Last month Lorde made her triumphant return as our “prettier Jesus” with the release of her Primal Scream themed single ‘Solar Power’, and the world hasn’t stopped freaking out about it since. Now, the New Zealand songstress has taken things to a whole new level, sharing another glimpse of her upcoming third album with the divisive, sombre single, ‘Stoned at the Nail Salon’.
A unique shift from the summer-soaked, carefree ‘Solar Power’, the new single sees the modern pop icon stepping into bleeding heart balladry, delivering a lightly psychedelic slice of immersive pop brilliance. Co-written and co-produced by Jack Antonoff, and featuring backing vocals from Clairo and Phoebe Bridgers, the tender new gem sees Lorde maturing as an artist, shaking off the shimmering pop sounds of her earlier work and instead contemplating the ramifications of growing older.
Wistful, eloquent, and exhilarating, ‘Stoned at the Nail Salon’ sees Lorde meditating over a cascade of hushed guitars and heartache, delivering coming-of-age wisdom with lines like “Cause all the beautiful girls, they will fade like the roses…” and “Cause all the music you loved at 16 you’ll grow out of.”
Speaking candidly about the new release, Lorde explained in a statement, “This song is sort of a rumination on getting older, settling into domesticity, and questioning if you’ve made the right decisions.” She continued, “I think lots of people start asking those questions of themselves around my age, and it was super comforting to me writing them down, hoping they’d resonate with others too. I used this song as a dumping ground for so many thoughts…”
A surprisingly, but emotive release flush with understated production and eerily reminiscent of Lana Del Rey’s ‘Chemtrails Over the Country Club’. ‘Stoned at the Nail Salon’ is another impressive taste of what we can expect from Lorde’s new record.
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