On Lorde's 23rd birthday, a look at some of Kiwi singer-songwriter's best tracks, from 'Royals' to 'Liability'

New Zealand-born musician Lorde, whose real name is Ella Yelich-O’Connor, celebrates her birthday on 7 November.

At just 17, she released her debut EP Pure Heroine, that received unprecedented acclaim across the world. Lorde is known for combining varied musical styles, some unconventional, some not-so-much, with her extremely expressive and introspective lyrics. A three-year-long hiatus was followed by a sophomore record Melodrama, a compilation of her musings about reaching adulthood, loneliness, and more.

Lorde. Image from Twitter

On the two-year anniversary of Melodrama, Lorde announced she has been busy cooking up some new tunes in the studio. Recently, in a note to subscribers of her newsletter, she said her third album would be delayed because she is still mourning the death of her dog Pearl.

"So I’m asking for your patience, as 2020 comes around, and you start to wonder where the next record is. I have lost my boy, and I need some time to see the good again, to finish making this for you. It won’t be the same work — as anyone who has felt loss can understand, there’s a door that opens that you step through, and everything is different on the other side."

To mark the Queen Bee's birthday, here is a list of some of her best work, including renditions of some popular songs.

'Tennis Court'

Here, Lorde addresses the widespread fame and recognition that will come to her soon, reminding everyone about how fickle it all really is. One of the best moments of 'Tennis Court' is when she says, "Pretty soon I'll be getting on my first plane/ I'll see the veins of my city like they do in space."

'Ribs'

A song about the fear of growing old coming from a teenager may seem blasé, but 'Ribs' has emotional depth will make you rethink your entire life. One of the highlights of the song is when she bemoans, with sudden urgency, the loss of a childhood long gone, "I want 'em back/ The minds we had/How all the thoughts/Moved around our heads."

This cover of James Blake's 'Retrograde'

She served her take of Jame Blake's most loved songs 'Retrograde' for Triple J's Like a Version. Lorde switches up the chorus, making it sound even sleepier than the original, which may not go down well with Blake loyalists.

'Liability'

Lorde is at her most vulnerable in this minimalist piano ballad. The song could have been inspired by the alienation that comes as a consequence of fame or even a broken relationship. She sounds weary and despondent as she finally accepts, "I understand, I'm a liability."

Cover of Frank Ocean's 'Solo'

During one of her Melodrama tour performances, Lorde brought her own uniqueness to Frank Ocean's 'Solo'. The theme of loneliness, as she notes in the video, coincides with that of her album.

'Royals'

'Royals' comes from Lorde's debut EP The Love Club, and was later included in Pure Heroine. In the three-minute long song, that amalgamates elements of electropop and hip hop, she critiques the outward display of opulence and riches, an unattainable goal for most.

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