Why Lorde's Solar Power Is So Polarizing
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- Опубліковано 19 сер 2022
- Lorde's third album, #SolarPower has spared debate over whether or not #Lorde still has it. In this video essay, I deconstruct why this record failed to connect while also touching on why it's the way it is and how that's not a bad thing at all. Solar Power does not deserve the hate it gets but it's also a very flawed record. #videoessay
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Aaah I’m back, let me know what track you loved most and whether or not you thought Solar Power was a flop era or not.
I remember the disappointment I felt when the album first came out and I wasn’t what I expected. But a few months after I was on a walk, the sun was shining and I was listening to the album and all of a sudden it just clicked. Like at an instant it made sense and I understood it. I think it’s such a beautiful album and I love how reflective it is. So incomparable to Melodrama- I enjoy it as it stands alone
Great video btw!! So glad it came on my recommended :) my fav songs from the album are man with the axe (the last part of it is so dreamy- fav lines in the album), oceanic feeling, and Solar power
Thanks so much Abbey! Thanks for your thoughts and taking a chance on my video! Like it’s a very situational album in a sense her albums are but so many people have told me they loved it when they were in nature. As a standalone record, it’s truly a special record. It just really had that ugly hurdle of coming right after Melo (which is really her magnum opus so far, fingers crossed L4 challenges it)
I had literally the same experience!
Exactly how I felt! 👏 👏 half way through summer then & I was hooked on all the sounds
I feel exactly the same way!
I think solar power is a very situational album. If you feeling sad and depressed its definitely not for you, but when you start feeling happy and start appreciating life you can really hear and understand what the album is about. If im honest its probably my favorite album from her because it just feels so warm and cozy to me and its a beautiful album.
I think even sad and depressed people can enjoy it, there's a couple tracks on there that are just gutting. Big Star especially.
I think people close to her age really appreciated the album, the feeling of not really making any big strides in your mid 20s was very connecting. It definitely made me feel less isolated and in the end I connected with a lot more people who universally share the mindset that you ‘had to be making adult moves!’ without any real blueprint on where or how to start! Just live in the moment ✨
That's a great reading of Solar Power and the general vibes that kinda was felt when I saw her live on the tour. I think there's a magic to being around the same age as one of your favorite artists. Like there's a literal "I'm growing up with them" energy to it that you just don't feel when an artist is like almost a decade older/younger than you.
cusper probs fr
I actually really liked the album, it was healing in a sense. Of course I love Melodrama and Pure Heroine, but Solar Power means something to me too. Not every album needs a smash hit or high energy to it for it to be a good record [to everyone], I like it's more chill and low key sound to it. My favourite songs are Mood Ring, Secrets From a Girl (Who's Seen It All), Fallen Fruit, The Man With the Axe, and especially, ESPECIALLY Oceanic Feeling. And for that one review to call it self indulgent kinda makes no sense, every artist deserves to make a self indulgent project, it is their art after all.
Agreed with that last point, if an artist isn’t happy with what they make, why create?!
Oceanic feeling is the BEST track imo
What I enjoy about this album, is that for me it’s about the good and bad sides of healing. Not every aspect of self-love/self-discovery is easy; healing from your past is hard, and I think this album touches on a lot of levels.
It's really a grower record and definitely a maturity touchstone. I have a feeling the younger fanbase who joined in years after Melo will "get it" years from now.
Reading people saying that this album grew on them is heart-warming. In my case, I liked the album just listening It once (probably bc I'm as weird as her or I love the summer Idk) but some people realised they liked It later and that's beautiful to hear. I'm not scared to say that I like Solar Power more than Pure Heroine.
I think album reception takes time, like sometimes a record just came out at the wrong time or the wrong climate and we look back and realize it was great all along. Conversely, some albums are so rooted in the circumstances and times they dropped we can’t stand to hear them anymore despite them being our favorites at that time. Time is funny like that and I’m glad you got to see people turn the tide on this record.
i’m a massive lorde fan and honestly solar power is my favourite album by her. i’ve got a lot of personal connection to it but i’m not sure it just clicks with me i love the vibe of it so much
That’s great! You don’t need to explain why a piece of art speaks to you! Sometimes it just does!
i vividly remember being on twitter ready to rant about how much i loved solar power only to see it being called a flop album or whatevs which really confused me. i loved having a beachy vibes album to cheer me up after folklore and evermore.
looking back, i think one of the main reasons it flopped is how late into the summer it was released. if solar power was brought out by the beginning of june then people would've received it way better as a feel good tune that's bringing us out of the pandemic. by the time it was released the 'novelty' of summer kind of wore off as people were easing into it. furthermore the actual record was released so late into summer that there was barely any time to appreciate it- even for me who loved it! i just wished someone would've had the hindsight and got it ready a little sooner.
i do call solar power my fav lorde album though and i stand by that :)
Aaah! You’re so right about the timing of the record! I hadn’t realized how late it was dropped but having lived a summer with it, I get your sentiments! I’m glad you loved SP!
she released right on time because august is the beginin of summer in new zealand.
