At the age of 16, Lorde went #1 across the world. She was catapulted from the suburbs of Auckland to the Grammy's stage, winning Song of the Year.
12 years and four albums later, she's continued to defy expectations as a pop artist and is one of the most gifted songwriters of our time. This is an episode of Take 5 that was filmed for the TV series, but this podcast is an extended edit - capturing even more stories, insight, and sounds. It's an incredible conversation with one of the most thoughtful people I've met.
Lorde has been going through a massive period of change. A chrysalis, taking new form. So I worked up a Take 5 theme to draw that out. And from Lucinda Williams to Westerman to something very close to home, hearing her speak about the craft of song is a rare treat.
Lorde's song choices:
- Lucinda Williams – 'Fruits of My Labor'
- Bronski Beat – 'Smalltown Boy'
- Nina Simone – 'Suzanne'
- Westerman – 'Confirmation'
- Charli xcx & Lorde – 'Girl, so confusing featuring lorde'
00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview
00:49 Lorde's Early Influences and First Song Choice
02:03 SONG 1: Lucinda Williams – 'Fruits of My Labor'
02:33 Lucinda Williams' Impact on Lorde
09:30 Lorde's Childhood and Musical Beginnings
12:56 The Mystery of Songwriting
14:02 SONG 2: Bronski Beat – 'Smalltown Boy'
18:55 Writing songs about life experiences
21:05 Reflecting on the huge success of 'Royals', The Love Club EP and being world famous at 16
24:10 Reflecting on Teenage Years and Womanhood
28:22 Lorde's Relationship with Her Parents
30:18 SONG 3: Nina Simone – 'Suzanne'
30:27 Nina Simone's Transformative Cover of 'Suzanne'
31:16 Leonard Cohen's Inspiration and Poetic Imagery
32:12 Nina Simone's Unique Interpretation
35:39 Exploring Gender and Identity in Music
36:36 Relationship break-up and personal transformation
39:47 SONG 4: Westerman – 'Confirmation'
42:01 The Creative Process Behind 'Virgin'
44:55 Physical reactions to music
46:15 SONG 5: Charli xcx & Lorde – 'Girl, so confusing featuring lorde'
46:44 Charli xcx releasing 'Girl, so confusing' about Lorde
48:04 Lorde's verse and working it out in the remix
49:08 Articulating the complexity of female friendships
54:02 Lorde reflecting on her friendship with Charli xcx
55:22 Concluding Thoughts and Future Plans
Watch Take 5 on ABC iview:
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