"Solar Power" 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-songwriter. Taking inspiration from aristocracy for her stage name, she is known for her unconventional musical styles and ...

for her third studio album of the same name. The song was written and produced by Lorde and

Jack Antonoff Jack Michael Antonoff (born March 31, 1984) is an American singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. Antonoff is the lead singer of rock band Bleachers, and is the guitarist and drummer in the pop rock band Fun. He was p ...

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. Musically, "Solar Power" is an

indie folk Indie folk is a music genre that arose in the 1990s among musicians from indie rock scenes influenced by folk music. Indie folk hybridizes the acoustic guitar melodies of traditional folk music with contemporary instrumentation. The genre has it ...

, pop,

psychedelic Psychedelics are a subclass of hallucinogenic drugs whose primary effect is to trigger non-ordinary states of consciousness (known as psychedelic experiences or "trips").Pollan, Michael (2018). ''How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science ...

, and

sunshine pop Sunshine pop (originally known as soft pop) is a subgenre of pop music that originated in Southern California in the mid-1960s. Rooted in easy listening and advertising jingles, sunshine pop acts combined nostalgic or anxious moods with "an appre ...

song. The song received positive reviews from

critics A critic is a person who communicates an assessment and an opinion of various forms of creative works such as art, literature, music, cinema, theater, fashion, architecture, and food. Critics may also take as their subject social or governme ...

, 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 ''Midsommar'' is a 2019 folk horror film written and directed by Ari Aster. The film stars Florence Pugh and Jack Reynor as a dysfunctional couple who travel to Sweden with a group of friends for a midsummer festival, only to find themselves ...

''. The song was translated into the

Māori language Māori (), or ('the Māori language'), also known as ('the language'), is an Eastern Polynesian language spoken by the Māori people, the indigenous population of mainland New Zealand. Closely related to Cook Islands Māori, Tuamotuan, an ...

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 Cazzie Laurel David (born May 10, 1994) is an American scriptwriter and actress. David co-created and co-starred in the web series ''Eighty-Sixed'' (2017'').'' Her first collection of essays ''No One Asked For This'' was released in 2020''.'' She ...

Martha's Vineyard Martha's Vineyard, often simply called the Vineyard, is an island in the Northeastern United States, located south of Cape Cod in Dukes County, Massachusetts, known for being a popular, affluent summer colony. Martha's Vineyard includes th ...

off the coast of

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

. She wrote the song on a Yamaha DX keyboard and later brought the

demo Demo, usually short for demonstration, may refer to: Music and film * Demo (music), a song typically recorded for reference rather than release * ''Demo'' (Behind Crimson Eyes), a 2004 recording by the band Behind Crimson Eyes * ''Demo'' (Deafhe ...

to producer

for further work. Lorde initially thought the song sounded similar to

Robbie Williams Robert Peter Williams (born 13 February 1974) is an English singer and songwriter. He found fame as a member of the pop group Take That from 1990 to 1995, and achieved commercial success after launching a solo career in 1996. His debut stu ...

' 2000 single "

Rock DJ "Rock DJ" is a song by English singer and songwriter Robbie Williams, featured on his third studio album, '' Sing When You're Winning'' (2000). The song was released on 31 July 2000 as the lead single from the album. It samples Barry White's ...

" (both songs include references to

A Tribe Called Quest A Tribe Called Quest was an American hip hop group formed in Queens, New York City, in 1985,Q-Tip

's " Can I Kick It?"), but she was later informed of its similarities to " Loaded", a 1990 single by the Scottish band

Primal Scream Primal Scream are a Scottish rock band originally formed in 1982 in Glasgow by Bobby Gillespie (vocals) and Jim Beattie. The band's current lineup consists of Gillespie, Andrew Innes (guitar), Simone Butler (bass), and Darrin Mooney (drum ...

. 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 Robert "Bobby" Gillespie (born 22 June 1961) is a Scottish musician, singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the lead singer, founding member, and primary lyricist of the alternative rock band Primal Scream. He was als ...

to clear "Solar Power" with him. In an interview

Apple Music 1 Apple Music 1, previously branded as Beats 1, is a 24/7 music radio station owned and operated by Apple Inc. It is accessible through iTunes or the Apple Music app on a computer, smartphone or tablet, smart speaker (such as the Apple HomePod) ...

Zane Lowe Alexander Zane Reid Lowe (born 7 August 1973) is a New Zealand radio DJ, live DJ, record producer, and television presenter. After an early career in music creation, production and DJing, he moved to the UK in 1997. He came to prominence thro ...

, 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." Aside from "Loaded", "Solar Power" has also been compared to

George Michael George Michael (born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou; 25 June 1963 – 25 December 2016) was an English singer and songwriter. He is considered one of the most significant cultural icons of the MTV Generation, MTV generation and is one of the List ...

