Green Light (Lorde Song)
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"Green Light" is a song by New Zealand singer-songwriter
Lorde Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor (born 7 November 1996), known professionally as Lorde ( ), is a New Zealand singer and songwriter. She is known for her unconventional style of pop music and introspective songwriting, and has been referred to ...
, released on 2 March 2017 as the lead single from her second studio album ''
Melodrama A melodrama is a Drama, dramatic work in which plot, typically sensationalized for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodrama is "an exaggerated version of drama". Melodramas typically concentrate on ...
'' (2017). It was written and produced by Lorde and
Jack Antonoff Jack Michael Antonoff (born March 31, 1984) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is the lead vocalist of the rock band Bleachers, and previously the guitarist and drummer for the pop band Fun and the lead vocalist of t ...
, with additional writing by
Joel Little Joel Little (born 13 February 1983) is a New Zealand record producer, musician and Grammy Award-winning songwriter.
and production assistance from
Frank Dukes Adam King Feeney (born September 12, 1983), better known as Ging and by his former stage name Frank Dukes, is a Canadian musician, record producer, and songwriter. A prolific producer, he has worked with artists including Lorde for ''Melodrama'' ...
, and was released to radio stations by
Universal Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company that is a subsidiary of Comcast ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of N ...
. Musically, "Green Light" is an
electropop Electropop is a popular music fusion genre combining elements of the electronic and pop styles. It has been described as a variant of synth-pop with emphasis on a hard electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a rev ...
,
dance-pop Dance-pop is a Music genre, genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit ra ...
, and
post-disco Post-disco is a term and genre to describe an aftermath in popular music history circa 1979–1986, imprecisely beginning with the backlash against disco music in the United States, leading to civil unrest and a riot in Chicago known as the Dis ...
song. The lyrics use a "green light" as a
traffic light Traffic lights, traffic signals, or stoplights – also known as robots in South Africa, Zambia, and Namibia – are signaling devices positioned at intersection (road), road intersections, pedestrian crossings, and other locations in order t ...
metaphor that gives Lorde permission to move on with her life after a breakup. The song received widespread acclaim from critics, many of whom praised its production and Lorde's vocal delivery. It earned the Silver Scroll Award at the New Zealand APRA Awards and appeared on various year-end and decade-end lists. Commercially, the song topped the charts in New Zealand, whilst peaking inside the top ten in Australia, Canada, Scotland, and Israel, and in the top twenty in the Austria, Belgium, Hungary, Ireland, Spain, Switzerland, the UK, and the US. "Green Light" received platinum and multi-platinum certifications in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Italy, New Zealand, the UK, and the US.
Grant Singer Grant Taylor Singer (born July 23, 1985) is an American filmmaker, and music video and commercial director known for working with artists such as the Weeknd, Taylor Swift, Troye Sivan, Sky Ferreira, Lorde, Sam Smith, Travis Scott, Ariel Pink a ...
directed the music video for "Green Light", which shows Lorde leaving a nightclub and walking through the city streets as she tries to move on from a breakup. Photography took place primarily at
MacArthur Park MacArthur Park (originally Westlake Park) is a park dating back to the late 19th century in the Westlake, Los Angeles, Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. In the early 1940s, it was renamed after General Douglas MacArthur, and la ...
in Los Angeles. She performed "Green Light" at ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
'' and at multiple music festivals. A remix of the song by Canadian
electro-funk Electro (also known as electro-funk, and sometimes referred to as electro-pop)
Gl ...
duo
Chromeo Chromeo is a Canadian electro-funk duo from Montreal, formed in 2002 by musicians David "Dave 1" Macklovitch and Patrick "P-Thugg" Gemayel. Their sound draws from soul music, dance music, rock, synth-pop, disco and funk. As of 2024, the band h ...
was released on 19 May 2017. Lorde included the song on the set list for the
Melodrama A melodrama is a Drama, dramatic work in which plot, typically sensationalized for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodrama is "an exaggerated version of drama". Melodramas typically concentrate on ...
(2017–2018) and
Solar Power Solar power, also known as solar electricity, is the conversion of energy from sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV) or indirectly using concentrated solar power. Solar panels use the photovoltaic effect to c ...
(2022–2023) concert tours.


