Why Does Lorde Take So Much Time Between Album Releases?
Born Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor, New Zealand singer Lorde’s career began on SoundCloud. She joins the long list of artists such as Justin Bieber, who have the internet to thank for their success.
When she was five, Lorde joined a drama group to develop her public speaking skills. Little did she know that it was the foundation needed to develop her lyrical prowess. Lorde turned out to be a gifted child, who floored her peers when it came to speeches. In 2009, her father sent recordings of two songs she’d covered to Universal, leading her to get signed.
Since then, she’s released two studio albums, three extended plays, and a number of promotional singles. Her first studio album, Pure Heroine, was released in 2013. Four years later, she released Melodrama and is set to release Solar Power in August. So, what’s with the long gaps between her albums? Let’s find out.
10 Signing With A Major Record Label Too Soon
Most artists sign with major record labels when they have found some sort of commercial success on their own, or with smaller record labels. Take the case of hip-hop mogul Jay-Z, who sold his first records out of the trunk of his car before getting Def Jam onboard, or Katy Perry, whose 2001 debut album Katy Hudson only sold 200 copies. Lorde signed to Universal at the beginning of her career, robbing her of the flexibility of releasing an album at her own pace.
9 Making An Album Is A Tedious Task
Lorde’s first years at Universal were bitter-sweet. She got the services of Frances Dickinson, a vocal coach who gave her lessons twice a week for a year. On the flip side, her attempts at getting a songwriter to work with were futile. Lorde took to writing her own songs with the aid of short fiction. When she was finally paired with Joel Little, it took three weeks for them to make her first EP, The Love Club EP.
8 Finding Early Success With Her First EP
The Love Club EP was released independently on Lorde’s SoundCloud. When the label saw that it had been downloaded 60,000 times, it re-released the EP in 2013. The Love Club EP proved to be commercially successful. It peaked at number two in New Zealand, and its lead single, ‘Royals’, became a worldwide hit and peaked at number 1 on Billboard Hot 100. Having achieved success with her very first project, the pressure to make another body of work fast was off the table.
7 Nothing Left To Prove: The Success Of ‘Pure Heroine’
Following the release of her debut EP and its commercial success, it only made sense that Lorde confirms her place in the music industry. Success with one body of work is fine, but following it up proves that an artist is here to stay, regardless of how long it takes to have the next album out. Pure Heroine was released in September of 2013, following her two extended plays, Tennis Court, and Live In Concert. With Pure Heroine as one of 2014’s best-selling albums, Lorde had nothing left to prove.
6 Music Tours Leave Little Room For Creativity
Following the success of Pure Heroine, it was time for Lorde to hit the road. For artists, though music tours are a chance to interact with fans and perform on big stages, they leave no space for the actual recording of music. In between band rehearsals, consistent flights, and jet lags, one can only do so much. The Pure Heroine Tour, for instance, had a record of 103 shows in the United States, Oceania, South America, and Asia. In 2022, the Solar Power tour will kick-off.
5 Pursuing Charity Projects
When Lorde is not keeping her fans waiting, she’s deeply invested in ‘other projects’, another name for charity. She’s written songs for charity purposes. Lorde was featured in a compilation album dubbed The Art of Peace: Songs for Tibet II, which was aimed at raising money for the preservation of the Tibetan culture. She also recorded 'Team Ball Player Thing', a charity single. Lorde has generously made donations over the years, including one to Starship hospital.
4 Keeping Off Social Media Prevents Pressure To Release An Album
We’ve seen the script before. Case in point: The ever so talented Rihanna. A celebrity who’s constantly on social media is bound to experience pressure to release another album. In a recent interview, Lorde reveals that she stays off socials. This makes her less susceptible to pressure from the 7.3 million followers she has on Instagram. It lets her create at her own pace, as opposed to releasing an album for the sake of it.
3 Collaborations With Other Artists
When Lorde is not releasing critically acclaimed singles and albums, she’s collaborating with other artists. In 2015, she featured on the song ‘Magnets’ by Disclosure. The same happened in 2020, where she collaborated with Son Lux on the song ‘Switch Screens’. In 2017, Lorde made a remix of her song ‘Homemade Dynamite’ that featured Khalid, Post Malone, and SZA.
2 She’s Writing Songs For Other Artistes
Besides being a great singer and a best-selling artist, should Lorde ever decide to quit making music, she’d still have a solid career in the music industry as a songwriter. Lorde is credited for writing/co-writing ‘All My Love’ by Major Lazer and Ariana Grande, ‘Heartlines’ by Broods off the album Conscious, and ‘Don’t Take the Money’ by Bleachers, off the album Gone Now.
1 Then There’s The Global Pandemic
Lorde’s writing process for her upcoming Album was delayed by the pandemic. In a recent interview, she revealed that she and Jack, with whom she had been writing songs, could not see each other for six months, making the writing process difficult. She however mentioned that the album’s lead single, 'Solar Power,' was written in 2019.
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