Lorde

Lorde signed to Universal Music Group in her early teens and was soon paired with producer and songwriter Joel Little (who has won Grammy Awards for songwriting and was the lead singer for New Zealand pop punk band, Goodnight Nurse). Little co-wrote and produced most of Lorde’s works, her first being “The Love Club EP” in March 2013. The EP reached the number two positions in national record charts in New Zealand and Australia.

A few months later Lorde released her debut single titled “Royals” and it was an instant, international hit. It even reached the top spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, making Lorde the youngest solo artist to have a number one US hit single (the last artist to hold to title was Tiffany and her single “I Think We’re Alone Now” in 1987). “Royals” first gained so much recognition on YouTube for its video, directed by Joel Kefali, which received over 750,000 views.

“Pure Heroine,” Lorde’s debut “indietronica” album, was released later in 2013 and predictably achieved immediate chart success in her home country and Australia. The dream-pop album also reached number three on the US Billboard 200. Other than “Royals,” singles from the album include “Team,” “Glory and Gore” and “Tennis Court.”

Lorde has also collaborated with UK house and pop duo, Disclosure, who released a remix of “Royals” (combined with Aluna George’s “White Noise”). She has also become revered as one of the most influential teenagers in popular culture, famously speaking out about feminism being “completely natural” and condemning the media for photo shopping photographs of her; even tweeting an original image of herself next to the photo shopped one, stating “two photos from today, one edited so my skin is perfect and one real. remember flaws are ok :-)”