Background and release

Prior to the song's release, Lorde told her followers on
Twitter Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...
that "Green Light" would be "different, and ind ofunexpected. Complex and funny and sad and joyous and it'll make you ance" Her decision to create an uptempo track was influenced by how calm songs on the radio were for her musical taste. The downtempo and slow atmosphere of those songs made her want to introduce a different style of music back to the radio waves. In an interview with
Tavi Gevinson Tavi Gevinson (born April 21, 1996) is an American actress, writer, and magazine editor. At age twelve, she came to public attention for her fashion blog ''Style Rookie''. By 15, she had shifted her focus to pop culture and feminist discussion. G ...
's podcast Rookie, she revealed that the song's piano part was inspired when she went to a
Florence and the Machine Florence and the Machine (stylised as Florence + the Machine) are an English indie rock band formed in London in 2007 by lead vocalist Florence Welch, keyboardist Isabella Summers, guitarist Rob Ackroyd, drummer Christopher Lloyd Hayden and harp ...
concert with
Jack Antonoff Jack Michael Antonoff (born March 31, 1984) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is the lead vocalist of the rock band Bleachers, and previously the guitarist and drummer for the pop band Fun and the lead vocalist of t ...
. The singer's pianist made "big, jangly" piano movements, where "the physicality of that movement ..became the way Jack played" that part in the song. Lorde also revealed that her sound-to-color synesthesia played a significant factor in the song's title, saying that a "swirling combo of high school and recent and private and public memories" helped to make the title represent a green traffic light. She announced the release of the single and its music video on Twitter on 2 March 2017. When previewing the track for Swedish producer
Max Martin Karl Martin Sandberg (born 26 February 1971),Max Martin
AllMusic
known professional ...
, he did not think the song would become a hit. Martin had an issue with "melodic math — shortening a part." He called the lyrics "incorrect songwriting" and noted the marked key change after the piano sequences. However, Lorde later clarified in a podcast interview with ''
The Spinoff ''The Spinoff'' is a New Zealand online magazine and news website that was founded in 2014. It is known for current affairs coverage, political and social analysis, and cultural commentary. It earns money through commercial sponsorship and su ...
'' that Martin's critiques were made in reference to her 2013 song " Royals". Realizing that top 40 songs usually have key changes reserved for amplified final choruses, Lorde herself called "Green Light" a "strange piece of music." She acknowledges the "drums
o not O, or o, is the fifteenth letter and the fourth vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''o'' (pronounced ), ...
show up on the chorus until halfway through, which creates this other, bizarre part."