Going on a walk with this ablum playing is unreal 🌻✨
It’s killer at the beach or in nature! Sorta like how Melodrama was made for New York City.
I started liking solar power once my life started feeling normal again after the pandemic. Once I sat down to read it's lyrics I loved it. It feels more mature that the other two albums, and it shows how much she has grown as a person and artist. It's sad that it didn't get the recognition it deserved, it's a beautiful work of art.
The album is so perfect for a nice summer day. She had the ability to live normal-ish life in NZ and distill that maturity and luxury in tough times into a record I think will age way better 5 years down the line than other works.
This album is very relatable to me, as much as melo and PH. I honestly think the people who criticize it as a satirical album without the satire just don't have the perspective to understand how someone can love the sun and nature so much as Ella does in Solar Power. The album just doesn't speak to them, instead they find it absurd or whatever
I highly doubt it’s satirical, if they’ve even read one of her emails, they’d know how serious it was!
i love solar power so much, when melodrama came out i was in a different phase musically so i didnt rly look into it but i always loved pure heroine since it came out, so i was glad that this album brought me back to her and i listen to it a lot
i love that it has things i relate to along with being rly personal and specific to her, and just in general i love the sound of it all
It’s probably her most gentle record, if you showed like PH-era Ella this album she’d be so surprised like PH is harsh bass and synths, this is guitars and her matured vocals
the path, fallen fruit, and oceanic feeling are the heroes of the standard edition. truly think it’s a better ep than a full lp
The Path Live was a moment…
That’s why I love Te Ao Marama the most from this era, it’s the best songs there, in Te Reo, and it feels more natural to the world of solar power
It wasn’t fair of people to compare Solar Power to Melodrama… cuz let’s be honest, no album will ever be as perfect as Melodrama. Anything she was going to do after Melodrama wasn’t going to be as good. But Solar Power is still brilliant, I loved it when it came out and I still do. I saw her in London on the Solar Power tour and it made me appreciate the artistry and themes of the album even more!
I think it really also was the 4 year gap (it would have been just 3 or maybe 2 if things hadn’t happened the way it did) but agreed!
This record is so juicy in my opinion! When I first heard it, I admit I was confused. However, this album was my most listened to music by far throughout the year. It’s such great soft background music. Each listen for me felt fresh. I never got tired. I can listen to this forever, it’s just so beautiful and well crafted.
Then seeing her perform this album live was incredible. Her rich deep voice and acoustic sound was just infectious.
Well said!
this album made me actually really happy. it has this gentle, contemplative vibe to it. she sounds so much more relax & not to anxious & frenzied like she did in melodrama. it makes me feel okey feeling alone & that emotions are just visitors - they come & go but that doesn't mean that things aren't going to be okay
For some unknown reason, I loved this album. I love when artist do an album of self reflection as it let's you into their actual self and who they really are. I listened to this non-stop for a couple months
I agree with this album probably being the most honest Lorde record to exist. No pretense of an aesthetic or the pursuit of mainstream success. Sorta a true indie album vs indie pop with the hopes of crossing over into the Top 40.
I feel like people were expecting something specifically for L3 and they didn't get what they wanted. That's probably one reason why people were so disappointed. I myself am an electronic hoe so I naturally gravitate to her other albums. However, I feel that the lyrics on Solar Power really stand out. The Man with the Axe is a great track along with Stoned.
the ONE problem i have with the album is the lack of story (or at least more in your face story) from the MVs i feel like there was something there relating to climate change and trying to hide your problems and etc but it wasn’t fully explored. I fully thought before release that this was going to be a concept album where the first half would be fun and be achy and the second half would be this dramatic, dark apocalyptic sounding vibe
I feel like the story wasn't really about that so much as Lorde escaping celebrity by being on the island(?) though I would have loved a story about climate change or something more tangible. I agreed though that it seemed ripe to become a concept album. Mood Ring had me fooled it was going to be similar to It's Not Me, It's You by Lily Allen in that most of the album would play satirically.
