Skip to main content
  • News
    • MTV News
    • Trending News
    • Videos & Interviews
    • Taylor Swift
    • Kim Kardashian
  • Music
    • Music Highlights
    • Music Videos
    • Charts
    • Playlists
    • EMAs
    • MTV PUSH
    • Artists
  • Shows
    • Latest Shows
    • The Charlotte Show
    • Geordie Shore
    • Ex on the Beach
    • Just Tattoo Of Us
    • Teen Mom UK
    • The Royal World
  • Movies
    • Movies Highlights
    • New Movies Coming Soon
    • Videos & Interviews
    • Trailers
    • Moana
  • Travel
    • Videos
  • Style
  • Life
    • Life
    • MTV Breaks
    • Sex
    • WTF
    • SRS
    • Travel
    • Fitness
    • Generation Change
  • Pictures
  • Win
  • MTV Play
  • TV Guide
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Search
  • Pictures
  • Win
  • MTV Play
  • TV Guide
Home
  • News
    • MTV News
    • Trending News
    • Videos & Interviews
    • Taylor Swift
    • Kim Kardashian
  • Music
    • Music Highlights
    • Music Videos
    • Charts
    • Playlists
    • EMAs
    • MTV PUSH
    • Artists
  • Shows
    • Latest Shows
    • The Charlotte Show
    • Geordie Shore
    • Ex on the Beach
    • Just Tattoo Of Us
    • Teen Mom UK
    • The Royal World
  • Movies
    • Movies Highlights
    • New Movies Coming Soon
    • Videos & Interviews
    • Trailers
    • Moana
  • Travel
    • Videos
  • Style
  • Life
    • Life
    • MTV Breaks
    • Sex
    • WTF
    • SRS
    • Travel
    • Fitness
    • Generation Change
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Search

Lorde

  • Main
  • Videos
  • Pictures
  • News

Lorde and Khalid Wow Us at Alexandra Palace

The 'Green Light' hitmaker brought her Melodrama tour and the 'Location' star to London last night...

  • Share to Facebook
  • Tweet to Twitter
  • Share to Google plus
Thursday, September 28, 2017 - 14:16

Lorde is at an interesting stage in her career. 

Her debut single 'Royals' was a global Number 1 smash hit and its album Pure Heroine was a critically acclaimed masterpiece.

With Pure Heroine, Lorde ushered in a new era of more self-conscious pop, questioned the content of mainstream music and also centred the validity and worth of the teen voice and experience. Young popstars before Lorde were rarely given the opportunity or creative freedom to explore their own artistry. Lorde changed the game.

How does Lorde attempt to live up to that?

View the lyrics
Every night, I live and die
Feel the party to my bones
Watch the wasters blow the speakers
Spill my guts beneath the outdoor light
It's just another graceless night
I hate the headlines and the weather
I'm 19 and I'm on fire
But when we're dancing, I'm alright
It's just another graceless night

Are you lost enough?
Have another drink, get lost in us
This is how we get notorious, oh, oh, oh
'Cause I don't know
If they keep tellin' me where to go
I'll blow my brains out to the radio, oh, oh, oh

All of the things we're taking
'Cause we are young and we're ashamed
Send us to perfect places

All of our heroes fading
Now I can't stand to be alone
Let's go to perfect places

Every night, I live and die
Meet somebody, take 'em home
Let's kiss and then take off our clothes
It's just another graceless night

'Cause all of the things we're taking
'Cause we are young and we're ashamed
Send us to perfect places

All of our heroes fading
Now I can't stand to be alone
Let's go to perfect places

All the nights spent off our faces
Trying to find these perfect places
What the fuck are perfect places anyway?
All the nights spent off our faces
Trying to find these perfect places
What the fuck are perfect places anyway?
All the nights spent off our faces
Trying to find these perfect places
What the fuck are perfect places anyway?
Writer(s): Ella Yelich-o'connor, Jack Antonoff Lyrics powered by www.musixmatch.com
Hide the lyrics

On the second night of the Melodrama world tour it becomes clear that Lorde doesn't.

Sat in a child-like white dress Lorde begins discussing Melodrama and she describes the project as “a wide open heart”. As she performs tracks from the album such as ‘Liability’ and ‘Hard Feelings’, her distinctive voice filling each with raw, honest emotion, it's clear that this is completely true.

While Pure Heroine honours the thrills and fears that come with adolescence, Melodrama grapples with the experience of falling head over heels in love, the trauma of falling out of love and the joy that comes with finding yourself on the other side.

With Melodrama Lorde hasn’t tried to create a blockbuster follow-up to Pure Heroine. She’s given herself the space and time to mature as a woman and artist, live, self-reflect and create a complex work that is completely true to her. It may have so far achieved modest commercial success in comparison to its predecessor but it resonates so strongly with her and her horde of admirers that it doesn’t matter. Lorde is not hell bent on maintaining her early success. She’s intent on creating longlasting important music.

From her live renditions of ‘Sober’ to ‘The Louvre’, there’s no question that, not only does Lorde love her new material but her fans do too. Tears and smiles filled the venue as the ‘Team’ hitmaker sang ‘Supercut’ and ‘Perfect Places’ alongside her older deep cuts such as ‘Ribs’ and ‘Buzzcut Season’. Melodrama, much like Pure Heroine before it, has interwoven itself into the fabric of thousands of people’s lives and it’s beautiful to witness the effect that its had first hand.

[Getty]

Opening for Lorde at Alexandra Palace was one of this year’s breakout stars: Khalid. The 19 year old performer is yet to properly take off in the UK but he’s already sold millions of records in the US and it’s not hard to see why. Much like Lorde, Khalid is an astute lyricist with an instantly recognisable voice that translates the realities of teenagedom into art with flair.

