Electric Lady (New York), Conway (Los Angeles), Roundhead (Auckland), Rough Customer (Brooklyn)
Genre
Indie folk, folk pop, psychedelic pop, psychedelic folk
Length
43:09
Label
Universal
Producer(s)
Lorde, Jack Antonoff, Malay
About Solar Power Album
Solar Power is the third studio album by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde, released on August 20, 2021, by Universal. Inspired by the death of her dog Pearl and her visit to Antarctica in 2019, the album was written with producer Jack Antonoff, capturing themes of solipsism and summer escapism. It primarily reflects Lorde’s time spent in her homeland of New Zealand and expresses her disdain for fame and celebrity culture.
Described by Lorde as her “weed album,” Solar Power blends psychedelic pop and indie folk, centered around acoustic guitar arrangements, marking a shift from the electronic-based sound of her previous works. While the album received praise for Lorde’s matured vocals, it was met with polarized reviews, with critics divided over its songwriting and production. Lorde later described the album’s reception as “really confounding” and “painful.” The album was led by its title track Solar Power, followed by singles Stoned at the Nail Salon, Mood Ring, and Fallen Fruit.
Commercially, Solar Power reached number one in both Australia and New Zealand, charting within the top ten in several other countries. For environmental reasons, Lorde chose not to release CDs, instead making the album available on digital platforms, streaming services, and vinyl LPs. On September 9, 2021, she released a Māori-language EP titled Te Ao Mārama as a companion project to Solar Power, featuring Māori versions of five tracks from the album. To promote the album, Lorde embarked on her third concert tour, the Solar Power Tour.