i loved your take on this album! solar power is definitely my favourite album from lorde. don't get me wrong, i LOVED pure heroine and i think melodrama is one of the best albums of the 2010s, but the lyricism/poetry and aesthetic of SP just made me feel glad that she's finally healing and is growing as a person. i love how personal and introspective she gets and i don't think it's fair of some fans to write this album off just because it's not as relatable or commercial as the other two. i think its the best album to listen to in the summer (or any time of year really!)
p.s. i think the 'i thought i was a genius, but now i'm 22" line is one of the greatest lyrics she's ever written, that whole song is pure poetry
It'll age very well. I imagine like in 2031, people will do a 10 year retrospective and go "wow SP was actually very good" and highlight how honest this record was. Don't get me wrong, I'm still a Melo and PH stan but SP is probably the first proper "Ella" album if that makes any sense.
I agree with pretty much all you said! I think this album was necessary for Lorde’s path on reinventing herself and prove to the critics she’s capable of different sounds, while also acting as a natural progression of her character. If anything her fans should understand the search for approval and feeling of unworthiness that Pure Heroine and Melodrama represented, and finally achieving peace within herself with Solar Power.
Additionally, I so agree with the real gems of the album being the bonus tracks. Hold No Grudge is just so…mmm, I just love it. Great vid! ☺️
Thanks! I genuinely think this album will be seen way more favorably years from now as sort of a forgotten gem of hers in her crown of albums. But those bonus tracks are truly divine. I’d love for her to blend everything she’s learned and newer sounds into L4.
Loved it - rlly connected and loved its perspective and uniqueness
I was actually never a fan of Lorde before this album I only heard Royals ages ago on the radio every so often and I absolutely adore Solar Power. I found it when I was freshly 18 (I act like that was long ago, it was only several months ago) and idk it just helped me through my first breakup (which was very messy) and I always just listen it when I want a pick me up. It just makes me feel so warm inside and I feel like I'm sitting on a beach on a hot's summers day. Maybe younger people (I'm young, I know, but I mean like teenagers) listened to it and didn't get it because to me it's about loving yourself, not worrying so much about the future, being content in life, not worrying about others opinions of you etc. Secrets from a girl is probably my favorite song, I love the lyrics. I think it was something I definitely needed to hear as a new adult fresh out of high school. It gave me A LOT of wisdom and it's a song I often show people who are lost in life. I remember I went to LA for the first time and I listened to this album on the Santa Monica pier and it was one of the most peaceful moments in my life. (Specifically California and Solar Power) IDK I COULD JUST GO ON AND ON ABOUT HOW MUCH I ADORE THIS ALBUM- I'll stop but long story short, this album helped me grow and mature so much and it's why I love Lorde today. (Not to mention her opinions on sustainability because I always talk about being eco-friendly, global warming and stuff like that a lot)
It just didn’t work for a Covid album because like no we weren’t on a private island like her, we were in lockdown.
YES
This album came out at a moment when no one was in a mood for the sound of it. I'm not gonna speak on the lyrics,as english is my second language and the sonics of a song is what I always gravitate towards. But,yeah,beachy stony happy vibes wasn't the mood last year.That's why I think waiting and finally listening to it at the begging of this summer made me like the album a lot more than I thought I would last year.Melodrama is my favorite album of all time,and the album that ignited my love for music again 5 years ago,after a few years of not really feeling connected to it. So for me to not be as disappointed as I thought I would be,after seeing what everyone thought about it,it counts as a good album
Favorite song the path by far,and also stoned,fallen fruit,secrets from a girl and mood ring
Its always when artists reach their peak commercially/artistically with any project ,people start to trash talk their succeeding project if its not matching to it
They dont even acknowledge uniqueness of the album
I think the wild thing is that Lorde really had two back-to-back records that did well either critically or commercially. Like this “flopping” is the apocalypse for her apparently as if she doesn’t make another like 4 albums or so. She’s still young!
@@EljohnMacaranas tbh i didnt like her new album
Not because its bad or not on par with previous but cause i just dont feel it or relate to it
Im not vibing or getting those things which lorde intended to deliver with this
I didnt like Pure heroine either but i have my fav songs in it like Royals ofc,Tennis court,Team & Buzzcut season ..
Melodrama is in my top 5 fav albums of all time
I dont have song i like or any favs on Solar Power.
But yeah she's still quite young and only 3 albums to date
We have so much left to have from her ....
