Jump to content

Solar Power (song)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 2604:2d80:c109:f300:255e:d322:f879:d448 (talk) at 22:40, 5 November 2022 (→Music video). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

"Solar Power"
Single by Lorde
from the album Solar Power
Written2019-20
Released11 June 2021 (2021-06-11)
Recorded2020
Genre
Length3:12
LabelUniversal
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Lorde
  • Jack Antonoff
Lorde singles chronology
"Homemade Dynamite (Remix)"
(2017) 		"Solar Power"
(2021) 		"Stoned at the Nail Salon"
(2021)
Music video
"Solar Power" on YouTube

"Solar Power" is a song by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde for her third studio album of the same name. The song was written and produced by Lorde and Jack Antonoff and was released on 11 June 2021 by Universal Music New Zealand as the album's lead single, after being announced on Lorde's website alongside the message "Patience is a virtue". The song also briefly leaked hours before its release and was pushed forward from its initial release date, 20 June.[1][2][3] Musically, "Solar Power" is an indie folk, pop, psychedelic, and sunshine pop song.

The song received positive reviews from critics, who praised the summer-like sound of the song as well as its departure from Lorde's previous works. The song peaked inside the top-20 on charts in Australia, Bolivia, Ireland, Japan, the United Kingdom and New Zealand, and it received gold certification from the Recorded Music NZ (RMNZ).

Lorde and Joel Kefali directed the music video for "Solar Power", which has drawn comparisons to the 2019 folk horror film Midsommar. The song was translated into the Māori language by Hēmi Kelly, and was performed and released by Lorde as "Te Ao Mārama / Solar Power", the second track from her EP Te Ao Mārama, released on 9 September 2021.

Writing and production

Lorde wrote the song while visiting her friend Cazzie David on Martha's Vineyard off the coast of Massachusetts.[4] She wrote the song on a Yamaha DX keyboard and later brought the demo to producer Jack Antonoff for further work.[4]

Lorde initially thought the song sounded similar to Robbie Williams' 2000 single "Rock DJ" (both songs include references to A Tribe Called Quest's "Can I Kick It?"), but she was later informed of its similarities to "Loaded", a 1990 single by the British band Primal Scream.[4] Although the similarity to "Loaded" was unintentional, and Lorde said she had never heard of Primal Scream beforehand, she contacted the band's lead singer Bobby Gillespie to clear "Solar Power" with him.[4] In an interview Apple Music 1 DJ Zane Lowe, Lorde said Gillespie had given "Solar Power" his approval: "He was so lovely about it — he was like, 'These things happen, you caught a vibe that we caught years ago.' And he gave us his blessing. So let the record state: 'Loaded' is 100% the original blueprint for this, but we arrived at it organically. And I’m glad we did."[5]

Aside from "Loaded", "Solar Power" has also been compared to George Michael's 1990 song "Freedom! '90". Michael's estate issued a positive statement on the similarities between the songs after the release of "Solar Power", stating "We are aware that many people are making a connection between 'Freedom '90' by George Michael and 'Solar Power' by Lorde, which George would have been flattered to hear, so on behalf of one great artist to a fellow artist, we wish her every success with the single."[6]

The song features backing vocals from indie rock musicians Phoebe Bridgers and Clairo.[7]

Composition and recording

"Solar Power" has been described as a guitar-led indie folk,[8] pop,[9] psychedelic,[10] and sunshine pop song.[11] Lorde wrote and produced "Solar Power" with Jack Antonoff, with whom he had previously worked on Melodrama (2017). For their part, Malay provided additional production; Chris Gehringer handled the mastering and Will Quinnell acted as assistant. Mark "Spike" Stent did the mix with the help of Matt Wolach; Matt Chamberlain worked on the programming and played the drums. Antonoff also performed on various instruments: acoustic guitar, electric bass, twelve-string guitar, percussion, and drums; while Cole Kamen-Green participated in the trumpet, Evan Smith with the saxophone, and the artists Phoebe Bridgers and Clairo in the choirs. [12] Lorde began writing the song in July 2019 while in Dukes County, Massachusetts; subsequently, he moved to New York where he shared the first advances with Antonoff and expressed his desire to incorporate characteristic sounds of the music of the 2000's. The songwriting process took around six to eight months and ended once the chorus was devised.[13]