's 1990 song "

Freedom! '90 "Freedom! '90" (also known simply as "Freedom!") is a song written, produced, and performed by George Michael, and released on Columbia Records in 1990. The "'90" added to the end of the title is to prevent confusion with a hit by Michael's for ...

". 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." The song features backing vocals from

indie rock Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the mu ...

musicians

Phoebe Bridgers Phoebe Lucille Bridgers (born August 17, 1994) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She has released two solo albums, '' Stranger in the Alps'' (2017) and '' Punisher'' (2020), both of which received critical accla ...

and

Clairo Claire Elizabeth Cottrill (born August 18, 1998), known professionally as Clairo, is an American singer-songwriter. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, and raised in Carlisle, Massachusetts, she began posting music on the internet at age 13. Clairo rose ...

Composition and recording

"Solar Power" has been described as a guitar-led

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' (G ...

, and

song. 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 Mark "Spike" Stent (born 3 August 1965) is an English record producer and mixing engineer who has worked with many international artists including Madonna, Marshmello, U2, Beyoncé, Björk, Depeche Mode, Echo & The Bunnymen, Grimes, Ed Shee ...

did the

mix Mix, mixes or mixing may refer to: Persons & places * Mix (surname) ** Tom Mix (1880-1940), American film star * nickname of Mix Diskerud (born Mikkel, 1990), Norwegian-American soccer player * Mix camp, an informal settlement in Namibia * ...

with the help of Matt Wolach;

Matt Chamberlain Matthew Chamberlain (born April 17, 1967) is an American session musician, drummer, producer and songwriter. Biography Life and career Chamberlain was born in San Pedro, California on April 17, 1967. He began learning how to play the drum ...

worked on the programming and played the

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair of matching drumsticks ...

. Antonoff also performed on various instruments: acoustic guitar, electric bass,

twelve-string guitar A twelve-string guitar (or 12-string guitar) is a steel-string guitar with 12 strings in six courses, which produces a thicker, more ringing tone than a standard six-string guitar. Typically, the strings of the lower four courses are tuned in o ...

, 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

choir A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which s ...

s. Lorde began writing the song in July 2019 while in Dukes County, Massachusetts; subsequently, he moved to

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...

where he shared the first advances with Antonoff and expressed his desire to incorporate characteristic sounds of the music of the 2000s. The songwriting process took around six to eight months and ended once the

chorus Chorus may refer to: Music * Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse * Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound * Chorus form, song in which all verse ...

was devised.

Artwork

The cover image was photographed by Lorde's friend Ophelia, showing Lorde's

buttocks The buttocks (singular: buttock) are two rounded portions of the exterior anatomy of most mammals, located on the posterior of the pelvic region. In humans, the buttocks are located between the lower back and the perineum. They are compose ...

. 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 The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is a 1998 United States copyright law that implements two 1996 treaties of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). It criminalizes production and dissemination of technology, devices, or ...

takedown, many Twitter accounts sharing the cover were locked for several hours. 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." 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 NetEase Cloud Music () is a freemium music streaming service developed and owned by NetEase, Inc. The streaming service was launched to the public on 23 April 2013. As of April 2017, the platform has 300 million users, and a music database consis ...

and

QQ Music QQ Music () is one of the three Chinese freemium music streaming services owned by Tencent Music, a joint venture between Tencent and Spotify. As of 2018, the service is set to reach over 700 million users with an estimated 120 million subscri ...

, Apple Music users in mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Critical reception

Writing for ''

Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...

'', Anna Gaca called the song a "soft-touch anthem for the

ummer Kachinamthoduka Puthiyapurayil Ummer known as K. P. Ummer (Malayalam: കെ.പി. ഉമ്മർ) was an Indian actor from Thekkepuram quarter of Kozhikode, Kerala, India. He was active in the Malayalam cinema from early sixties until lat ...

season's simple pleasures", and remarked that it "flipped the script" when compared to the sound of Lorde's 2017 album ''Melodrama''. Rhian Daly of ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

'' 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 Wolf Alice are an English rock band from London, England. Formed in 2010 as an acoustic duo comprising singer Ellie Rowsell and guitarist Joff Oddie, Wolf Alice have also featured bassist Theo Ellis and drummer Joel Amey since 2012. Wolf Alic ...

's sound since '' Visions of a Life''. Writers for New Zealand magazine ''

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 ...

'' generally praised "Solar Power", with

Toby Manhire Toby Manhire is a New Zealand journalist and columnist, and the editor at-large of online magazine ''The Spinoff''. He is the son of poet Bill Manhire. Career Manhire was editor of student magazine '' Salient'' in 1997. From 2000 to 2010 he wor ...

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 Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about I ...

)". Sal Cinquemani of ''

Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New Yo ...

'' 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". Writers for ''

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 North a ...