Composition and lyrical interpretation

"Green Light" was written by Lorde (credited under her birth name Ella Yelich-O'Connor), Antonoff, and
Joel Little Joel Little (born 13 February 1983) is a New Zealand record producer, musician and Grammy Award-winning songwriter.
, with production handled by the former two and
Frank Dukes Adam King Feeney (born September 12, 1983), better known as Ging and by his former stage name Frank Dukes, is a Canadian musician, record producer, and songwriter. A prolific producer, he has worked with artists including Lorde for ''Melodrama'' ...
. It was the first track Lorde wrote for ''Melodrama''. Writing took place over an 18-month period. Lorde's first heartbreak inspired the lyrics, leading reviewers to characterise them as being "downbeat" as well as having an "acceptance of longing". Spencer Kornhaber from ''The Atlantic'' stated that Lorde was singing about the transitional phase of a breakup and obsessing over her ex "misleading" his new partner in the lyrics, "She thinks you love the beach, you're such a damn liar". Kornhaber compared the "loop of bliss" in the last minute of the track to
The Smiths The Smiths were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Manchester in 1982, composed of Morrissey (vocals), Johnny Marr (guitar), Andy Rourke (bass) and Mike Joyce (musician), Mike Joyce (drums). Morrissey and Marr formed the band's songwrit ...
song "
How Soon Is Now? "How Soon Is Now?" is a song by English rock band the Smiths, written by singer Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr. Originally a B-side of the 1984 single " William, It Was Really Nothing", "How Soon Is Now?" was subsequently featured on the ...
" (1984). ''Pretty Much Amazing'' writer Danilo Bortoli noted a change in perspective in Lorde's songwriting compared to her debut album. He also wrote that she used to portray the "role of master observer" and compared her new view to British singer
Tracey Thorn Tracey Thorn (born 26 September 1962) is an English singer, songwriter, and author. She is best known as a member of the duo Everything but the Girl, active from 1982 to 2000, and again from 2022. She was in the band Marine Girls from 1980 to ...
. Musically, "Green Light" was described as an
electropop Electropop is a popular music fusion genre combining elements of the electronic and pop styles. It has been described as a variant of synth-pop with emphasis on a hard electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a rev ...
,
dance-pop Dance-pop is a Music genre, genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit ra ...
, and
post-disco Post-disco is a term and genre to describe an aftermath in popular music history circa 1979–1986, imprecisely beginning with the backlash against disco music in the United States, leading to civil unrest and a riot in Chicago known as the Dis ...
song. According to sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Sony Music Publishing LLC (formerly Sony/ATV Music Publishing) is an American music publisher. Responsible for publishing the largest quantity of music, with over five million songs owned or administered as of end March 2021, it is part of Sony ...
, "Green Light" is set in
common time A time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, and measure signature) is an indication in music notation that specifies how many note values of a particular type fit into each measure ( bar). The time signature indicates the ...
with a "driving" tempo of 129 beats per minute. The song is composed in the key of
A major A major is a major scale based on A, with the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Its key signature has three sharps. Its relative minor is F-sharp minor and its parallel minor is A minor. The A major scale is: Changes needed for the ...
, with Lorde's vocals ranging between the notes of D3 and A4. The
BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
described the chorus that follows this section as "euphoric", while ''
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The co ...
'' deemed it as
power pop Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a subgenre of rock music and form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, ...
, featuring hand-claps, bass, and strings. The track begins with her singing solo with a lone piano playing "slow, steady"
power chord A power chord , also called a fifth chord, is a colloquial name for a chord on guitar, especially on electric guitar, that consists of the root note and the fifth, as well as possibly octaves of those notes. Power chords are commonly pla ...
s consisting of a root note and the fifth above. Subsequently, in the first of the song's two
pre-chorus Song structure is the arrangement of a song, and is a part of the songwriting process. It is typically section (music), sectional, which uses repeating forms in songs. Common piece-level musical forms for vocal music include bar form, thirty-two-ba ...
es, a "throbbing beat" plays amid "tongue-twisting lyrics, eerie background vocals, and bubbling electronic effects." In the second pre-chorus, a "cheery, upbeat piano loop and a kick drum" accompany Lorde as she sings about an "uneasy new reality." Here, the titular metaphor comes in the form of a hook: "I'm waiting for it, that green light, I want it," leading reviewers to interpret the "green light" as a street signal that gives the singer permission to move on into the future.


