Good Lorde holds court at Aragon - 2506 - Gay Lesbian Bi Trans News

The New Zealand singer known as Lorde has had quite a year. She signed with Universal at the ripe young age of 13 and has hit her stride four years after that. With only one album and two EPs under her belt, the CD Pure Heroine has struck a chord with a legion of fans. She was nominated for four Grammys, winning two, and was chosen as International Female Solo Artist at the BRIT Awards.

Upon her arrival, Lorde launched into "Glory and Gore" underneath a chandelier with a simple spotlight. She wore a buttoned-down white shirt and oversized black pants while serving it up like a cater waiter on acid. It was a hair show as she hid behind her curly mane at times and asked for a hair tie, stating, "Sorry. I just washed it."

There was not a lot of pomp and circumstance from the singer. She quietly performed each track, then went on for more than 10 minutes confessing and reminiscing about how she wrote "Ribs" at a house party, describing the experience in detail. Instead of twerking she was twitchy with dance moves, and barely needed the backing band to keep things going.

People obviously cheered up for "Royals" and then "Team," her latest single in the United States that had her donning a gold robe while confetti was shot out of a cannon. She had a few kinks to work out of performing live but the 17-year-old bravely held her own with a sold-out crowd at Aragon Ballroom on March 19.

Themes seemed to really hit home with teen fans accompanied by their mothers at the show, though. Lorde even made comments to them like, "It's cold to be out there wearing shorts and a crop top."

The young singer closed with "A World Alone" that repeated "people are talking" and with a subject like that, her fans hung on her every syllable. Starting off like this it will be interesting to see what Lorde brings to the banquet in the future.

Some controversy is expected as the Westboro Baptist Church plans on visiting her concert in Kansas City so she encouraged same-sex fans to kiss openly in protest and to wear rainbow clothing. [Editor's note: Westboro leader the Rev. Fred Phelps passed away March 20, so that have affected the March 21 show in Kansas City.] A fitting comeback would be to perform her cover of "Everybody Wants To Rule the World" from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire soundtrack, but that's not on this tour. Possibly next time it will be—when fans can anticipate a bigger venue, as this one couldn't hold the worshippers of Lorde.

Photos and text by Jerry Nunn

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985