'' 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", 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

dance-rock Dance-rock is a dance-infused genre of rock music. It is a post-disco genre connected with pop rock and post-punk with fewer rhythm and blues influences. It originated in the early 1980s, following the decline in popularity of both punk and dis ...

of early

'90s File:1990s decade montage.png, From top left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope orbits the Earth after it was launched in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; ...

UK rave kings like

Happy Mondays Happy Mondays are an English rock band formed in Salford in 1980. The original line-up was Shaun Ryder (vocals), his brother Paul Ryder (bass), Gary Whelan (drums), Paul Davis (keyboard), and Mark Day (guitar). Mark "Bez" Berry later joine ...

and Primal Scream". In a ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' 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". In a five star review, Rachel Brodsky of ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publishe ...

'' praised Lorde for "finding a new way to express a universal feeling", comparing it to

the Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band that formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and frie ...

' song " Kokomo". ''

Consequence Consequence may refer to: * Logical consequence, also known as a ''consequence relation'', or ''entailment'' * In operant conditioning, a result of some behavior * Consequentialism, a theory in philosophy in which the morality of an act is determ ...

'' named it "Song of the Week", describing it as "light, bouncy, and nonchalant", emphasising its departure from Lorde's previous works.

Music video

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 version of ''

''". Stewart Sowman-Lund of ''

'' also noted a similar connection, writing that "the music video is like if ''Midsommar'' was shot in New Zealand". Lorde told

Triple J Triple J (stylised in all lowercase) is a government-funded, national Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners of alternative music, which began broadcasting in January 1975. The station also places a greater emphasis on broad ...

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 cannabis use. The music video was met with a mixed reception from critics.

Filming location

With a presumption that the video was filmed in New Zealand, ''

Newshub ''Newshub'' (stylised as ''Newshub.'') is a New Zealand news service that airs on the television channels Three and Eden, as well as on digital platforms. It formerly operated across radio stations run by MediaWorks Radio until December 2021 ...

'' claimed that the location of the music video was Cactus Bay on

Waiheke Island Waiheke Island (; Māori: ) is the second-largest island (after Great Barrier Island) in the Hauraki Gulf of New Zealand. Its ferry terminal in Matiatia Bay at the western end is from the central-city terminal in Auckland. It is the most p ...

, guessing that the landmass in the distance was the

Coromandel Peninsula The Coromandel Peninsula ( mi, Te Tara-O-Te-Ika-A-Māui) on the North Island of New Zealand extends north from the western end of the Bay of Plenty, forming a natural barrier protecting the Hauraki Gulf and the Firth of Thames in the ...

, and presuming that a cargo ship in the background placed the video's location north of Auckland. 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". While not disclosing the location of the beach, in an interview with

Jesse Mulligan Jesse Robert Turi Mulligan is a New Zealand television and radio broadcaster. He currently works as a co-host for '' The Project'' on Three, an afternoon presenter on RNZ National, and a writer for The New Zealand Herald's Viva Magazine. Career ...

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.

Credits and personnel

– vocals, songwriting, production *

– songwriting, production, bass, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, drums, percussion, 12-string acoustic guitar *

– background vocals *

– drums, programming, percussion * Evan Smith – saxophone * Cole Kamen-Green – trumpet *

Spike Stent Mark "Spike" Stent (born 3 August 1965) is an English record producer and mixing engineer who has worked with many international artists including Madonna, Marshmello, U2, Beyoncé, Björk, Depeche Mode, Echo & The Bunnymen, Grimes, Ed Shee ...

– mixing * Matt Wolach – assistant mixing *

Chris Gehringer Chris Gehringer (born May 27, 1962) is an American mastering engineer, known for having mastered recordings such as Gwen Stefani's '' Love. Angel. Music. Baby.'' (2004), Rihanna's '' Loud'' (2010), Lady Gaga's '' Born This Way'' (2011) and Drake' ...

– mastering * Will Quinnell – mastering

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Release history

Te Ao Mārama / Solar Power

"Te Ao Mārama / Solar Power" is a song recorded by New Zealand singer-songwriter

. It is the second track from her '' Te Ao Mārama'' EP, and is performed fully in the

. "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 ''

'' called "the transition from night to the enlightened world that comprises part of the Māori creation narrative (similar to

Adam and Eve Adam and Eve, according to the creation myth of the Abrahamic religions, were the first man and woman. They are central to the belief that humanity is in essence a single family, with everyone descended from a single pair of original ancestors ...

apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus '' Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ances ...

, but from the point of view that knowledge is a good thing)". 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."

Charts

Year-end charts

References

{{Authority control 2021 singles 2021 songs Lorde songs New Zealand folk songs Song recordings produced by Jack Antonoff Song recordings produced by Lorde Songs written by Jack Antonoff Songs written by Lorde