Critical reception

"Green Light" received widespread acclaim from
music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on ...
upon its release, with many publications placing the song in their respective year-end lists. Jason Lipshutz of ''Billboard'' commended the track, highlighting the singer's songwriting in particular, saying, "Lorde makes a good case that her songwriting, above all else, is her strongest asset." In his favorable A review, Nolan Feeney of ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'' praised the song's production, stating that it sounded "like nothing else on the radio or in your
Spotify Spotify (; ) is a List of companies of Sweden, Swedish Music streaming service, audio streaming and media service provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. , it is one of the largest providers of music streaming services ...
playlists." Hugh McIntyre of ''
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The co ...
'' noted Lorde's transition from her previous melancholia production to a "more upbeat feeling". He also praised the singer for being able to create a dance song "without caving into any trend in pop or dance". ''
NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...
''s Rhian Daly described "Green Light" as "different and unexpected"; Daly also noted Lorde's angry and theatrical vocal delivery, calling her voice "raspier, a touch deeper, still with that elegance and poise she emerged with." ''Pitchfork'' awarded it Best New Track, with writer Laura Snapes calling it a "comeback breakup jam" and complimenting the song's "euphoria."
Stereogum ''Stereogum'' is a daily Internet publication that focuses on music news, reviews, interviews, and commentary. The site was created in January 2002 by Scott Lapatine. ''Stereogum'' was one of the first MP3 blogs and has received several awar ...
's James Rettig called it "an incandescent number that feels like a natural progression from the insular pop of ''Pure Heroine''." Patrick Ryan of ''
USA Today ''USA Today'' (often stylized in all caps) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth in 1980 and launched on September 14, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headq ...
'' said the song is "unlike anything she—or frankly, any pop star in recent memory—has put out before", noting its diverse production and "heartfelt lyrics", going on to call the track an "earworm." Writing for ''
The Atlantic ''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher based in Washington, D.C. It features articles on politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science. It was founded in 185 ...
'', Spencer Kornhaber said that at first listen, the track "comes off as an EDM remix" of Lorde's past material, but after several spins "reveals its tricky logic—and drops a payload of emotion." He also mentions how the "dark theatrical vocal delivery in the verses" is what distinguishes a Lorde track from
The Chainsmokers The Chainsmokers are an American electronic DJ and production duo consisting of Alex Pall and Drew Taggart. They started out by releasing remixes of songs by indie artists. The electronic dance music, EDM-Pop music, pop duo achieved a breakth ...
' guest singers. ''Pretty Much Amazing'' writer Danilo Bortoli called the track "explosive and contagious." In a mixed-positive review, Craig Jenkins of ''
Vulture A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to Nort ...
'' said the song "locates the universality in a very specific experience, as a truly effective pop gem should" but also noted its conventional "radio fare" production, being "too faithful to the style of its predecessors." In an interview write-up, ''
Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
'' editor Sam Lansky commended the track for being a "cathartic sing-along that takes an eerie vocal introduction and builds into a thunderous chorus." He felt it is "both unsettled and euphoric like doing jumping jacks in the rain."


Accolades

"Green Light" appeared on numerous critics' listicles. The song ranked number 6 on Triple J, Hottest 100.


Commercial performance

Commercially, "Green Light" achieved success following its release. In the United Kingdom, the song debuted at number 28 on the UK Singles Chart, in the issue dated 16 March 2017. On the week of 20 April, it reached the 20th position after leaping seven spots, becoming her second top 20 entry on the chart, after "Royals". "Green Light" received a Platinum certification by the
British Phonographic Industry BPI (British Recorded Music Industry) Limited, trading as British Phonographic Industry (BPI), is the British recorded music industry's trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards; is home to the Mercury Prize; co-owns the Official Charts C ...
(BPI) on 18 August 2017 for 600,000 sales. In Spain, the song debuted at number 13, becoming Lorde's second top twenty entry in the chart. "Green Light" peaked within the top ten in Canada, Iceland, and Israel. In the United States, "Green Light" debuted at number 100 on ''Billboard'' Hot 100 based on the song's first roughly half-day streaming and sales, as well as its first three-and-a-half days of airplay. The following week, the song leaped from 100 to number 19, and debuted at number six (52,000 downloads sold) on
Digital Songs Sales The Digital Song Sales (previously named Digital Songs and Hot Digital Songs) ranks the best-selling digital songs in the United States, as compiled by Luminate and published by ''Billboard'' magazine. Although it originally started tracking so ...
, and at number 20 (13.6 million U.S. streams) on
Streaming Songs The Streaming Songs chart is released weekly by ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' magazine and lists each week's top streamed radio songs, on-demand songs and videos on leading online music services in the United States. The chart represents one ...
, while drawing 20 million in radio airplay audience. It marked Lorde's third top 20 hit, preceded by "Royals" and "
Team A team is a group of individuals (human or non-human) working together to achieve their goal. As defined by Professor Leigh Thompson of the Kellogg School of Management, " team is a group of people who are interdependent with respect to in ...
" (2013). With a leap of 81 spots, "Green Light" became one of several songs to have the biggest single-week upward movements since Jeannie C. Riley's "
Harper Valley PTA "Harper Valley PTA" is a country song written by Tom T. Hall, which in 1968 became a major international hit single for country singer Jeannie C. Riley. Riley's record, her debut, sold over six million copies as a single, and it made her the fi ...
" first accomplished this in 1968. The song performed modestly in other ''Billboard'' markets, landing within the top 20 on the
Mainstream Top 40 Pop Airplay (also called Mainstream Top 40, Pop Songs, and Top 40/contemporary hit radio, CHR) is a 40-song music chart published weekly by Billboard (magazine), ''Billboard'' Magazine that ranks the most popular songs of pop music being played o ...
, and the top ten on the country's
Alternative Songs Alternative Airplay (formerly known as Modern Rock Tracks between 1988 and 2009, and Alternative Songs between 2009 and 2020) is a music chart published in the American magazine ''Billboard'' since September 10, 1988. It ranks the 40 most-play ...
and
Rock Airplay The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, p ...
charts. It received a double Platinum certification from the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA) for over two million shipments. "Green Light" was successful in Oceania. On the report dated 19 March 2017, the song debuted at number four on the Australian
ARIA Singles Chart The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...
. In Australia, it received a quadruple Platinum certification for sales of 280,000. The track debuted and peaked at number one on the New Zealand Top 40 Singles chart on the report dated 13 March 2017, receiving a double Platinum certification by the
Recorded Music NZ Recorded Music NZ (formerly the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ)) is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell recorded music in New Zealand. Membership of Recorded ...
(RMNZ) for sales of 60,000.


