Her name went from something no one had heard of to common talk in a matter of days. “Royals,” which peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, made her name known all over the country. The New Zealand singer-songwriter, Lorde, has been hit head on with this new fame. Her EP, The Love Club, was released November 2012, but was not released until September 2013 in the United States. Although Lorde (also known as Ella Yelich O’Connor) did not get the recognition she deserved until this year, with her newfound fame, she has came out with a new studio album known as Pure Heroine. Fans and critics alike were delighted they had new songs to listen to. Let’s face it — a few singles in between the EP and the actual album were not enough to keep us going.  So is this album everything the people wanted it to be?

The album starts off with “Tennis Court,” a song that had come out prior to the album.  It is full of Lorde’s thick, soulful teen voice, as well as a background ranging up and down with synths and techno-like reverbs. Despite this somewhat electronic based back sound, it is a strong start to Lorde’s album that really demonstrates her style, her vocal talent and what this album will be all about. Plus, it is not as overplayed as “Royals,” so it gives the listener something to latch onto and not just lose interest right away. “400 Lux” is track number two on Pure Heroine. This song starts off with a sort of whining synth, fading in and out of hearing range, and if you have earphones in, it moves from being loud in one ear to being loud in the other. It is quickly added onto by a thrumming bass beat, and then the lyrics come soaring in. “We’re never done with killing time/ Can I kill it with you,” Lorde sings passionately. This song, unlike some of other pop singer’s lyrics, shows how Lorde really writes like she is writing poetry — not just about partying and getting drunk. She sings about being a teenager. In fact, as “400 Lux” fades out of earshot and “Royals” comes on, the topic is perfect for the vocals and lyrics.

It has been all over radios, all over people’s iPods and blaring out of every speaker. This mellow, down-to-earth track has a bunch of kids who never really craved the “tigers-on-a-gold-leash” life singing along. It is not only a fantastic jam, it is a song about how people who don’t have enough money to live luxuriously  (or just choose not to) have a different way of having fun. “And we’ll never be royals,” Lorde hums. Even though this song has a great beat and a great meaning, its constant playing on the radio even makes some Lorde fans tired of it. Nonetheless, it’s a good song.  But there are other amazing tracks on the album that get no airtime whatsoever. The next track, launching into play right after “Royals,” is “Ribs.” This song starts of with a crescendo of sound, getting clearer as it gets louder. Lorde’s faint vocals rise up from the background to match the wave of sound. This sort of oncoming wave goes on for about half a minute, until it launches into the first words. The beat is not fast enough to make this sound like a pop song, but not slow enough to not fall under another category. The song that started out somewhat sedate and bare is suddenly filled with all different levels of sound — from Lorde’s high melodized vocals to the different beats supporting her poetic lyrics. “Ribs” then fades away into the fifth track.

“Buzzcut Season” has a higher, somewhat lighter feel with lots of pulsing noise. The vocals are airy and carefree, unlike some of Lorde’s other songs that are heavy with meaning and dampened by her deep vocals and the low beats. “I remember when your head caught flame/ It kissed your scalp and caressed your brain,” Lorde sings. This song, even with its higher vocals, is laced with poetic lyrics and a somewhat deeper meaning than most. The more cheerful sounding song ends, and then “Team” comes on. One of Lorde’s more popular songs, “Team” was released as a single (like “Tennis Court”) and is slightly familiar to those who have looked up her music and done a bit of browsing on Spotify. The song is catchy and slightly upbeat, following the same mood “Buzzcut Season” had set before it.

“Glory and Gore” shows the darker side to Lorde’s music. The deeper vocals and lower synth noises support the lyrics. “Now we’re in the ring/ And we’re coming for blood/ You can try to take us/ But we’re the gladiators,” her thick baritone goes alongside the throbbing beat. It’s just as catchy as “Team,” and the lyrics just as good as “400 Lux.” This song is an great representation of Lorde’s genre. As the album is meeting its conclusion with the final three tracks, “Still Sane” takes the album back up to a higher pitch.  This song is about her fame, her newfound popularity and work, and how all this business keeps her sane somehow. This song is more in the style of Lana del Ray, with a more deliberate, passionate slow beat than “Team,” which had a catchier, faster tempo.  “White Teeth Teens” starts to conclude the album as the second to last track. This is an upbeat, airy song that really catches your attention again as the last song takes the stage — “A World Alone.”

This song is the perfect ending to Pure Heroine, as it starts off with strumming guitar chords and is soon accompanied by Lorde’s voice and a faded drum beat.  The song picks up a bit of a pace as she croons, “All my fake friends and all of their noise, complain about work/ They’re studying business, I study the floor, and you haven’t stopped smoking all night.” Once again, her lyrics are like poetry. All in all, Pure Heroine is a good debut album for Lorde, showing off her style, her vocals, her amazing songwriting ability — revealing what her future may bring.