Artwork

The cover image was photographed by Lorde's friend Ophelia, showing Lorde's buttocks.[14] The cover art was released on Lorde's official website and the official Instagram account of her frequent collaborator Jack Antonoff on 7 June 2021, and was widely shared on social media. However, due to a large scale DMCA takedown, many Twitter accounts sharing the cover were locked for several hours.[15] The photo quickly went viral online. Lorde responded that, "It's a specific experience thinking about everyone in your life seeing your butt. I have no regrets. I love this cover and am happy for this to be how people see my butt."[16] There is another version of the cover art, which obscures Lorde's butt with sunlight. This obscured version was shown to Spotify users in Japan, users of China's top music streaming platforms like NetEase Cloud Music and QQ Music, Apple Music users in mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.[17]

Critical reception

Writing for Pitchfork, Anna Gaca called the song a "soft-touch anthem for the [summer] season's simple pleasures", and remarked that it "flipped the script" when compared to the sound of Lorde's 2017 album Melodrama.[18] Rhian Daly of NME gave the song five out of five stars, labelling it a "sun-kissed ode to starting anew", and drew musical comparisons to the Primal Scream album Screamadelica, Joni Mitchell, and Wolf Alice's sound since Visions of a Life.[19] Writers for New Zealand magazine The Spinoff generally praised "Solar Power", with Toby Manhire calling the song an "instant classic", and Stewart Sowman-Lund calling the song "so perfectly summery that it makes me want to drive straight to Devonport (or wherever people swim in Auckland)".[20]

Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine stated that the track "boasts a breezy, psychedelic quality that's perfectly paired for summer drives and beach trips, and an optimistic outlook", while lacking "the urgency of her best songs".[21] Writers for Vulture received the song well, with Justin Curto describing it as "a sunny, acoustic-driven song about a good day on the beach, as the cover art teases" and noted that its bridge is reminiscent of George Michael's "Freedom! '90",[22] and Craig Jenkins called it "slight and fun", though it felt "more like a carefree vacation update than the blockbuster comeback we've been anticipating since the simpler times", while noting similarities to "the psychedelic dance-rock of early '90s UK rave kings like Happy Mondays and Primal Scream".[23]

In a Billboard piece, Jason Lipshutz wrote that "Lorde's new single 'Solar Power' is a playful splash of salt water onto our faces in time for the summer", calling it "deceptively simple", noting the saxophone and trumpet in the mix, and asserted that "Lorde remains one of the best at filling the corners of her songs with personalized knickknacks".[24] In a five star review, Rachel Brodsky of The Independent praised Lorde for "finding a new way to express a universal feeling", comparing it to the Beach Boys' song "Kokomo".[25] Consequence named it "Song of the Week", describing it as "light, bouncy, and nonchalant", emphasising its departure from Lorde's previous works.[26]

Music video

A frame from the music video of "Solar Power", where Lorde (centre) in a two-piece yellow set, stands behinds a group of background actors on a beach.

The music video for "Solar Power" was released on 11 June 2021, directed by Lorde and Joel Kefali, which "posits Lorde almost as the leader of a happy-go-lucky, hippie solstice cult — almost a benign, yassified [sic] version of Midsommar".[27] Stewart Sowman-Lund of The Spinoff also noted a similar connection, writing that "the music video is like if Midsommar was shot in New Zealand".[20] Lorde told Triple J that "we built literally basically a universe on a secret beach. The first video is me introducing you to the world of the album and the videos, I play a kooky tour guide almost". In one scene Lorde takes a hit from a bong made out of a plant root to show her support of canabis use. [28] The music video was met with a mixed reception from critics.[29]

Filming location

With a presumption that the video was filmed in New Zealand, Newshub claimed that the location of the music video was Cactus Bay on Waiheke Island, guessing that the landmass in the distance was the Coromandel Peninsula, and presuming that a cargo ship in the background placed the video's location north of Auckland.[30] The chair of the Waiheke Local Board, Cath Handley, also claimed that the location of the music video was Cactus Bay, which she called a "beautiful beach", but that she hoped that the music video "doesn’t hurdle huge numbers of people towards Waiheke".[31] While not disclosing the location of the beach, in an interview with Jesse Mulligan of The Project, Lorde asked people not to "go and desecrate any beaches with selfie sticks or anything" when asked about where the video was filmed.[32]

Credits and personnel

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[56] Gold 15,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Solar Power"
Region Date Format(s) Label Ref.
Various 11 June 2021
Universal Music New Zealand [3]
Australia
Universal Music Australia [57]
United States 14 June 2021 Triple A radio
[58]
15 June 2021 Alternative radio [59]