Music video


Background

Grant Singer Grant Taylor Singer (born July 23, 1985) is an American filmmaker, and music video and commercial director known for working with artists such as the Weeknd, Taylor Swift, Troye Sivan, Sky Ferreira, Lorde, Sam Smith, Travis Scott, Ariel Pink a ...
directed the music video for "Green Light", and shot the visual for Lorde's follow-up single, " Perfect Places" (2017). Lorde contacted Grant a couple of months before the video's release, and the pair later met for dinner in New York City. Struck by Lorde's "passion, sincerity and thoughtfulness," a collaboration between the pair ensued. Having not released a music video of her own in several years, both Lorde and Singer wanted to take a new direction from her earlier works. This led to him choosing
16 mm film 16 mm film is a historically popular and economical Film gauge, gauge of Photographic film, film. 16 mm refers to the width of the film (about inch); other common film gauges include 8 mm film, 8 mm and 35mm movie film, 35 mm. It ...
to shoot the video, a technique rarely used in modern videos, which generally use 35 mm film. Singer explained that the idea of choosing 16 mm film felt timeless and was intentional to make the video feel like it was not made in 2017. When explaining the new direction of her videos in a behind the scenes shoot with
Vevo Vevo LLC ( , an abbreviation for "Video Evolution", stylized in all caps until 2013) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational video hosting service, best known for providing music videos to YouTube. The service is also available ...
, Lorde said:
“I was very aware that this is the first thing that people had seen from me in three years. I was picking up where I had, which was I always had dark lipstick on and in a weird kind of outfit. And this time, I was like, I want to look the way my friends see me. I want to feel like I could be any one of the young people who listen to my music.”
One particular scene where Lorde takes a "payphone off the hook for no reason" was improvised and went unnoticed during the filming process. Singer decided to leave the part in afterwards as it was a "magic moment" and cutting it would have been "criminal." Explaining the location of the video, shot at
MacArthur Park MacArthur Park (originally Westlake Park) is a park dating back to the late 19th century in the Westlake, Los Angeles, Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. In the early 1940s, it was renamed after General Douglas MacArthur, and la ...
in
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
, Singer said that he did not want to make the area seem specific. He describes the area as a "no man's land between downtown and
Koreatown A Koreatown (), also known as a Little Korea or Little Seoul, is a Korean-dominated ethnic enclave within a city or metropolitan area outside the Korean Peninsula. History Koreatowns as an East Asian ethnic enclave have only been in existence s ...
." In an interview with ''NME'', Lorde revealed that the video and song are "symbiotic" saying that she wanted the video to be set at night, just like her "real life." During the video, she wears white
Adidas Adidas AG (; stylized in all lowercase since 1949) is a German athletic apparel and footwear corporation headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany. It is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe, and the second largest in the ...
shoes, which she says is what she wears when she goes partying at home.


