We Moved On From Lorde's "Solar Power" Too Quickly

It deserves another listen, trust me

When thinking about my favorite musical artists of all time, Lorde is always at the top of my list. She’s been there for me through so many phases of my life, and her albums often come out during pivotal moments. My first introduction was listening to “Glory and Gore” from her first album, Pure Heroine. It was included on a CD of a mix of songs my sister made me when I was a kid. I vividly remember singing along to Lorde in the car, and my sister putting Pure Heroine on her little radio in her room.

Her second album, Melodrama, came out when I was just starting high school, capturing my teenage anxieties and expectations. A song like “Liability” was comforting as a girl who often found home in loneliness. On the flip side, a song like “Supercut” or “Perfect Places” captured moments of bliss; driving with my friends, taking polaroid pictures, and making memories without consciously realizing we were making them. Later on, this album became a staple when my college roommates and I would stay up late into the night working on homework and essays.

Now, with her fourth album, Virgin, set to release this Friday, I’ve been reflecting on how Lorde’s work has matured alongside me. I, like many other fans, have listened (and jammed out) to “What Was That” and “Man of the Year,” the two singles she’s released in the past several months. They’re Lorde in her true form; vibrant, unflinching, and exciting. They feel like some of her earlier work, songs with that electric feeling you get as a young person when the world feels wide and endless.

These singles don’t, however, sound like music from her third album, Solar Power.

Lorde’s third album marked a major shift. Gone were the bass-heavy beats and synths of Pure Heroine and Melodrama. In their place were acoustic guitar, soft harmonies, and hazy, sunlit soundscapes as she sings about California and the ocean. In her 73 Questions with Vogue, Lorde described her albums like times of day. Pure Heroine feels like night, Melodrama, feels like early hours of the morning, and Solar Power feels like morning daylight. (Now, I can’t help but wonder: will Virgin sound like the afternoon? Will we get a full 24 hours? Haha)

Despite lukewarm reception, I loved Solar Power. If you read my essentials for springtime, you already know I listed the album as one of my favorites during the season. It became my spring cleaning soundtrack, the bright blue vinyl spinning on my record player while I dusted and sprayed Windex. The album felt fresh, clean, and therapeutic. It was what I needed at the time it was released. I was at a point in my life where I didn’t feel teenage angst; I was living with my two best friends and feeling a sense of peace and stability I knew wouldn’t last forever. Solar Power mirrored that euphoric and yet contemplative energy of looking around and being aware of how good your life is…and how fleeting it can be as well.

And yet, Solar Power was hideously slept on. There was a general feeling of being underwhelmed from fans. They were disappointed it didn’t sound like her older stuff. Which, I can understand this to a certain extent, but did we really expect Lorde to keep singing songs about teenage dreams and suburban rebellion forever? That worked for her when she was eighteen, but that was a decade ago. Lorde is evolving, like the rest of us, and her subject matter is changing because she’s changing. I would expect her to sing what’s most important to her now.

David Bowie once said that Lorde was “the future of music” and that her sound felt like “listening to tomorrow.” Of course, this rocked my world since my all-time favorite artist was commenting on one of my other all-time favorites. But I feel like this is really important to note. Bowie, more than anyone, knows what it’s like to consistently reinvent. His music from the late 60’s sounds nothing like his music from the 80’s, and I wouldn’t want it to. Reinvention isn’t a departure from artistry, it just proof of it. I think I would get tired if Lorde made music like she did when she was eighteen for the rest of her life. I agree with Bowie: I want to listen to tomorrow, and she is writing for the future, not for her past.

Solar Power wasn’t a misstep, it was a pivot. I think many were hoping for catharsis from Lorde’s third album, something loud and immediate. But Solar Power asked us to do the opposite: slow down, listen, breathe. I believe it deserves a second look, especially now in a world that feels increasingly overstimulated. Solar Power might resonate more now with those who are craving peace or seeking clarity. It’s built for long walks, quiet mornings, grabbing a coffee with friends, watering your plants, and realizing you’re starting to feel okay again. And maybe listeners didn’t get it then, but they might be ready for it now.

So as we prepare for the arrival of Virgin, I’m revisiting Solar Power with fresh ears. It wasn’t trying to be viral. It wasn’t trying to compete with other albums or artists. It was simply trying to just be.

We moved on from Solar Power too quickly. Maybe it’s time we go back.

From Lorde’s “Fallen Fruit” music video

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Thank you for reading this week! Just a head’s up: I will be out of town so I will not have a Substack next Tuesday. You’ll hear from me again on July 8th!

Hope you’re taking care of yourself! I appreciate you. <3

- Lillian