Okay yeah, I'm biased because I went to the Solar Power tour, but I definitely miss the more electro pop era. Hearing the songs performed live really changes how you listen to them. I was finding that Solar Power was less relatable as a 16 year old boy compared to the other two albums, but then again Lorde fans are typically girls my age rather then boys, I still love and find comfort in so many of the songs in the two other records, they reflect my emotions better then words can, and I honestly think thats why Ella is such an amazing artist. Seeing her on stage, she was obviously super comfortable and genuine with her fans, but my favorite songs she performed were from Melodrama rather then Solar Power, theres nothing like hearing the booming chorus of Perfect Places or Supercut blasted in a room full of screaming fans, It really is the most electrifying feeling in the world. I still don't hate Solar Power though, I loved the energy of The Path, and I walked out of the venue liking way more of the Solar Power songs then I did before. I agree Hold No Grudge is the real banger on the record. If nothing else, Ella's lyrics are beautifully poetic and like no other artist in the industry.
I think solar power is completely underrated, especially the closing track (non-deluxe version) Oceanic Feeling. I love how reserved she is and the contrast it provides form her past music. It shows how she's changed and grown up.
She definitely chose it for a beautiful closing video that says bye to the era
Inmediately when it dropped I loved it, without a doubt, I was in a gap year through a personal journey and it clicked to a deep level, I love how people now understand it, less is more, we are all energy 💛
Hearing it live and hearing her talk about each song a little helped me quite a bit with the record tbh! But yeah, def underrated!
Oceanic Feeling is amazing. Was taken aback when I first heard it
we also need your thoughts on ellie’s “easy lover” and her upcoming album/era!
I’ll chime in once we get the record, I’m annoyed her label has failed to get the song off the ground. It’s a great track and just now did she perform it on Jimmy Fallon…
I love this album. There’s so much to it. This album was definitely a more grown up and it really does make me feel like i was invited to new Zealand to just hang out for a summer. I love the idea of worshipping nature and being by the water.
Honestly, yeah it felt like kicking it back with a friend who’s like in her 20’s but has the wisdom of someone in her 50’s
I loved every single song on there, dare i say this album is even better than the other two albums
Better than melodrama? Nice joke
Great work
Thanks! 🌞
I love Solar Power and its my favourite record she's done. Loved the three singles along with The Path, Falen Fruit & Big Star.
It’s a really lovely record
When it first came out I was let down to be honest. I just wasn’t in the mindset at the time to be able to connect to this album. Recently though I re-listened to it and it sounded like an entirely different album. It just sounded so calming and euphoric and now it’s on repeat. I truly believe that artists need to make something different and personal for them to grow and be able to make more “smashes” in the future
Lorde will always be capable of making hits like PH and Melo to a degree (esp now that Jack’s pop production is mainstream) proved that. I’m glad she took a break from that and did an album for herself even tho most ppl didn’t comprehend or like it all too much. I’m certain L4 will be some brand new cool thing!
For me it's her best album and my personal fave
Don't get me wrong, Melodrama is a MASTERPIECE in every kind of way, and Pure Heroine is great, but Solar Power has something that really likes me, the vibe, the sound, the lyrics, Lorde's voice, everything, it's really beautiful and i find it just hella good
Melodrama and Solar Power are in a constant fight for my fave, but it's most SP, my favs are stoned at the nail salon (deserved a music video), big star, the path, hold no grudge, oceanic feeling, the man with the axe and fallen fruit
The whole album is just a good experience, i personally like it more at night, but for afternoons is great too!
Thanks for the video, love u
That's fair, I think if a record speaks more to you than everyone else's fave, it's still your favorite. Solar Power deserved way more but then again I think it was a very successful album if we treat it as the indie pop record she was aiming it to be. I wish all the songs got videos. The ones we got were gorgeous!
@@EljohnMacaranas yeah, i agree
The video for Fallen fruit, Mood ring, Oceanic feeling and the parh were beautiful, the whole album is video worth
I would like to know what are your faves
And also, thanks again, love u
#SolarPowerDeservesBetter
So underrated. Great album.
It ages better as time passes like seeing her do the songs live made me fall in love with the record!
Very proud to have been a solar power fan from first listen
Mood Ring should have been the lead single
TRUTH, it was supposed to be it... but they swapped.
i remember disliking it at first and then, one day, summer was slowly creeping in, and i was sunbathing in my apartment and she said: "blink three times when you feel it kicking in" and everything fell into place
Me with The Path biking around town
I used to listen to this album incessantly when it first came out! It was perfect for where I was living at the time, by the ocean with the sun on my skin. But after getting dumped a few months later, I can’t listen to it in the same way that I used to :/
I hope you find love for the album again one day… I hate when an album gets murked by a relationship gone awry
I have never really been a Lorde fan and never really got Melodrama but when the singles for Solar Power dropped I loved all of them (even though Stoned at the Nail Salon was clearly Jack being uninspired and doing a repeat of Lana's Wild at Heart which I didn't really mind because it's one of my favourite Lana songs).
