At seventeen, it seems Lorde has fully digested her teens to this point and managed to express all the joys, disappointments, fears and aspirations of those years in her perfectly crafted debut album Pure Heroine. Some of the aspirations turned out to be self-fulfilling prophesies, most notably in the global chart-topper “Royals”, (“You can call me queen bee/And baby I’ll rule, I’ll rule, I’ll rule, I’ll rule/Let me live that fantasy”).
Lorde lived out that fantasy for a sold-out crowd at Toronto’s Echo Beach on September 12, closing out the venue’s season. With three incredible wardrobe changes (red head to toe with a cape and crown, anyone?), an impact but simple screen and light show, and bubbles that magically turned to dust when they burst, Lorde was overwhelmingly successful in bringing her throbbing and moody, yet fun and playful album to life.
Toronto showed Lorde the love with roaring applause, and even some dancing, and Lorde showed it right back, commenting “It is so great to be back in Toronto” and “I love coming to Toronto, I have so much fun here, and you’re always make me feel so welcome”. Here’s hoping she has a sophmore release in the works and swings through our city again soon.
The experience of witnessing what Lorde is capable of at seventeen, coupled with the number of kids under the age of 15 in attendance for this show, left me with one thought: The kids are alright.