Ever since my best friend Madlen and I spent all of last year’s finals week locked in our section lounge with our study materials out and Pure Heroine on repeat, Lorde has been a staple of my life’s background music. Whether I’m dealing with a problem or simply folding laundry, Pure Heroine is always my album of choice, and it speaks to me in a way that few other albums ever have.
Here are some reasons why you should love Lorde as much as I do.
1. She’s only 18.
“It feels so scary getting old”
Despite her immense popularity, many people are unaware of how young Lorde truly is. It has been suggested that she comes across as much older than 18, a perception that likely stems from the honesty and maturity of her lyrics, and of course, from her general air of wisdom.
Lorde has successfully created a spectacular album, established an international fan base, and traveled around the world performing for her innumerable, adoring fans all before reaching legal adulthood. Needless to say, she is incredible.
2. She isn’t afraid to make fun of herself.
“It’s a new art form showing people how little we care.”
Although several pop culture and media outlets have enjoyed poking fun at her, Lorde is always there laughing right along with them. In fact, she frequently makes fun of herself on social media, such as in this tweet from earlier this week:
Like, seriously? She’s hilarious. Through posts such as this, Lorde has publicly established herself as a real, vulnerable person who deals with a lot of the same issues as the members of her fan base. She makes it perfectly clear to her audience that she is comfortable enough in her own skin to openly laugh at herself. This is a very admirable quality, and I believe it makes her much more relatable than many of her pop culture contemporaries.
Another example of her positive media presence is her response to the references made to her in a recent episode of South Park. For those not familiar with the episode, here is a clip of South Park’s parody of Lorde:
Rather than reacting negatively to this comical representation, Lorde acknowledged in an interview that she found it absolutely hilarious. She even performed her own rendition of the song that they created for the episode:
Not only did she respond to the situation with an extraordinary degree of grace and class, but she made it clear to the world that she will not let public ridicule shake her confidence.
3. She’s best friends with Taylor Swift.
“You’re the only friend I need”
As was referenced in the previous video, Lorde and Taylor Swift are super tight in real life, which is a fantastic quality in itself. As a loyal fan of Taylor Swift since my early teenage years, I was overjoyed to see that two of my favorite celebrities are actually best friends.
They frequently support each other on social media:
And when they’re not traveling the world and making music history, they even hang out.
Together, they’re taking the world by storm.
4. She promotes a positive body image.
“That kind of luxe just ain’t for us, we crave a different kind of buzz”
Through her use of social media and her natural style, Lorde has made it very clear to the public that she is all about keeping it real. In one specific instance last spring, Lorde spoke out against the people who Photoshop-ed a picture of her performing at a concert. In response to their airbrushed representation of her, she tweeted:
Lorde’s determination to express to her fans the importance of staying real and loving yourself for exactly who you are is truly inspiring. Rather than getting caught up in the fame and obsessing over her image, she has not allowed cruel commentary or media manipulation to deter her sense of self-confidence, a message through which she strives to positively influence her fans.
5. She knows who she is and she isn’t afraid to show it.
“I’m little but I’m comin’ for ya”
Through her unique dance moves and outfit choices, Lorde puts forth a stage presence that is truly one-of-a-kind. She is extremely humble, and is making it clear to her fans that despite her fame, she is determined to remain exactly who she is.
My favorite line from Pure Heroine is, “You buy me orange juice” from 400 Lux, a lyric which I believe shows the quirky side to her character as well as her appreciation for the little things in life. If you haven’t already, I highly recommend checking out her album and discovering all that she stands for.
Lorde is currently curating the soundtrack for Mockingjay, the third film from the Hunger Games series, and I am eagerly anticipating her next musical masterpiece.
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