A power outage at the Super Bowl. The death of Flappy Bird. Pharrell’s unnecessarily large hat. Michelle Obama’s bangs. The Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage. Hamilton. North West, for goodness sake.
A lot has happened since 2014 but, three years later, the moment we have all been waiting for has finally arrived.
After months of teasing the web, Lorde has finally released her newest single, titled “Green Light,” off her much-anticipated second album, Melodrama, set to be released this summer.
By now, it is difficult to imagine a world in which Ella Yelich-O’Connor, known more commonly as Lorde, is not a household name. Born and raised in New Zealand, O’Connor was signed to Universal Music when she was 13 years old. Just four years later, Lorde became a global sensation with the single “Royals” off of her first album, Pure Heroine.
With a head full of curls, claw-like movements (some might call it dancing) and an effortless cool-girl-goes-goth quirk, Lorde romanticized youth and the woes of growing up in a way previously unparalleled in the market.
In a November Facebook post to her fans, Lorde did what she does best – talk candidly and poetically with her fans about her continual artistic journey. Furthering this discussion, she has been offering more concise hints about her direction via Twitter.
i am so proud of this song. it's very different, and kinda unexpected. it's complex and funny and sad and joyous and it'll make you DANCE
— Lorde (@lorde) March 1, 2017
That said, Lorde’s ultimate teaser came in the form of a url shared via Instagram, Twitter and Facebook Feb. 27, directing her fans to www.imwaitingforit.com with the domain name “M*******A.”
With such a build up, the question then becomes: Does “Green Light” live up to the hype it has accumulated? The short answer is yes, and here is why.
Co-written and co-produced by Jack Antonoff of Bleachers (and Fun., and Steel Train, brother to designer Rachel Antonoff, beau to Lena Dunham, advocate for LGBTQ homeless youth, a New Jersey native and national treasure to us all), “Green Light” is about the petty moments post-breakup that ultimately help in the process of reclaiming self. Where this single thrives is in the pairing of a universal frustration with love and a nostalgic beat for what lies ahead.
In an effort to embody the essence of “Green Light” in a Beats 1 interview, Lorde describes the tune as “that drunk girl at the party dancing around crying about her ex boyfriend who everyone thinks is a mess. That’s her tonight and tomorrow [as] she starts to rebuild.”
Looking to the Spring, Lorde is expected to appear at Coachella in April, as well as Bonnaroo and Governors Ball in early June. In the meantime, keep “Green Light” on repeat.
Lorde is back. Long may she reign.
