“All my life I’ve been obsessed with adolescence, drunk on it. Even when I was little, I knew that teenagers sparkled. I knew they knew something children didn’t know, and adults ended up forgetting.” — Lorde.
Being a teenager is arguably the most developmental stage of our lives, as we often find ourselves making mistakes, experiencing firsts, and making what feel like life-altering decisions. Ultimately, the teenage experience is invaluable, and most of us are likely to spend the rest of our lives chasing the euphoria of being young.
As a first year university student myself, I often find myself clinging to the past, unable to fully process that I’m on a different path now. I spent my formative years trying to feel comfortable in my skin, and I now feel like I’ve lost all the progress I made.
From gaining and losing friends to finding self-worth outside of academia, change is something I must accept to grow as a person. But through navigating this daunting and isolating process, I frequently turn to music for comfort.
For me, Lorde’s music has been the voice of reason throughout it all. As someone who released her first album at the age of 16, Lorde knows the weight that youth carries. Her first album, Pure Heroine, is a brutally honest record. Lorde looks at the world with all the self-righteousness of a teenage girl and calls it out for exactly what it is — a world controlled by artificial labels.
Kids are bored of the status quo — they are painfully aware of the capitalist society that binds us and wants things to change. Lorde understands the desire for escape and, with that understanding, made an amazing debut album.
The song “Ribs” perfectly encapsulates the feeling of growing up and describes the fear of leaving the current version of yourself in the past. When listening, you can’t help but replay the highlight reel of your life as you reminisce on past memories that once felt infinite. Now, you can look back with a newfound appreciation for the person you were.
The lyrics, “And I’ve never felt more alone/feels so scary getting old,” reflect on the fear of time passing and how isolating growing up can feel. Ironically, it’s the frightening honesty of these lyrics that has helped me make sense of my life. The future is a scary thought, no matter how you look at it. It’s bound to sneak up on us, and we won’t realize it until the future becomes the present. The song puts past and present into perspective and, strangely enough, gives me hope for my future.
Seven years later, Lorde released her third studio album, Solar Power, a piece of art that shows her growth as a creative and an individual. Solar Power tackles the singer’s relationships with social media, fame, and, of course, growing up.
The song “Secrets from a Girl (Who’s Seen it All)” is, in a way, “Ribs’” big sister. It describes life after youth (the very life Lorde was scared of growing into) and how time slips by like the grains of sand she so often reflects upon. Now equipped with new experiences, Lorde is able to look back at the girl she was and tell her that everything will be okay.
In the song’s bridge, she says, “Welcome to sadness/The temperature is unbearable until you face it.” This creative spin on an airplane’s landing announcement serves as the central piece of advice she is conveying; there is nothing you can do about change, you can only embrace it.
Reflecting on who you once were can be hard, but Lorde highlights the importance of humanizing yourself, as your mistakes do not define or control your life. Your life is not a fixed point in time. It is adapting and continuous.
My favourite instance of change recognized in Lorde’s discography is in Solar Power’s closing track — “Oceanic Feeling.” She sings, “Now the cherry-black lipstick is gathering dust in a drawer/I don’t need her anymore.” She pays homage to the girl she was when she wrote Pure Heroine, incredibly noting how far she has come as a person — something that embracing change granted her.
Lorde has taught me to cherish the present, no matter how taxing or scary it may feel. I can’t control every aspect of my life, especially change. It’s crucial to embrace every version of yourself because one day, you will realize just how much time has slipped through your fingers — and that’s okay! With the maturity and acceptance to regard your past with fondness, you can control your perception of change.