Fallen Fruit made it onto my playlist for a while but besides that I never really sought out any of the songs on the album and when I heard them I was never impressed enough to actually listen to the full thing. Tbh the extreme hate the album got made me never want to listen to it either.
Then a few weeks ago when the sun came out and spring/summer officially began I suddenly got Solar Power in my head again and put on the full album and have been OBSESSED since. I sort of get why Lorde's fans don't like it considering it's very psychedelic/dreamy/low-key compared to her synth-pop sound and universally applicable lyrics from her previous albums.
It's a shame because this album is genuinely amazing, the soundscape she creates is actually very cohesive and I really love how the album is an inversion of typical "summer" albums in the sense that it is so low-key and introspective. Maybe it's not what people were hoping for but I think there's a reason why it speaks to me and so many other people so deeply.
It has really started to grow on me.
It’s one of those age like wine albums
Secrets from a girl still makes me cry 😭
I used to sunbathe just listening to this album. It's genius.
I found a third wind of appreciation after seeing Poor Things
Beautiful album!
It’s a shame it had to follow like 2 stellar alt pop albums
It’s unique
You Still Need To Cover Chromatica
Once I go to my Chromatica Ball show I’ll have the final piece I need to do a recap!
I really liked this album I listened to it while at the beach so it worked really well
It’s honestly a vibes record. Like if it’s not summer or you’re not on a beach, it doesn’t play well. Melo is a city record. Pure Heroine is a suburbs one.
I freaking loved this album but I am also a hippie 😊
It’s definitely a vibe for hippies!
NOTIFICATION SQUAD ROLL UP
Wooo!
Im starting to get so tired of artists who ditch their pop sensibilities when the 2nd or 3rd album comes a long /:
I think it’s creative exhaustion or maybe the artist didn’t really intend to be in pop for “so long” but Lorde has said this album was more or less scratched that itch she had to shed electronic sounds. I imagine her next record will be in line with earlier efforts.
It’s okay for me to still not care for this album after a few go rounds. Not every project is a winner and this is it for me
That's perfectly valid. If it's a miss, it's a miss.
Smoke a bit, go to the pool or beach with your loved ones and play solar power while you're with the face to the sun.
If you dont get it after that then I'm sorry
Oh I did that on 4/20.
This album is enjoyable if we're being honest.
❤lorde
Musically it’s a rewrite of George Michael’s “Freedom ’90”.
A quick Google has revealled-no surprise-I’m not the first person to say this.
Timing, context, tonedeaf to state of world, bland, disappointing, legacy ruining, just boring, & Jack Antonoff are my reasons. good vid 👍
solar power is literally my favourite album ever....
Your pfp is a sun too?! 😭 King of defending Solar Power
Imagine ser o cachorro da LORDE 😅
Being Lorde’s dog would be a dream, no taxes, talented mother
1:31 should be 2021
Chromatica?
Soon.
Unless you went on a healing journey centred around dismantling trauma, coming to terms with the realities of the climate cirsis, and giving up "the party" from your late teens and early 20s endlessly looking to feel good in "perfect places", you won't understand the album 4:30
7:20 "fallen fruit didnt do much for me". Case and point.
I agree it's probably her weakest record but it's still a great record
I think the bar for her is so high because of the quality of her songs, I can’t name a single Lorde song I detest or go out of my way to skip.
To me, Solar Power is a masterpiece.
Who loves Solar Power more than Melodrama? Meeeee
I feel like Melo is very tied to living that specific experience of first heartbreak in a big city. Like if you didn’t live it exactly like that, it does lose its power.
m e h
The people who don’t like it. R the ones who have never tripped on some shrooms lol
i love lorde but this is genuinely one of the worst, most annoying albums ive ever heard
was it the messaging/lyrics of the record that annoyed you or like the production?
When this was released Im sorry I dont like it - its like a copycat to Lana's NFR not bec it was produced by Jack but thats what I see it from my own pov.
Polarizing is a very unique way to say Bad.
Stans dad is better
wdym they are the same person?
Not really tbh
Worst Lorde album ever 😢 such a flop tbh
well, i mean every artist has to have a worst album
'Cause it was absolute shit.
UNCLE IS BACK YASSSSS