Te Ao Mārama / Solar Power

"Te Ao Mārama / Solar Power"
Song by Lorde
from the EP Te Ao Mārama
LanguageMāori
Length3:11
LabelUniversal
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Lorde
  • Jack Antonoff
Lyric video
"Te Ao Mārama / Solar Power" on YouTube

"Te Ao Mārama / Solar Power" is a song recorded by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde. It is the second track from her Te Ao Mārama EP, and is performed fully in the Māori language. "Te Ao Mārama" translates to "world of light" in Māori, which is both a reference to the title of Solar Power, and the phrase "mai te pō ki te ao mārama", which Leonie Hayden of The Spinoff called "the transition from night to the enlightened world that comprises part of the Māori creation narrative (similar to Adam and Eve’s apple, but from the point of view that knowledge is a good thing)".[60]

The song was translated into Māori by Hēmi Kelly, who said of the song, "I love the warmth of summer so it was easy for me to connect with the lyrics. It talks about leaving your worries behind and moving into a positive space. That reminded me of the transition in our creation narratives of moving from darkness, te pō, into the world of light, te ao mārama. That’s a transition we continually navigate throughout our lives."[61]

Charts

Chart performance for "Te Ao Mārama / Solar Power"
Chart (2021) Peak
position
New Zealand Te Reo Māori Singles (RMNZ)[62] 5

Year-end charts

2021 year-end chart performance for "Te Ao Mārama / Solar Power"
Chart (2021) Position
New Zealand Te Reo Māori (Recorded Music NZ)[63] 10

