Although her earlier style was more modest, she's been in the spotlight since she was 17, and, yes, she was sexualized by much of the whole world. In this case, she's owning it, on her terms. You don't have to like it -- in fact, methinks that's part of the point. I stand by my opinion. I like it.
Showing a closeup of the crack of your backside has really absolutely nothing to do with the music. And really the fact that much of this thread has to do with that image and not the song says it all. cheap stunt, done a 1000 times before, the difference here is that she seemed to be an artist that didn’t need to resort to this kind of thing. I’m sure a lot of people like it, for reasons that have nothing to do with empowerment. Joni Mitchell never had to show her backside to feel empowered. She wrote songs to do that.
Damn, there are some reactionary people here who think women shouldn’t have any autonomy over how they present themselves. Pathetic
There are so many behind-the-times boomers here that it’s shocking none of them even notice that the cover is an homage to Free’s 1969 album
Lorde has been leaning sexual in recent years anyway; see the video she did for Disclosure. (hint: full of sex) Yeah, except not classy like Free's album cover was. It's clearly a private beach with what are presented as upper class young adults. (and I had no issues at all with the vide0 and even rather enjoyed it)
"In some places like China, Japan, and Saudi Arabia, the cover image for the New Zealand singer-songwriter’s new single is heavily obscured by “sunlight.” (sounds like some folks here might prefer this version). Alternate cover art is at the link......I can't paste it in. Lorde’s New Cover Art Has 2 Versions. One Doesn’t Have Her Butt. (vice.com)
Lorde comments on cover art: Speaking to triple j Breakfast, Lorde said about the cheeky photo: “It is funny, I keep thinking ‘Oh, this person that I know has seen my butt.’” She continued: “It’s a specific experience thinking about everyone in your life seeing your butt. I have no regrets. I love this cover and am happy for this to be how people see my butt. “I was sent a couple of memes. They were very funny; I liked them. I’m so out of touch with meme culture but I’m down. All the memes!” Lorde added that she’s “not really on the internet” these days which she “loves”. “But it does mean I miss a lot and I really don’t know what’s being said about me,” Lorde reacts to her revealing Solar Power artwork going viral (news.com.au)
not at all, anyone can present themselves however they like, but woman or man, please let’s not pretend that showing your butt crack is some grand gesture.
It wouldn't have to be some grand gesture if people wouldn't be so goddamn weird and dismissive of any woman who dares to show some skin as a form of self-expression. Oh, okay, it's classy when men use that style of photography as album art, but embarrassing when a woman chooses to do it herself. Got it.
It’s actually pretty condescending to all women that you seem to believe they’re too fragile to be criticized and the only possible motivation for such criticism is gender discrimination. Lorde is a grown woman, she doesn’t need you to protect her from the all the “sexists” on here.
Are you willfully, or obliviously missing the point? Assigning any kind of social importance to a picture of somebody’s backside, whether or man or a woman’s, is as equally ridiculous as getting offended over it. And it’s also incredibly naïve not to think in the machinations of gigantic media companies who want to drive the consumption of streams & sell concert tickets that such self exposures are usually quite calculated (Kardashian, anyone?) Is it about self-expression, or is it about the cash? It’s as ridiculous not to think about it as it is to be outraged by it. It’s called Show BUSINESS for a reason.
I remember similar criticism of Norah Jones Pick Me Up Off the Floor. I think both are so cool. Cool when a woman does it her way.
Ya know, sometimes an artist statement isn't about whatever you're feeling right now, or what they think "the world" is feeling right now, but...what they're feeling right now.
Anyway, back to the song itself. I never would have realized how similar this song was to St. Vincent's "...At The Holiday Party" until it was pointed out online, but yeah, the two instrumentals share a lot of DNA. Jack certainly has a lot of confidence in his bag of tricks, and I can see how some would be put off by the homogeny of his work as a producer, though I really like how laid back this particular song is. I think Lorde pulls it off a little better than St. Vincent in this case, but I'm also one of those STV fans who prefers her weirder synth-based stuff.
Only on the SHF could people get so worked up about an album cover depicting the legs and butt of an attractive 24-year-old woman. Really pathetic, folks.
In total agreement with this. Hopefully, the highly-anticipated 2.0 Edition of this thread will have less of this and more substantive information and opinions. "Venom cleanup, Aisle Three".
And also the inner sleeve photo for 'The Hissing of Summer Lawns' (ok, no butts are out in that picture, but it is Joni in swimwear). Despite that, you can't really say that Joni presented an overtly sexual image to help her career. And, whilst I am sure that Lorde knew that this cover would attract attention to her song, this is probably just a cheeky one off.
I have to say that I never expected Lorde to have a photo like that on an album cover. Still, if that's what she wants to do, then more power to her bumhole. Whoops, I mean elbow!