Ella Yelich-O’Connor, a 16-year-old from New Zealand, also known as Lorde, is an alternative pop singer with an electric voice that makes audiences want to roll the windows down and drive fast. For much of her childhood, Lorde worked with Universal to help her develop style and which direction she was going to take her music career. At the tender age of 12, she was scouted by an A&R agent after seeing a video of her singing in a school talent show. By the age of 16, Lorde landed a record deal with T2THEJMANAGEMENT, who she also recorded her debut album with.

Her debut album, The Love Club EP, was released digitally in March, and she has caught the ear, of listeners nationwide with her single “Royals”.

Being an active blogger on Tumblr, I first heard her single “Royals” earlier this summer. Intrigued by her sound, I decided to download the rest of her album and check out a few of her music videos. I was in love. She’s an idol: beautiful, talented, and always voices her strong social opinion.

Personally, I admire Lorde for her style and strong opinions. She talks about not wanting to be like other artists of her time, and according to an interview with Entertainment & Stars, the singer says she stays away from writing about “unattainable opulence” and “ex-boyfriends”. In her most famous hit, “Royals”, she sings about the rich and glamorous lifestyle, to which she and her friends cannot relate. She told many newspapers in New Zealand that she got the idea for her song from famous rappers and singers like Lana Del Rey, who are always singing about living the glamorous life.

“What really got me is this ridiculous, unrelatable, unattainable opulence that runs throughout,” Lorde told Entertainment & Stars. “Lana Del Rey is always singing about being in the Hamptons or driving her Bugatti Veyron or whatever, and at the time, me and my friends were at some house party worrying how to get home because we couldn’t afford a cab. This is our reality.” I admire her for this statement; she’s a real teenager with the same problems as any other. In my opinion, her music is much more relatable than any break-up, glamorous life, rich and famous song on the radio.

Her sound, in my opinion, is unlike any other. I enjoy listening to artists she bashed for their glamorous lifestyle, but she has the vocals and fans to back up her stance. Her sound is different, her lifestyle is different, and she is admired for it. She’s showing that one doesn’t have to live a rich and glamorous lifestyle to be famous and make it in the music world.

Just recently, her newest album Pure Heroin was released, and while expecting the best, I was not disappointed. Each song was different in sound from the last, and having heard a few songs before the album was officially released, I was already in love with the album.

I’d recommend the new album to anyone who enjoyed her last, buying the album is also definitely worth it.