Synopsis

The video starts with a close up shot of Lorde looking at herself in a mirror in a public restroom. In the next scene, she is dancing slowly in a club, with the silhouettes of other partygoers and flashing lights around her. She then exits the club at night, dressed in a hot pink Giorgio di Sant'Angelo tie-back mini dress and white
Adidas Originals Adidas Originals (often stylized as adidas Originals) is a brand of a line of casual and sportswear created by German multinational corporation Adidas. It consists of a heritage line, specializing in athletic shoes, t-shirts, jackets, bags, sun ...
superstars, and steps inside a black
Uber Uber Technologies, Inc. is an American multinational transportation company that provides Ridesharing company, ride-hailing services, courier services, food delivery, and freight transport. It is headquartered in San Francisco, California, a ...
. Lorde opens the passenger window and places her head partly outside the window, letting the wind rush by her as the Uber drives through the streets of Los Angeles. In the following scene, she is seen dancing on top of the Uber while red lights shine on her. Walking the streets alone, Lorde plays a
Walkman is a brand of Personal stereo, portable audio players manufactured by Sony since 1979. It was originally introduced as a portable Compact Cassette, cassette player and later expanded to include a range of portable audio products. Since 2011, ...
, puts on earphones, and dances joyously. She then takes a
payphone A payphone (alternative spelling: pay phone or pay telephone or public phone) is typically a coin-operated public telephone, often located in a telephone booth or in high-traffic public areas. Prepayment is required by inserting coins or tel ...
off its hook. During the pre-chorus, Lorde is inside the bathroom from the first scene with Antonoff playing piano in the background. Several shots of her dancing and moving her hair back and forth are shown, with one particular shot showing her placing her head down on what appears to be a car with flashing green lights. In the last scene, Lorde makes her way through an overpass at sunset, as a green light reflects on her face.


Reception

''Rolling Stone'' called the video "electrifying," describing her as being "swathed in electric pink mesh" and sealing her "kiss-off with a bang". Aimee Cliff from ''
The Fader ''The Fader'' is a magazine established in 1999 as an outlet for Cornerstone Agency, a marketing and public relations firm established by Rob Stone and Jon Cohen. The magazine covers music, style and culture. History and work It is owned by T ...
'' compared Lorde's dancing to
Robyn Robin Miriam Carlsson (; born 12 June 1979), known professionally as Robyn (), is a Swedish singer, songwriter, record producer, and DJ. Her 1995 debut album ''Robyn Is Here'' produced two Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100 top 10 single ...
in " Dancing on My Own" (2010). Cliff also compared the video to
Grimes Claire Elise Boucher (; born March 17, 1988), known professionally as Grimes, is a Canadian musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Her lyrics often touch on science fiction and feminist themes. The visuals in her videos are elabora ...
' " Oblivion" (2012) where both artists use headphones to symbolize that dancing is for one's own pleasure. Alexandrina Hemsley, from the performance duo Project O, drew a comparison between
Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, ...
's "
Ray of Light ''Ray of Light'' is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on February 22, 1998, by Maverick Records. A major stylistic and aesthetic departure from her previous work, '' Bedtime Stories'', ''Ray of Light'' is ...
" (1998) and
Ciara Ciara Princess Wilson ( ; Harris; born October 25, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer and actress. She was discovered by record producer Jazze Pha in the early 2000s, and rose to prominence with her debut studio album, ''Goodies ...
's " Oh" (2005) for featuring dancing on top of a car. ''Pitchfork'' ranked the video at number 11 on their year-end list, stating that the video documented the singer's "expressive style of modern dance" that was a "glowing vision" of how "romantic" it can feel to be "alone in public". Nate Gross from Exile Edit received a nomination for Best Editing at the
2017 MTV Video Music Awards The 2017 MTV Video Music Awards were held on August 27, 2017 at The Forum in Inglewood, California, honoring music videos released between June 25, 2016 and June 23, 2017. It was hosted by Katy Perry. The 34th annual award show aired live from ...
, losing to
Ryan Staake Ryan Staake is an American director. Staake has worked in video, interactive, virtual reality, and print. Early life Staake was born in Los Angeles, CA, but grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. At a young age, his father, Illustrator Bob Staake, int ...
and Eric Degliomini's work on
Young Thug Jeffery Lamar Williams II (born August 16, 1991), known professionally as Young Thug, is an American rapper. Known for his eccentric vocal style and fashion, he is considered an influential figure in modern hip hop music, hip hop and trap music ...
's "
Wyclef Jean Nel Ust Wyclef Jean ( ; born October 17, 1969) is a Haitian rapper, singer, and record producer. Born in Haiti, Jean emigrated to the Northeastern United States, United States as a child. He gained fame as a founding member of the Fugees, a Ne ...
" (2017). After part of the video was screened on television in New Zealand, a man in the country filed a complaint with the
Broadcasting Standards Authority The Broadcasting Standards Authority (; abbreviated BSA) is a New Zealand Crown entity created by the Broadcasting Act 1989 to develop and uphold standards of broadcasting for radio, free-to-air and pay television. The main functions of the B ...
, the national media regulator, claiming a scene in it "encouraged reckless driving". He also claimed that it "breached the Free-to-air TV Code's law and order standard". The authority did not uphold the complaint, saying that Lorde did "not actively encourage viewers to imitate her," and in their view, "her actions did not amount to direct incitement to break the law, nor did they encourage or condone criminal activity."


