The New and REAL Queen Bee: Lorde and Reasons Why I Love Her

Over the past few weeks, I've been frequently listening to Lorde. A Grammy award winning 17 year old from New Zealand, she has more accomplishments than I probably will achieve in my lifetime. Yet the current spotlight on Lorde seems to be focusing on all aspects EXCEPT her talents. Media outlets deem her as "weird" and "awkward." Twitter posts and other social media sites bash her appearance and harshly respond to her Asian boyfriend. Sure, Lorde dresses like a witch. Sure, she doesn't embody a typical teenage cheerleader. But is that really important? It seems as though most critics are ignoring the parts of Lorde that I enjoy the most. The fact that she's unique. The fact that she's unbelievably talented. The fact that she's comfortable in her own "awkward" body. Lorde is a role model.

(Lorde performing at The Grammy's)

Lorde embraces her youth and gender. She shows her fans and critics that she's very different from her peers, in the best way possible. In addition, Lorde sticks up for what she believes in. A few months ago, Lorde risked controversy by critiquing pop star Selena Gomez's song, "Come and Get It." She is quoted saying, "I’m a feminist and the theme of her song is, 'When you’re ready, come and get it from me.' I’m sick of women being portrayed this way." Lorde stood by her comments, affirming that she has no problem with expressing her morals and opinions. 

Too often, girls and women lack the confidence to express themselves. Strong women are viewed as "controlling" while men are viewed as "powerful." This double standard is an issue that needs to be addressed in society, and Lorde is taking steps to combat this stereotype. Her power as a young female in the media industry should be viewed as admirable. Lorde is real. She's raw and pure. Her refreshing viewpoints are necessary in today's media industry, seeing as the roots of the industry lie within aesthetics and appearance instead of talent and personality. The world needs a figure like Lorde to be able to connect with. So, I applaud and thank Lorde for her actions towards empowering women.