The Discography of Lorde

Wrapped up in a multicoloured, electropop haze, our very own Lorde has been intriguing since day one. Using the woes of adolescence as her muse, the Auckland native continues to turn the pop world completely on its head with every calculated move she makes. At only 24, Lorde has already secured two Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe nomination, appeared on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list and her hit ‘Royals’ is considered one of the best-selling singles of all time. And she’s only just getting started.

To celebrate the drop of her third studio album Solar Power, we take a look at the incredibly successful discography of Lorde.

The Love Club EP (2012)

In the beginning, a burgeoning 12-year-old Lorde paired up with NZ producer Joel Little to create a neat little package of songs to showcase her talent. The Love Club EP was released exclusively to SoundCloud for free download and consisted of 5 tracks, including what would become her claim to fame: ‘Royals.’ The gift Lorde showed went far beyond her age, revealing to not only NZ but the world what a fresh breath of air she was to the pop stratosphere. Taking inspiration from artists like Lana Del Rey and Florence and the Machine, The Love Club EP was sultry, dark, electric and beyond anything anyone had really ever heard before.

Pure Heroine (2013)

By the time Lorde’s debut album rolled around, the star was already quickly becoming a household name. Upping the ante of the themes found in The Love Club EP, Pure Heroine dealt with a lost teenager wishing to escape whilst simultaneously fearing growing old. It was that feeling that people related to the most; the longing for a greener grass is not only a staple emotion in teens but in just every single Kiwi. With deep bass production and an atmospheric, euphoric pop blend, Lorde’s debut album sprung her into an international spotlight. Pure Heroine topped the charts in 12 countries, including our own, sold more than 5 million copies worldwide, and became one of the best-selling albums of 2014.

Melodrama (2017)

Stepping more into the world of electropop and leaving her dark and moody beats behind, Lorde created an artistic masterpiece out of her first breakup and heartbreak. Melodrama consisted of layers and layers of adolescent anguish, managing to spread out one simple concept to a detailed 11 tracks. Working with Jack Antonoff, the album further proved Lorde’s knack for poetic storytelling and showed growth and maturity in not only her emotions but her music. Melodrama was praised by critics and fans alike, earning the star her first number one album in the US and Canada, a Grammy nomination, a NZ Music Award for Album of the Year, and ended up on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list.

Solar Power (2021)

While we don’t know a lot of details about Lorde’s third album, we’re anticipating quite the record. The shift in the star from 2017 to now has been a massive one. Instead of a melancholic, heartbroken girl, we’re now being introduced to a glowing, thriving, independent woman in her mid-twenties. Already, title track ‘Solar Power’ showcases a softer side to Lorde, dipping into elements of folk and bringing a warmer breeze to her indie pop. The track also features background vocals from Clairo and Phoebe Bridgers, which could hint to a possibility of features on a Lorde album for the very first time.