Photo: Justine Trickett
“This is a really old song,” says Lorde as she introduces 'Bravado'. She pauses, thinks for a moment, and adds: “For me anyway.”
The New Zealander possesses a self-awareness that is distinctly lacking in many other young stars. She’s 17 years old, and thus understands that anything she considers old is probably not. In an interview with Zane Lowe, in fact, she admitted she was “basically a foetus” when she recorded her album. And yet, Lorde’s presence onstage is intense, self-confident, and mature. Indeed, to call her precocious would suggest an element of pretence that just doesn’t seem to exist. Even the suit she’s wearing seems appropriate.
As she arrives on stage tonight, Lorde is greeted with deafening screams from the 5,000 strong crowd. Since she broke into the industry a little over a year ago with ‘Royals’, which was followed by a phenomenally successful debut album, Pure Heroine, Lorde has amassed a passionate, dedicated fan base. Outspoken, articulate and flawed, the idea of being a role model sits perhaps a little uncomfortably on Lorde’s teenage shoulders, but it’s a mantle that she seems to attract.
That’s not why she’s here though. She’s here to perform, and by the first few seconds of the set, it’s clear she takes that seriously. Lorde’s voice is deep and rich - even more so live than on record, and tonight, the balance between vocal and instrumental is negotiated expertly. It’s a set with just the right amount of light and shade, where many artists new to this size venue might have been tempted to try and fill it with overwhelming production. It’s a shame, though, that the effusive crowd can’t allow the carefully crafted pauses she inserts mid-song to resonate fully – instead they must puncture the silences with more screams.
There's also a fervent desparation to capture Lorde's every moment on camera. As the opening beats of ‘Tennis Court’ begin, the singer becomes obscured behind an ocean of screens held aloft – a pointless endeavour, given that her jerking, head-throwing dance moves make her a constantly moving target. When fans gets home tonight, their phones will be filled to capacity with a blurred mass of brown hair.
There is a moment or two in the middle of the set where it begins to feel a little baggy, the songs a little less distinctive - but this is more due to the inevitably limited material from which Lorde can draw than her own ability onstage. She has already, supposedly, described ‘Royals’ as “awful” and “disastrous”, and one suspects that by the time she’s legally able to drink, she may well have abandoned quite a lot of the material she relies upon tonight.
For now though, Lorde is a formidable, engaging presence, and the quality of her rich, addictive music can only grow as she does.
Below: stunning, exclusive photos of Lorde at Brixton Academy
