pop single of the decade". [147] Lorde responded to it, commenting; "It's so exciting, it's a great honor, Springsteen is a fantastic songwriter, I was a little touched, it's really cool, it's crazy when someone like him is playing your song". The following year, Lorde curated the soundtrack for the 2014 film The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 and recorded several tracks, including the single "Yellow Flicker Beat". [117] By November 2014, "Royals" had sold over 10million copies worldwide. You need to be awe-struck. While the beat is catchy, the lyrics won fans over as she weaves an honest portrayal of herself and her stance on things. You might think a major league baseball team and 17-year-old artist from New Zealand might not have much in common. 2021-10-02T05:47:48Z Comment by User 942077854. She was too earnest in her response, for whatever reason. "[105] She frequently listened to Paul Simon's 1986 album Graceland while riding subways in New York City and on taxi rides on the way home from parties in her hometown of Auckland. [123] The video won the award for Best Rock Video at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards. Lorde, 23, is seen for the first time in EIGHTEEN months Lorde (Music) - TV Tropes [45] Lorde said the song is about the opulence one finds in some music videos, which is "far from [her] reality". Lorde | Biography, Facts, Album, & Solar Power | Britannica The 1971 Baker Street robbery saw a gang tunnel 40feet into the basement of Lloyds Bank, before they made off with up to 3million. [46], "Royals" received widespread acclaim from music critics. Stream Royals by LordeMusic | Listen online for free on SoundCloud [11] The song garnered an immediate reaction on social media and that December, "Royals" had its first radio broadcast on New Zealand radio station George FM. Songs: The Actress In The Top 10", "Lorde's calling delivers her to splendour", "Chart Moves: Robin Thicke's 'Blurred Lines' Tops R&B/Hip-Hop Songs; Luke Bryan Scores Fifth No. [36] She criticises consumerism[39] and ridicules the luxury items mentioned in popular hip hop songs. [18], Lorde was also part of the Belmont Intermediate School band Extreme; the band placed third in the North Shore Battle of the Bands finals at the Bruce Mason Centre, Takapuna, Auckland on 18 November 2009. [138] The publication also named her the "New Queen of Alternative" in a 2013 cover story. [116] "Royals" was the most-streamed song in Australia and New Zealand by a female artist in 2013. [141] The BRIT Awards performance debuted at number 72 on the UK Singles Chart. Other translators included Sir Tmoti Kretu and Hmi Kelly. [138] At the 2014 BRIT Awards, she performed an electro version of "Royals" with Disclosure, which segued into Disclosure's song "White Noise". The self-aware and confident teenager, who started writing her own music as a 12-year-old when she was first signed to Universal on a development deal, was still in bed on a recent Saturday morning when she firmly clarified that she's "first and foremost a writerit's all about the lyrics." "Royals" is the debut single by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde, included in her debut extended play (EP) The Love Club EP (2012) and debut studio album Pure Heroine (2013). [38] The song expresses Lorde's displeasure at the sumptuous lifestyle presented by some pop artists in their songs. In an 2013 conversation with Interview Magazine, the "Solar Power" singer got more detailed about how she finally arrived at her stage name. It sold 10 million units worldwide, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time. "[9] She also listened to her parents' favourite records by the likes of Cat Stevens, Neil Young, and Fleetwood Mac in her early years. Royals Coming in at number 1 is Royals. I wrote it in like half an hour the lyrics, anyway. "Weird Al" Yankovic lampooned this song on his 2014 album, Jamaican artist Demarco released a cover titled "Loyal," which sticks to the melody but reworks the lyrics entirely. I just don't think it really would complement my music in any way or help me tell a story any better". The teenage songstress told the, When "Royals" hit #1 on the Alternative Songs chart