Live performances and promotion

Lorde first promoted "Green Light" by posting a link to her Twitter account, which led fans to a website called ''imwaitingforit.com''. The site featured a short video clip of Lorde sitting in a car while eating fries and drinking from a styrofoam to-go cup as a piano-backed track plays on in the background. The screen then flashes the dates "3.2.17 NYC" and "3.3.17 NZ". According to ''Fact'' magazine, the clip was also broadcast on major TV channels in New Zealand. The singer further promoted her first single by broadcasting the location of three mysterious installations, which featured an abandoned car illuminated in green light, a projection lit in green playing a 5-second music video clip and a neon sign with song lyrics. The installations were held in her hometown of
Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...
. Lorde first performed "Green Light" on ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
'' on 11 March. The singer wore a sparkle shirt-clad as stage was lit in red with a trio of young sisters serving as backing vocals. Lorde's performance was met with positive reviews by critics, although viewers criticised Lorde's dancing. The singer later responded by saying, "One day I will do a normal dance choreographed by a nice person and I will look more like your other favourite performers but we have not yet reached that day." In an analysis from ''
The Fader ''The Fader'' is a magazine established in 1999 as an outlet for Cornerstone Agency, a marketing and public relations firm established by Rob Stone and Jon Cohen. The magazine covers music, style and culture. History and work It is owned by T ...
'', the publication defended Lorde's dancing, stating that Western top 40 pop music has centred around "pristine choreography" but the artist's body movements are "more freeform and spontaneous, and it speaks an entirely different expressive language". ''Entertainment Weekly'' wrote a positive review, stating that the performance "held true" to Nolan Feeney's 'A' review of the track. The publication described Lorde's dance moves as "delightfully wacky". ''Paste'' writer E.C. Flamming described it as "energetic" and commented on her "patented spastic dance style". Lorde also performed "Green Light" at Coachella Valley Music Festival in California. The television shows ''
New Girl ''New Girl'' is an American television sitcom created by Elizabeth Meriwether and produced by 20th Century Fox Television for Fox that aired from September 20, 2011, to May 15, 2018. The series revolves around quirky teacher, Jessica Day ( Zo ...
'' and '' Quantico'' used the track on their soundtracks. "Green Light" was also featured on the third season of the reality television show '' RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars'', in which
drag queen A drag queen is a person, usually male, who uses Drag (entertainment), drag clothing and makeup to imitate and often exaggerate Femininity, female gender signifiers and gender roles for entertainment purposes. Historically, drag queens have ...
s
Kennedy Davenport Reuben Asberry Jr. (born September 9, 1980), known professionally as Kennedy Davenport, is a drag queen, television personality, and dancer from Dallas, Texas, who came to international attention on the seventh season of ''RuPaul's Drag Race'', ...
and
BenDeLaCreme BenDeLaCreme (born September 24, 1981) is the stage persona of Benjamin Brock Hamlet Putnam, an American drag queen, burlesque performer, and actor based in Seattle, Washington. He is known for being a contestant on the sixth season of ''RuPaul' ...
lip sync Lip sync or lip synch (pronounced , like the word ''sink'', despite the Hard and soft C, spelling of the participial forms ''synced'' and ''syncing''), short for lip synchronization, is a technical term for matching a Speech, speaking or singin ...
ed it.


