Music

Lorde Strips Herself Down On Ultrasound Tour

A few songs into her headline show at LA’s Kia Forum on Saturday night, it became clear that Lorde was stripping down — literally and figuratively. First, there was her clothing. Lorde was dressed in a plain, grey “Man of the Year” t-shirt and baggy jeans. The musician tugged off a belt, followed by her pants during “Current Affairs,” and eventually her shirt to reveal a duct-taped chest. Lorde was baring herself to us, mirroring the lack of inhibition of her recent album Virgin.

Lorde has stated in the past that she prefers a smaller venue for a more confessional feeling. But maybe she’ll change her mind. The packed crowd filled the room with screams and movement. During one part in particular, the crowd lost it: the appearance of Charli XCX for “girl so confusing.” The audience began to stand on chairs. Everything felt urgent and alive. On Instagram, after the show, Lorde dubbed this concert one of her “fav shows ever.” 

The Ultrasound show contains some of her most inventive — and self-aware — performances to date. During “Supercut,” Lorde sings the lyrics “Wild and fluorescent/Come home to my heart,” as she always has. Years later, we are still coming home to her heart. But on this tour, Lorde sings it while moving — walking, then running, toward something unreachable and unknowable. Based on Virgin’s message, I can’t help but think that unknowable thing is the truth.  One cannot escape the truth, but one can also never quite fully hold onto it. It’s ever-changing and evolving, but Lorde has devoted herself to it nonetheless. 

Lorde’s most recent album, Virgin, didn’t provide as much high-energy electropop that some fans had wanted her to return to. Instead, as its X-ray cover promised, it was a slow, burning excavation of herself, of what it means to be in a body, and of unraveling relationships. On the Ultrasound tour, this excavation came to life.  For parts of “Favorite Daughter,” a shower of blue light fell softly around Lorde, like an X-ray. At other times, like during “Hammer,” a single line of blue light pierced the center of Lorde’s body. Much like the light, the audience, just for a moment, was able to touch some hidden part of Lorde. 

“What is so special about what we have is that we tell the truth to each other. You don’t bullshit me. When I fuck it up, you tell me. And in return, I try as hard as I can to peel away the layers and excavate truth, and truth, and truth,” Lorde said as the opening chords of “Liability” played in the background. “I’ve realized that I actually can’t lie to you. The older I get, the more urgent it gets, the scarier it gets out there — I have no interest in bullshitting you. I don’t want to be up here telling you anything but the truth.”

Lorde has been the soundtrack to coming-of-age for a generation. One fan at the show said that Lorde made her feel empowered because Lorde “owns her own narrative.” (Like when the artist declared “It’s No Kings Day!” during “Royals,” in reference to a wave of anti-Trump protests sweeping the U.S.) Another fan described Lorde’s music as “spiritual,” like “worship music.” All fans agreed Lorde had soundtracked their years of growing up. Saturday’s show was fueled by her incandescent desire to constantly evolve. When you are guided by a search for truth, you come-of-age over and over again.

Words by Sarah John