Album Review: Lorde Showcases Her New State Of Mind In ‘Solar Power’

Stepping away from her inner demons and looking outwards, Lorde cultivates a fresh sound and bright outlook in her third studio album.

Written by Katie Karp 

Photo courtesy of Scott Kowalchyk 

In 2013, a 16-year-old girl from New Zealand took the music industry by storm with her single, "Royals." She was Ella Yellich-O'Connor, but would later go by the moniker 'Lorde.' At the time, peppy songs about everything from parties to broken hearts dominated the pop airwaves. But "Royals" was different. The single was moody, its production bare, and lyrics hopeless. The most notable song about defying fame and luxury ironically sent Lorde to the top of the music charts (and at the center of the stardom she sang about so bluntly.) 

Months later, Lorde released her debut album Pure Heroine, a record highly praised by indie kids and passive radio listeners alike for its mystical vocals and experimental, bass-heavy production. In 2017, the alt pop icon solidified her status as more than a one hit wonder with her sophomore album, Melodrama. Through piano-driven love ballads, upbeat tempos paired with lyrics of teenage rebellion, and a careful exploration of radio-friendly pop, Lorde told a story of heartbreak and loneliness. She was a creative powerhouse brimming with boundless vision, and no one could stop her — until she stopped herself. The young musician receded from the limelight, gave up social media, and returned to her hometown in Auckland to get in touch with her roots and the planet itself for another four years. 

Finally, on August 20, Lorde shared her radiance once again with music listeners across the world when she released her long-awaited Solar Power. Filled with recordings of nature sounds and verses about the beauty of the outdoors, the light-hearted, minimalist atmosphere of the record is the polar opposite of her previously darker, more emotional works. Lorde’s shift to Solar Power is not entirely surprising, given the time of its release. During her musical hiatus, COVID-19 spread like wildfire and TikTok reached great heights, bringing danceable beats and dark lyrics to a highly digitized and isolated audience. Lorde’s chirpier sound is less experimental in terms of production, but it stands out among the techno beats and rebellious lyrics of the 2020s. 

Image courtesy of Universal Music New Zealand

The title track “Solar Power” is the first of many about Lorde’s affinity for the outdoors. The high-spirited acoustic guitar perfectly complements her blissful lyrics, which express her love for the beach, her friends, her “boy,” and herself. The track is emblematic of her ability to fight the depression and heartbreak at Melodrama's core and instead enjoy a “new kind of bright.” In a hushed voice, Lorde sings with confidence that "I'll tell you my secrets / I'm kinda like a prettier Jesus. These lyrics represent the self-love that permeates the album while demonstrating her peace with her environment and herself. In “California,” Lorde delves into the peace and joy she found away from the spotlight while devaluing the high-end objects and niceties that define the materialism of Los Angeles. The next track, “Stoned at the Nail Salon,” further paints the whimsical narrative of Lorde's escape from the Hollywood heat that fueled her internal fire.

Lorde's ability to move against the current of modern pop is highly evident in "Fallen Fruit." The track is reminiscent of '60s nostalgia, with echoing vocals akin to the Mamas and Papas and convivial lyrics written like a Beatles anti-war song. At the forefront of the psychedelic track lies a desire for freedom and coexistence, much like the ideals of the hippie movement from decades past. But in Lorde's case, the freedom she wants (and has taken for herself) is from the music industry, an institution that tends to further induce feelings of being trapped or stuck in a certain direction. The singer also concerns herself with the developed world’s impact on the environment, declaring, "We'll disappear in the cover of the rain / … / It's time for us to leave"). As Lorde laments on the destructive practices that various industries have had on her and the environment, it becomes clear why she is lured by the flower power movement and its celebration of beauty in people and Earth.

Lorde celebrates the coexistence of her growth and youth in “Secrets from a Girl (Who’s Seen it All).” Now 24 years old, Lorde has learned to drink responsibly, accept rejection, and stop perpetually apologizing. The Kiwi pop princess is well beyond her teenage tendencies, but she  appreciates that she is still young, even referring to herself as a girl instead of a woman throughout the track. The playful lyrics and simple instrumentals, reminiscent of 2000s pop, reinforce the innocent nature of the album. Against sunny guitar notes and a slow drum beat, Lorde muses on her acceptance of growing up; instead of sinking into a deep melancholy, she turns to her inner child. Lorde is learning to appreciate her past and present while living playfully and full of vigor.

“Mood Ring,” the third single of the album, explores spirituality and emotion in a highly digitized world, as told by the ever-changing colors of the popular 2000s accessory. Lorde introduces the wellness trends of the present in a breathy falsetto: “I'm tryna get well from the inside / Plants and celebrity news, all the vitamins I consume.” During the pre-chorus, the singer also acknowledges the appropriation of various spiritual practices that have become mainstream in recent years: "Ladies, begin your sun salutations / Transcendental in your meditations (Love and light) / You can burn sage and I'll cleanse the crystals." Lorde highlights a variety of ways to brighten one's mood and being, but even with all of these rituals, the singer still struggles to understand her own. The track closes on a note of uncertainty, but its overlapping vocals and dreamy guitar chords leaves listeners in a colorful mood of their own. 

The stripped-back production of Solar Power makes its return in the keyboard-driven closer, "Oceanic Feeling." Throughout the track, Lorde reflects on familial ties, imagining everything from her father as a young boy, to her little brother swimming, and the potential traits of her future daughter. In "Oceanic Feeling," Lorde's optimistic attitude, hopeful dreams, and gratitude are on full display, a heavy contrast to the darker emotions of her first two albums. In the final verse, she even acknowledges the "cherry-black lipstick" of her past, coming to the realization that, to find her inner 'solar power,' "I just had to breathe / And tune in." 

Lorde's shift from edgier, alt pop to a more youthful, bubbly sound marks a vast development in her maturity as an artist and a person. She not only flaunts her talent for cryptically poetic verses and dreamy vocals once again, but her ability to find light within herself after overcoming heartbreak and heavy feelings. After a turbulent year-and-a-half, the fresh sound and hopeful messages of Solar Power offers listeners a much-needed sense of clarity and joy. By the end of the album, hopefully everyone can discover their own inner brightness.