Legacy

"Green Light" is a major point of reference for the teenage characters in Kimberly Belflower's acclaimed
Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
-nominated
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...
play '' John Proctor is the Villain''.


Track listing


Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''Melodrama''. Recording and management *Recorded at Electric Lady Studios (
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
), Rough Customer Studio (
Brooklyn Heights Brooklyn Heights is a residential neighborhood within the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is bounded by Old Fulton Street near the Brooklyn Bridge on the north, Cadman Plaza West on the east, Atlantic Avenue on the south ...
,
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...
), and Westlake Recording Studios (
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
,
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
) *Mixed at MixStar Studios (
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
) *Mastered at Sterling Sound Studios (New York City) *Published by
Songs Music Publishing Songs Music Publishing, also known as SONGS, is a music publishing company founded by Matt Pincus and joined by partners Ron Perry in 2004 and Carianne Marshall in 2006. The company has offices in New York City, Los Angeles and London. SONGS rep ...
, Sony/ATV Songs LLC, Ducky Donath Music ( BMI), EMI Blackwood Music (BMI) and first verse produced for Suga Wuga Music Personnel *
Lorde Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor (born 7 November 1996), known professionally as Lorde ( ), is a New Zealand singer and songwriter. She is known for her unconventional style of pop music and introspective songwriting, and has been referred to ...
vocals Singing is the art of creating music with the voice. It is the oldest form of musical expression, and the human voice can be considered the first musical instrument. The definition of singing varies across sources. Some sources define sing ...
,
songwriter A songwriter is a person who creates musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music genre and film scoring. ...
, producer *
Joel Little Joel Little (born 13 February 1983) is a New Zealand record producer, musician and Grammy Award-winning songwriter.
– writer *
Jack Antonoff Jack Michael Antonoff (born March 31, 1984) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is the lead vocalist of the rock band Bleachers, and previously the guitarist and drummer for the pop band Fun and the lead vocalist of t ...
– writer, producer *
Kuk Harrell Thaddis Laphonia "Kuk" Harrell ( ) is an American songwriter, vocal producer, arranger and engineer. He was a member of a songwriting–production team composed of himself, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart and Terius "The-Dream" Nash. In 2011, K ...
– vocal production *Laura Sisk –
engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who Invention, invent, design, build, maintain and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials. They aim to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while ...
*John Hanes –
mixing engineer A mixing engineer (or simply mix engineer) is responsible for combining ("mixing") different sonic elements of an auditory piece into a complete rendition (also known as "final mix" or "mixdown"), whether in music, film, or any other content of a ...
*
Serban Ghenea Serban Ghenea () is a Canadian audio engineer and mixer. He has been nominated for a Grammy Award a total of 45 times and has won 21 times. Early life and education Ghenea was born in Romania, and in 1976 he moved to Montreal with his family. H ...
mixing *Barry McCready – assistant, engineer *Greg Eliason – assistant, engineer *Tom Coyne –
mastering engineer Mastering is a form of audio post production which is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the Audio mixing (recorded music), final mix to a data storage device called a master recording, the source ...


Charts


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Certifications


Release and radio history


See also

*
List of number-one singles from the 2010s (New Zealand) This is the Recorded Music NZ list of number-one singles in New Zealand during the 2010s decade, starting from Monday 4 January 2010. From 7 November 2014, the chart also included data from audio on demand streaming services. Chart Key : – Nu ...


References


External links

* {{authority control 2017 singles 2017 songs Dance-pop songs Lorde songs Number-one singles in Iceland Number-one singles in New Zealand Post-disco songs Song recordings produced by Jack Antonoff Songs written by Jack Antonoff Songs written by Joel Little Songs written by Lorde Song recordings produced by Frank Dukes Song recordings produced by Lorde APRA Award winners