World, meet Lorde: the 16-year-old singer from New Zealand, who broke records when she became the first female artist to top the Billboard Alternative Chart in 17 years this summer. Real name Ella Yelich-O'Connor, she was pitted for success early on, signing to Universal at the tender age of 12. Since then, she's developed her own dark-edged, urban pop sound, which, twinned with her sharp-witted lyricism and Lana-meets-Charli XCX vocal tones, have made her a music blog regular over the past few months. The video for her first song, Royals, which you can view below, has reached the No.1 spot in the UK and the US (See also Tennis Club and The Love Club EP, which has already climbed inside the iTunes Top 10 in the States), among other countries. She releases her Billboard No.1 debut album, Pure Heroine, in the UK on 28 October, which we predict is going to be massive. So… You know. You should probably get to know her a little…
Lorde: "Probably my dad singing to me before bed: Stairway To Heaven, Moonshadow by Cat Stevens and Heart Of Gold by Neil Young."
"I was about five years old, but it was acting, not singing."
"My stuff can be consumed as words on a page or as sounds from a speaker, it's up to you. It's a little difficult to describe, but I'd say my aim is to make smart people dance."
"Authors: Raymond Carver, Tobias Wolff, Sylvia Plath, Walt Whitman and Leonard Cohen. Musicians: James Blake, Kanye West, Marvin Gaye, Burial, Nicki Minaj and Bon Iver."
"Getting to No.1 on the New Zealand charts with an E.P I gave away for free. Mental."
"Bon Iver (Justin Vernon's magic live), the Beastie Boys (in their heyday, when they'd do the set that halfway turns into a full band situation) and John Coltrane (because who doesn't appreciate some Trane)."
"Prince, I think. The man's a complete artist."
"Riders are weird. I feel stupid asking for too much stuff. Right now, the only things on my rider are water, Red Bull and olives for my keyboardist. Maybe I'll get lavish and extend it out to a full antipasto platter."
"The new Majical Cloudz record, Impersonator. So beautiful."
"I'm a sick freak for all things K-Pop."
"In September, I'll be in London, Europe and Australia. Come say hey."
