From a Super Blood Moon to meteors ominously falling into active volcanoes, 2021 has brought its fair share of supernatural events. In a very unexpected turn of events, on June 10, the same day of the solar eclipse, Lorde delivered “Solar Power.” The superstar’s first new song since 2017 caught fans completely off guard and caused havoc on social media, making Lorde a top trending topic online.

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The leak 

Since the release of her sophomore album Melodrama, the New Zealand singer, Lorde, has been off the limelight, keeping a low profile and sporadically updating fans through newsletters. In one of those scarce letters, back in May 2020, Lorde shared that she was working on new music. “I started going back to the studio again in December, just for something to do, and to my surprise, good things came out. Happy, playful things,” she said. 

Much to the despair of fans, the artist went out of the loop again in the months to follow, and any news of upcoming music was unheard of until a few days ago. On June 7, the pop star updated her website with a cryptic message that included—what people presumed was—the artwork of her new single. “ARRIVING IN 2021 … PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE,” she added. Fans took the announcement as the confirmation of a long-rumored album and speculated about the meaning of this post on social media.

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However, Lorde’s loyal supporters—and pretty much everybody else—were still shocked when the lead single of her upcoming album was—mistakenly, we suppose—leaked on Amazon Music and Tidal. “Solar Power” was subsequently taken down from those platforms, but fans had already downloaded it and shared short snippets on Twitter. 

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Although Lorde’s feel-good anthem was initially scheduled to drop on June 21—the day of the Summer Solstice,—as a result of the leak, “Solar Power” was officially released across platforms at 6 PM ET.  A music video on YouTube followed.

 

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I’m Completely Obsessed With Her And Soon You Will Be Too

With the brand new single out in the world, Lorde took her newsletter to tell fans more about it and the unreleased album. The 24-year-old eloquently introduced the self-composed “Solar Power” as a sexy, playful, and free modern “girl,” who’s “in touch with her past and her future, vibrating at the highest level when summer comes around.” Presenting the track, Lorde gushed “I’m completely obsessed with her and soon you will be too.” 

We understand why. “Solar Power” is a light track with acoustic guitar strums that highlight Lorde’s airy vocals. Drifting away from her distinctive—gloomier—sound, Lorde enlisted the help of Phoebe Bridges and Clairo, whose backing vocals can be heard throughout the song. The young star also had Matt Chamberlain—who has previously worked with the likes of Bob Dylan, Elton John, and Frank Ocean—hopping on board for this project. Just like the songstress expected, the result is a tune that sets up the right mood for the season and can easily turn into a loyal “summer companion” that lingers even after the sunny days are gone. 

 

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Although there was no date announced for the album—that will go by the name of “Solar Power” too,—Lorde explained the inspiration behind it. “The album is a celebration of the natural world, an attempt at immortalizing the deep, transcendent feelings I have when I’m outdoors. In times of heartache, grief, deep love, or confusion, I look to the natural world for answers. I’ve learnt to breathe out, and tune in. This is what came through,” the pop star wrote. 

Additionally, the artist confirmed the participation of Jack Antonoff, lead singer of the Bleachers and known collaborator of Taylor Swift, as producer. Lorde shared details of the cover photo and music video that she recorded with the help of her friends and under the direction of Joel Kefali and herself. “I made everything here in New Zealand. My best mate Ophelia took the cover photo, lying in the sand as I leapt over her, both of us laughing,” she recounted candidly. 

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Solar Power Sets Twitter Ablaze

After listening to Lorde’s long-awaited comeback and enjoying what might become this year’s new summer anthem, fans took to social media to share their thoughts on “Solar Power.” Ranging from emotional tweets to hilarious memes, people expressed their excitement and quickly turned the pop sensation into a worldwide trending topic.

Here are some of the best fan takes: 

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A New State Of Mind

Despite Lorde’s extended hiatus and an evident shift in her music’s direction, the singer and songwriter continues to deliver songs that resonate with listeners around the globe. With hopeful lyrics and a bridge that sounds like a nod to George Michael’s “Freedom! ’90,” her latest track invites you to bask under the sun and forget “all the tears that you’ve cried”. 

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“Solar Power” is just a taste of Lorde’s third studio album; however, she has already introduced us to a  “new state of mind,” and provided the perfect soundtrack for summer in this post-lockdown era. In her own words, “feels right.”

 

Eager for more content? Check out EnVi’s coverage of Mark Tuan and Winnie Harlow posing for the cover of L’Officiel Philippines here.

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Thumbnail courtesy of Republic Records.