References

  1. ^ Kranc, Lauren (10 June 2021). "Lorde's New Single 'Solar Power' Is Causing Chaos Across the Internet". Esquire. Archived from the original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  2. ^ Michallon, Clémence (10 June 2021). "Solar Power leak: Lorde's new song released early on streaming platforms in apparent mishap". The Independent. Archived from the original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  3. ^ a b Lorde (10 June 2021). "Solar Power - Single". Apple Music (NZ). Archived from the original on 15 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d Helman, Peter (11 June 2021). "Lorde discusses her new song's similarity to Primal Scream, and writing it at Cazzie David's house". Stereogum. Archived from the original on 15 June 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  5. ^ Aswad, Jem (11 June 2021). "Lorde explains the inspiration for 'Solar Power': Primal Scream, but apparently not George Michael". Variety. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  6. ^ Chan, Anna. "George Michael's Estate Says He Would've Been 'Flattered' by Lorde's 'Solar Power'". Billboard. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  7. ^ Strauss, Matthew (11 June 2021). "Lorde discusses "Solar Power" recording and inspiration, working with Phoebe Bridgers, and more in new interview". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  8. ^ Scott, Jason (16 July 2021). "Listen to Lorde's soothing new single 'Stoned At The Nail Salon'". American Songwriter. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  9. ^ Convery, Stephanie (11 June 2021). "Lorde releases new single Solar Power to coincide with solar eclipse". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  10. ^ "How Lorde grew up with 'Solar Power', and why she unplugged from social media to write her 'battle-worn' third album – interview". SCMP. 27 August 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  11. ^ Spanos, Brittany (19 August 2021). "Lorde Vibes Through a Quarter-Life Crisis on 'Solar Power'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 8 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. ^ "Solar Power - Lorde - Credits". Tidal. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  13. ^ Coscarelli, Joe (3 August 2021). "How Lorde Grew Up, Embraced Guitars and Made a Feel-Good Summer Song". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  14. ^ "Lorde is Finally Back With 'Solar Power,' Reveals Cheeky Album Cover". Seventeen. 11 June 2021. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  15. ^ "Why was Lorde's 'Solar Power' cover art removed from Twitter? Fans say 'a** was too powerful'". Meaww. 8 June 2021. Archived from the original on 9 June 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  16. ^ "Lorde reveals how she feels about her 'butt' photo on Solar Power cover going viral". New Zealand Herald. 11 June 2021. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  17. ^ "Lorde's New Cover Art Has 2 Versions. One Doesn't Have Her Butt". Vice. 11 June 2021. Archived from the original on 15 June 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  18. ^ Gaca, Anna (10 June 2021). ""Solar Power" by Lorde Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  19. ^ Daly, Rhian (10 June 2021). "Lorde's new song 'Solar Power' is a gorgeous, sun-kissed rebirth". NME. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  20. ^ a b "Scorching takes on 'Solar Power': Lorde's new single, reviewed". The Spinoff. 11 June 2021. Archived from the original on 12 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  21. ^ Cinquemani, Sal. "Lorde's "Solar Power" Is a Breezy, Perfectly Timed Summer Anthem". Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  22. ^ Curto, Justin (10 June 2021). "Lorde Releases Her Beachside Babe Bop 'Solar Power'". Vulture. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  23. ^ Jenkins, Craig (11 June 2021). "Lorde Has Risen But Only Halfway". Vulture. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  24. ^ Lipshutz, Jason (10 June 2021). "Lorde Returns As Something Unfamiliar, But Just as Riveting, on 'Solar Power': Song Review". Billboard. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  25. ^ "Lorde's Solar Power is a sun-splashed and of-the-moment return – review". The Independent. 11 June 2021. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  26. ^ "Song of the Week: Lorde Paints a Sunny Portrait With "Solar Power"". Consequence. 11 June 2021. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  27. ^ Willman, Chris (10 June 2021). "Lorde Leads Her Disciples to the Beach in Extremely Summery New Video, 'Solar Power'". Variety. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  28. ^ Newstead, Al (11 June 2021). ""It's definitely my most complex work" Lorde on her "playful, fun" third album Solar Power". Triple J. Archived from the original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  29. ^ "Lorde retreats into feathery folk on her subdued third album, 'Solar Power'". EW.com. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  30. ^ Burrows, Matt; Satherley, Dan (11 June 2021). "Revealed: The secret beach location of Lorde's new video 'Solar Power'". Newshub. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  31. ^ Deguara, Brittney (12 June 2021). "Hopes Lorde's beach location in Solar Power music video won't attract stampede to Waiheke Island". Stuff. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  32. ^ Lorde chats future albums, her secret beach, surprising fans | The Project NZ (Video). YouTube: Newshub. 22 June 2021.
  33. ^ "Lorde – Solar Power". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  34. ^ "Top 20 Bolivia Anglo – Del 19 al 25 de Julio, 2021". Monitor Latino. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  35. ^ "Lorde Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  36. ^ "Lorde Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  37. ^ "Top 100 Colombia – Semana 30 del 2021 – Del 23/07/2021 al 29/07/2021" (in Spanish). National-Report. Archived from the original on 6 August 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  38. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 24. týden 2021 in the date selector. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  39. ^ "Lorde Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  40. ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  41. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Overseas". Billboard Japan. Billboard Japan. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  42. ^ "2021 24-os SAVAITĖS (birželio 11-17 d.) SINGLŲ TOP100" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. 18 June 2021. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  43. ^ "Lorde – Solar Power" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  44. ^ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 21 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  45. ^ "Lorde – Solar Power". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  46. ^ "RIAS Top Charts". Recording Industry Association Singapore. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  47. ^ "ČNS IFPI". IFPI ČR. Note: Select SK SINGLES DIGITAL TOP 100 and insert 202124 into search. Archived from the original on 21 June 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2021. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 3 November 2020 suggested (help)
  48. ^ "Lorde – Solar Power". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  49. ^ "Lorde – Solar Power". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  50. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  51. ^ "Lorde Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  52. ^ "Lorde Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  53. ^ "Lorde Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  54. ^ "Top 100 Songs". Rolling Stone. 22 June 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  55. ^ "Hot Rock & Alternative Songs – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  56. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Lorde – Solar Power". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 9 October 2021.[dead link‍]
  57. ^ "Singles to Radio". The Music Network. 11 June 2021. Archived from the original on 15 June 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  58. ^ "Future Releases on Triple A (AAA) Radio Stations, Independent Artist Song Releases | ..." All Access. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  59. ^ "Future Releases on Alternative Radio Stations, Independent Artist Song Releases | ..." All Access. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  60. ^ Hayden, Leonie. "'I'm beginning a journey': The inside story of Lorde's surprise mini-album in te reo Māori". The Spinoff. Archived from the original on 9 September 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  61. ^ "Lorde's Te Ao Mārama: Behind the songs". The Spinoff. 9 September 2021. Archived from the original on 9 September 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  62. ^ "NZ Top 10 Te Reo Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 20 September 2021. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 17 September 2021 suggested (help)
  63. ^ "Te Reo Māori O Te Rārangi 10 O Runga: End of Year Charts 2021". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Solar_Power_(song)&oldid=1120234920"