Unsurprisingly Khalid has worked with Lorde’s Pure Heroine producer, Joel Little, on three of the standout songs from his debut album, American Teen. As he delivers note-perfect renditions of his music and bounces around the stage with infectious charm and joy, it’s obvious that he has the potential to become a star and artist of Lorde’s level and calibre.

In fact, one of the things that made the night so special was that Lorde seemed completely in control of her artistry. From covering Phil Collins’ classic ‘In the Air Tonight’ to opening with her Disclosure collaboration ‘Magnets’, there was none of the nervousness that occasionally came through in her first few live performances.

Half way through the evening Lorde said: “I like playing in London ’cause I’m kind of awkward and you’re kind of awkward and we find it weird to express ourselves.” And, while this may be true for Lorde off stage, it couldn’t be further from the truth on stage. Performing her material and engaging with her fans, Lorde is in her element. She thrives.

[Getty]

A few of the causal fans in the audience were waiting to hear ‘Royals’ all night long but for the teens who grew up with Pure Heroine as their magnum opus and the adults who’ve always felt a connection to Lorde’s music, the entire night was magical.

When the opening bars of ‘Green Light’ came on at the end of the evening and Lorde launched into it with excitement, it was clear that not only is Lorde embracing her own personal freedom with Melodrama but her fans are embracing theirs too.

Lost and found in the wonder of brilliant, life-changing, sublime pop.

Words: Sam Prance

Listen to your favourite tracks no matter where you are with the MTV TRAX music app. No ads, no limits, no monkey business. Download it now for FREE at mtvtrax.com.  

Latest News

Arlo Parks - MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021
Arlo Parks Has Her Sights On Acting & Directing
AWA - MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021
AWA Says Her Debut Album Is ‘Very Vulnerable and Open’
220 KID - MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021
220 KID Tells Us The Heroic Reason Behind His Name
Alfie Templeman - MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021
Alfie Templeman Just Wants To Make You Smile
MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021
Voting For MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021 Is Open!
Get To Know - Iann Dior
Get To Know: iann dior
Get To Know - J.I the Prince of N.Y
Get To Know: J.I The Prince Of N.Y
Khloé Kardashian Reacts To “Disrespectful” Typo On Throwback Family Christmas Card
Shawn Mendes Reveals How He And Camila Cabello Are Spending Christmas
Selena Gomez Wins An Award From Peta For Her Vegan Rare Beauty Makeup Collection
Get To Know - Holly Humberstone
Get To Know: Holly Humberstone
Addison Rae And Rachael Leigh Cook Recreate She’s All That Scene On TikTok
The Weeknd - Blinding Lights - Music Video
The Weeknd's 'Blinding Lights' Was MTV’s Most Played Video Of 2020
Cardi B Surprises Offset With A Lamborghini In Celebration Of His 29th Birthday
Kylie Jenner Named Highest Paid Celebrity Of 2020 With Nearly $550 Million
Dixie D’Amelio Defends Herself After A Fan Doubted Her Feelings For Noah Beck
Shawn Mendes Opens Up About “Frustrating” Rumours Surrounding His Sexuality
Dove Cameron Confirms Her Split From Thomas Doherty After Four Years Together
Timothée Chalamet Transforms Into Harry Styles For His SNL Hosting Debut
The Kardashian-Jenner Family Have Signed A Multi-Year Content Deal With Hulu

More From Lorde

Lorde Reveals How The Death Of Her Dog Will Impact Her Album Release
Can You Believe These Celebs Have Finstas?
Celeb Finstas You Need To Follow: Including Cole Sprouse And Justin Bieber
Lorde comes for Kanye West for similarities between their set designs.
Lorde Comes For Kanye West And Kid Cudi For 'Stealing' Her Set Design
10 Acts We Loved At All Points East Festival
Celebrities who've totally owned their spots
Justin Bieber To Kendall Jenner: Celebrities Who Totally Owned Their Spots
Skepta
Skepta, Lorde, Mabel and More Lead the Massive Parklife Line-Up
Harry Styles performs during the 31st Annual ARIA Awards 2017 at The Star on November 28, 2017 in Sydney, Australia
Harry Styles and Lorde Perform At 2017 ARIA Music Awards
Lorde recieves an International Achievement Award at the 2017 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards on November 16, 2017 in Auckland, New Zealand
Lorde Crowned With Best Album and Best Single Of 2017 By NME
Lorde Might Not Release A New Album For 10 Years
All Points East Festival Line Up Lorde, LCD Soundsystem, Rex Orange County & More
Lorde Teases Brand New Music And Fans Can't Handle It
Lorde and Khalid Wow Us at Alexandra Palace

Trending Articles

Charli D’Amelio Sets The Record Straight About A Fake “Leaked” Picture Online
10 Things Your Heartbroken Friend Needs To Hear
Celebrity
10 Celebrities Who Have Some Seriously Kinky Sex Likes In The Bedroom
21 Types Of People You'll Find In Every Friendship Group
Arlo Parks - MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021
Arlo Parks Has Her Sights On Acting & Directing
MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021
Voting For MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021 Is Open!
18 Most Naked Of Naked Moments To Have Ever Hit Geordie Shore
AWA - MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021
AWA Says Her Debut Album Is ‘Very Vulnerable and Open’
  • Contact Us
  • Access Services
  • Website Terms
  • Mobile Terms
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • MTV Jobs
  • MTV Press
  • Anti-Slavery
  • Global Tax Policy Statement
Hit us with some keywords!