Lorde’s brand of minimalist pop helped prime the pump for artists like Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo, and now the former teen phenom is poised to steal back some of the spotlight. The 24-year-old singer announced that new music was imminent when she posted the cover art for “Solar Power” on her website earlier this week. The song, the first taste of her follow-up to 2017’s Melodrama, briefly leaked on streaming services several hours before being officially released today.
“Solar Power” begins with quietly strummed acoustic guitar and Lorde’s distinctively dour vocals—“I hate the winter/Can’t stand the cold/I tend to cancel all the plans”—before revealing her “new state of mind,” building to a bridge that softly erupts with waves of percussion and a soaring hook reportedly featuring backing vocals by Phoebe Bridgers and Clairo. Though the track lacks the urgency of her best songs, it boasts a breezy, psychedelic quality that’s perfectly paired for summer drives and beach trips, and an optimistic outlook (“Forget all of the tears that you’ve cried/It’s over…”) that seems tailor-made for this particular season.
Watch the music video, co-directed by Lorde and Joel Kefali, below:
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