Ella Yelich-O’Connor better known as Lorde is a New Zealand singer-songwriter and record producer. For her final 2017 show of her Melodrama World Tour which promotes her latest album also called Melodrama released June this year, Lorde performed in my city, Melbourne, Australia at the outdoor venue, the Sidney Myer Music Bowl.
Lorde has never been about the theatrics or crazy costume changes, the one thing that has always been appealing about Lorde is that she has always been about the music. Lorde’s stage production was very simple, accompanied with a band and dancers only for a couple of songs.
The only special set-ups were three different neon signs in shapes of drawings; my favourite being the moon-man which was the first neon sign that she used. The other stage props Lorde had was a block that she would sit and occasionally stand on and a vintage style TV that displayed videos when Lorde was off stage for outfit changes. The outfits weren’t glamourous costumes but three different semi-formal dresses which aren’t specific to the show.
Lorde commanded the stage performing songs from her Melodrama album such as ‘Sober’ and ‘The Lourve’ as well as loved tracks from her debut studio album Pure Heroine including ‘A World Alone’ and ‘Tennis Court’. A highlight of the night would be when Lorde did an intimate performance of the ballad ‘Liability’, sitting on the square block in the middle of the stage while fans took out their phones to sway lights around like artificial stars.
I loved how she consistently interacted with fans and affectionately referred to the Melbourne audience as family as Australia is so close to her home country, New Zealand. Finishing the show, Lorde performed her big hits ‘Royals’ and ‘Green Light’ with star confetti falling from the sky onto the crowd. The crowd stomped their feet and chanted “Ella!” after Lorde had left the stage which conjured her return to perform an encore of her song ‘Loveless’.
Lorde’s performance in Melbourne was the last of the Australian and New Zealand leg, and was the last for 2017. The Melodrama World Tour will continue in a few months next year for the North American leg in March 2018.
This was my first time seeing Lorde live and the experience was wonderful. I was highly recommended to see Lorde perform live by a friend who had seen her before, this friend of which was amazing company during the concert and knew the lyrics to every song. My friend had convinced me that Lorde was great live and upon seeing her live for myself, I agree. He wasn’t wrong.
Lorde has an amazing stage presences accompanied by brilliant song-writing and is a formidable professional. She appeared genuinely joyous and pleased to be performing in Melbourne again stating it had been 3 years since her last visit.
I can’t wait to hear Lorde’s new music in the near future and thoroughly look forward to her returning to Australia again soon.
For more information, visit:
https://www.lorde.co.nz