Lorde’s new single is, in one word, perfection. The new-age track, “Greenlight,” is unapologetic, well-written, well-composed and just dark enough to give you chills; it’s absolutely flawless.
The world has waited four years for a new record from Lorde. The time for its release is finally nearing. Along with the release of
In “Greenlight”, co-written and produced by Bleachers’ Jack Antonoff, the singer experiments with more modern production techniques than she ever has before, and pulls it off. And the lyrics, (oh my god, the lyrics) are so much more personal than anything the 20-year old has ever written before.
The edgy singer-songwriter has always appeared to roll her eyes at the world and laugh at those dim enough to buy into romance, but don’t be fooled; she breaks down just like the rest of us.
“Greenlight” is the perfect breakup song. It’s not vengeful, but it’s filled with a confusing mess of emotions. Breakups are one of the unavoidable horrors of life on earth. No matter how confident you are, you are going to feel like you’re not good enough when somebody you love walks away.
In “Greenlight” you can feel the heartbreak from miles away, but the song is set to an upbeat tempo. Lorde explains this to Beats 1, “I realized this is that drunk girl at the party dancing around crying about her ex-boyfriend who everyone thinks is a mess. That’s her tonight and tomorrow she starts to rebuild. And that’s the song for me.”
Since I’ve been at college, I have yet to encounter many girls that haven’t drunk-cried over their exes at some point. It’s Lorde’s deep understanding of the struggles of youth and her ability to translate it into relatable art that make her special.
“Greenlight” is just so raw and realistic, which are the exact qualities that catapulted Lorde to fame. Her voice alone is cool enough to build a career on, but the singer-songwriter is also a sort of modern genius. She capitalized on the public’s obsession with pop royalty and the lives they live, removed from reality. A 16-year old from New Zealand outsmarted us all with “Royals”.
“Greenlight” has all the makings of a millennial anthem. It’s catchy, it’s youthful, it’s honest and a little bit depressing, but it’s so much more than that; it’s a song that actually deserves to be a hit. Some intellect and originality went into it, and in the world of pop music, that’s a rare feat.
Halle Weber is a freshman studying journalism with a focus in news and information at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Are you ready for Lorde's new album? Let Halle know by emailing or tweeting her at hw422715@ohio.edu or @HalleWeber13, respectively.
