All I remember from my flight to Perth from Melbourne earlier this year, for roughly 1,700 miles, was listening to the same song on repeat for 4 hours and 15 minutes. Doing some quick math, I listened to “What Was That” by Lorde over 75 times consecutively on its release day. Yes, it was by choice, and yes, it definitely happened more while I was waiting to board. I even remember staring at the reclined seat in front of me and having the lyrics pierce through my mind in a way very few songs have ever done.
I could go on about how the single resonated with me like some of her other songs, including “The Louvre,” “Supercut,” “A World Alone,” “Ribs” and “Oceanic Feeling.” But the Recording Academy can’t.
Although many people enjoy these songs too, I can’t help but notice that Lorde’s newest album, “Virgin,” has enjoyed seemingly less popularity than her other albums. Further, it was snubbed for any Grammy nomination. But this disconnect actually started eight years ago, and has resurfaced within the last month.
When the Louvre was robbed on Oct. 19, Lorde fans concocted many satire posts about her song “The Louvre,” from her 2017 album, and the situation on Instagram.
One post reads, “‘The Louvre was robbed!’ yeah I know, this song should’ve gotten like 15 Grammys, a Pulitzer, a Medal of Honor, and a movie adaptation.”
Then the Grammy nominations dropped, and the joke continued.
Another post says, “the Louvre being robbed being a foreshadow to how lorde was robbed of (t)he(i)r grammy noms.”
“Melodrama” was snubbed, but it still is a favorite among many fans, no matter how major of fans they may be. Though eight years ago, this was the catalyst for the public to continuously misinterpret Lorde’s art, most recently with “Virgin.” Often, people say her recent work is not as introspective or nostalgic as her earlier songs.
On Lorde’s Spotify profile, she has 29.1 million monthly listeners. Out of her 10 most popular songs, five are from her debut album “Pure Heroine,” two from her sophomore album “Melodrama,” one in collaboration with Charli xcx and two from “Virgin.”
“What Was That” is the most popular from the album with over 130 million streams, but despite these statistics being similar to “A World Alone,” a deep cut from her first album that many die-hards resonate with, there is less online discourse and recognition than these earlier songs.
The thing about Lorde is that each album — produced once every four years — is about entering a new stage of life with a different mantra. For example, her first album was about nostalgia and becoming in suburbia as a teenager in an out of focus world. “Melodrama” is about a house party and feelings of euphoria. “Solar Power” is a detachment from it all — the fame, the status, the expectations. This is the album that shifted public attention.
“Solar Power” was a complete rejection of the industry and what mainstream expectations are for her. With its release, public attitude tilted away. So, the industry excused itself in the following suit to — once again — snub.
In an episode of influencer Jake Shane’s podcast “Therapuss,” Lorde says that making “Solar Power” was something that her career needed.
“I wouldn’t be here with another album if I hadn’t made ‘Solar Power,’” she said. “The zig and the zag is actually a really awesome part of it all.”
This album confirmed l Lorde doesn’t conform to the expectations that are often placed on pop stars: to produce for fans, not for the self. “Virgin” takes on another extreme of her commitment to self-expression and rawness. With pop music’s resurgence over the last year or so, especially with hyperpop and mainstream genres, her new songs are abrasively distinct. Lyrics are sharper and each song carries varying levels of layers.
The album explores gender expression and emotionally reckoning a fractured relationship. The music itself is anxious, raw and at times meant for the club (or in your head while trying to make the most of Newf’s).
Although the tone and messages of Lorde’s music have changed over all of her albums, her commitment to herself and becoming — not the demands of fans — has preserved her authenticity. “The Louvre” may have been robbed of a Grammy, but “Virgin” was robbed of much more.
Redmond "Reddy" Bernhold is The Observer's opinion editor and a senior studying biochemistry and journalism. He originally hails from Minster, Ohio but calls Siegfried Hall his home on campus. When not writing, he explores South Bend coffee shops and thrift stores. You can contact Reddy at rbernho2@nd.edu.