August 24, 2013, Lorde became the first female solo artist to top the tally since Tracy Bonham's ", This came out of Yelich-O'Connor listening to the Kanye West and Jay-Z project, Yelich-O'Connor wrote the lyrics to this takedown of the luxurious lifestyle that Hip-Hop artists rap about in just half an hour. 460. The "Royals" buzz rapidly went global, and in August 2013 Lorde became the first female solo artist in 17 years to top the U.S. Lorde has sound-to-color synesthesia, a neurological condition in which specific notes and sounds correspond to certain colors. [102] "Royals" competed for the top spot with James Arthur's "You're Nobody 'til Somebody Loves You", taking it with a sales difference of 7,000 copies. [57] In contrast, Spin writer Brandon Soderberg argued that the inclusion of "Royals" on urban radio was an attempt by the music industry to whitewash traditionally black radio stations. [140] Sharing a similar viewpoint, Rolling Stone and NPR credited her debut studio album Pure Heroine as the foundation of that transformation. The ad agency's music supervisor Gabe McDonough told, Bruce Springsteen performed this song on March 1, 2014 to open a show in Auckland, New Zealand. It shows teenagers in a suburban neighbourhood interspersed with minimal shots of Lorde. The fact that she was just 16 at the time just made everything all that more amazing. 20 Best Lorde Songs of All Time (With Videos) - Tone Start ", "Tracking the Problematic Path of Lorde's 'Royals' to Rap and R&B Radio", "Lorde and Vance Joy dominate Triple J's Hottest 100 for 2013", "Lorde's Silver Scroll 'a big deal' for co-writer Joel Little", "Grammy Awards 2014: Full Nominations List", "Daft Punk and Lorde win top honours at 2014 Grammy awards", "BBC Music Awards: Newsround reports from the red carpet", "Xperia Access Q Awards all the 2014 winners", "Week Ending July 7, 2013. Aug 17, 2021. [93] All proceeds from the album are going towards two New Zealand-based charities: Forest & Bird and Te Hua Kawariki. [17] She also named several authors, including Kurt Vonnegut,[102] Raymond Carver,[103] Wells Tower,[104] Tobias Wolff,[103] Claire Vaye Watkins,[104] Sylvia Plath,[103] Walt Whitman,[103] and T. S. Eliot as lyrical inspirations, particularly noting their sentence structures. [15] In August that year, Lorde and McDonald made a guest appearance on Jim Mora's Afternoons show on Radio New Zealand. [55] Band members Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl explained that they selected Lorde because her songs represented "Nirvana aesthetics" for their perceptive lyrics. Their first effort, an extended play (EP) titled The Love Club, was self-released in 2012 for free download on SoundCloud before UMG's commercial release in 2013. [40], In November 2013, Lorde signed a publishing deal with Songs Music Publishing, worth a reported US$2.5million, after a bidding war between companies, including Sony Music Entertainment and her label UMG. Lorde has won two Grammys, two Billboard Music Awards, four New Zealand Music Awards and one MTV Music Award. Described as an indie-rock electronica album, it was highly praised by critics and reached no. ", Lorde starting writing songs in her early teenage years, but one of the lyrics from "Royals" came from even a few years earlier. [3], Lorde wrote the lyrics to "Royals" in half an hour at her home in July 2012[4][5] and during a school break, she and Little recorded the song at Golden Age Studios in Auckland in one week. Last December, Lorde teased new music when she revealed that she was working alongside Jack Antonoff. Anderson as well as authors J.D. The EP spent two weeks at its peak position of number two on the ARIA Singles Chart, being kept from number one by Avicii's "Wake Me Up". [154] Samsung used the track in a commercial for the Galaxy Note 3. Lorde's Little Sister Sings, TooPlus, More Pop Star Siblings - E! Online 1' Soundtrack to Feature Kanye West, Chvrches, Charli XCX", "2015 Golden Globe Nominees: Lorde, Lana Del Rey, Trent Reznor & More", "Disclosure: Caracal review dance duo's second is saved by the guests", "David Bowie's son thanks Brits for 'beautiful' tribute by Lorde", "David Bowie saw Lorde as 'the future of music', "Lorde Returns!