If there was ever an up-and-coming artist to look out for, Ella Yelich-O'Connor is it. Going by her stage-name, Lorde is a sixteen year old indie pop artist who has music lovers all over the world in a frenzy. This New Zealand native already has two #1 singles and a #2 album on the New Zealand music charts. Her debut single 'Royals' hooks you in from the first listen, and it's no wonder that this fresh-faced girl is gaining quite a fan base.

Ella's sound is very different from what's out there at the moment, and I think that's why people are gravitating towards her. If I had to describe her sound, I'd say it's a mix between Gotye's stripped-back non-convential sound with Lana Del Rey-esque vocals and some hip hop thrown in. I love her smoky voice which has some of Amy Winehouse's sultry intonations, but it also has its very dark moments. Her first single, 'Royals', really shows this off. It's a very sparse track in terms of production, but Lorde lets her vocals do all the work. It's extremely catchy, and I can see radio stations eating this up in the near future.


Her The Love Club EP has become a favorite of mine, offering diversity from this young artist that you wouldn't expect from a first offering. She's got bigger production-filled songs like 'The Love Club' that has more of that hip hop sound to it, while 'Biting Down' is a song that I could see Lana Del Rey or even Florence + The Machine releasing. They're dark and moody which is a trend that has never gone out of style. However, it's her second single 'Tennis Court' where I think Lorde really shines. I know everyone is freaking out over 'Royals', but to me her second single is much stronger. Maybe because it's very Lana-esque who I'm infatuated with at the moment, but it's got this awesome beat that swells during the chorus. And paired with her fun, almost rap-like vocals on the chorus it has all the makings of a phenomenal pop song. Lorde actually made her US debut last night at Le Poisson Rouge in NYC (which you can read an awesome review of over at The Mood of Music), and if that show is any indicator of what kind of success she is going to have, her debut album is definitely one of the most anticipated albums of the year.