Lorde’s New Songs Definitely About Personal Life

‘I’m really a shy, library person,” says Lorde, who adds, “I’m an introvert, a writer –just trying to translate what’s inside my chest.” The 20-year-old Auckland-born singer sits down with Vanity Fair’s Lisa Robinson before the release of her new album, Melodrama, to explain why you don’t need Google to translate it.

Lorde’s auspicious return to the stage, at festivals like Coachella and Glastonbury, do still hold a pressure, the singer says.

“But it’s the kind of environment that the work deserves. High-octane moments reflect where I think the work came from,” she explains. “Somehow, being onstage in front of thousands of people is not dissimilar to dancing in my living room.”

Asked why she chose Melodrama as the title for her second album, Lorde replies:

“It’s a nod to the types of emotions you experience when you’re 19 or 20. I had such an intense two years, and everything I was feeling – whether it was crying or laughing or dancing or in love – each of them felt like the most concentrated version of that emotion. I also have a love of theatre and I love drawing a parallel with Greek tragedies. But there’s definitely an element of tongue-in-cheek; it’s very funny to title your record Melodrama.”

“Are you still avoiding red carpets?” Robinson asks.

“I’m a great believer in sticking to your strengths, and I don’t think anyone needs to see me looking like a dork trying to look cool on a red carpet. I don’t feel wonderful about myself when I do them.”

Lorde has just announced her world tour Melodrama, which begins in Manchester on 26 October. She performs at Glastonbury Festival on 23 June.

Original article by Lisa Robinson, Vanity Fair, June 2017.

Photo by Mary Ellen Matthews.