By: Kate Franco

It seems to be that Ella Yelich-O’Connor, popularly known as Lorde, has been one of the most talked about artists of 2013. It may come as a shock to many listeners when they discover that the Davenport, New Zealand native is only 16 years old. The young, motivated, artist blew fans away when her debut EP The Love Club which was released in March 2013. Lorde puts her signature mark into the EP, leaving listeners utterly impressed with her work.  The EP features five original songs, including her hit single “Royals” which debuted at No. 1 on the New Zealand Top 40 where it remained for three weeks.

The 16-year-old, Lorde’s hit single, “Royals,” is a song where Lorde seems to shine light upon rap artists who put certain emphasis on their lyrics.

“But every song’s like gold teeth / Grey Goose, trippin’ in the bathroom,” Lorde expresses in her lyrics. “Blood stains, ball gowns, trashin’ the hotel room, we don’t care / We’re driving Cadillacs in our dreams.”

Lorde is potentially illustrating a similarity as to the message a typical pop song is delivering. Clearly, Lorde is looking to address a particular point.

The song continues with the lyrics, “That kind of lux just ain’t for us / We crave a different kind of buzz.” Lorde expresses herself by singing about her own fantasy and what makes her feel invincible.

Following with another single from the EP, the song “Love Club” is a track where Lorde attempts to be honest and open about her deep-hearted emotions.

“There’s nothing more I want / Except to be alone / My mother’s love is choking me / I’m sick of words that hang above my head,” and “be part of the love club / everything will glow for you,” are a brief overview of the artist’s emotions and personal story. Songs like this one are what make Lorde a unique artist with such an original, honest, and fearless sense of her feelings embedded in her melodies.

So what makes Lorde so different than the others up and coming? You could probably agree that the artist’s ability to express and draw an image with her lyrics is pretty impressive for someone who is only 16-years-old. It is almost as if the EP would sound like it would come from someone who is twice her age.

After more interviews are conducted and information is released about this talented artist, it is true that Lorde is easily influenced by the electro-pop sound with musical influences including The Weekend. This could be one of the many explanations as to why Lorde sings and illustrates the joy and pains of youth.

Lorde is a voice and talent that is consistently attracting new listeners, which openly has encouraged Lorde to continue on with her musical career and dreams. The EP was ultimately a success for Lorde, leaving listeners craving for more from the artist.