Lorde expressed interest in performing at local venues in her early teens. She signed with Universal Music Group (UMG) in 2009 and collaborated with producer Joel Little in 2011 to start recording music. Their first effort, an EP titled The Love Club, was self-released in 2012 for free download on SoundCloud before UMG's commercial release in 2013. The EP's international chart-topping single "Royals" helped raise Lorde to prominence. Her debut studio album Pure Heroine was released that same year to critical and commercial success. The following year, Lorde curated the soundtrack for the 2014 film The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 and recorded several tracks, including the single "Yellow Flicker Beat".
Lorde's second studio album Melodrama (2017) received widespread critical acclaim and debuted atop the US Billboard 200. For her third studio album, Solar Power (2021), she ventured into indie folk and psychedelic styles. The album reached number one in Australia and New Zealand and charted inside the top-10 in numerous countries, although it polarised music critics and fans alike.
Lorde's accolades include two Grammy Awards, two Brit Awards, and a Golden Globe nomination. She appeared in Time's list of the most influential teenagers in 2013 and 2014, and the 2014 edition of Forbes 30 Under 30. In addition to her solo work, she has co-written songs for other artists, including Broods and Bleachers. As of June 2017, Lorde has sold over five million albums worldwide.
Royals feat. Rashon Amiel
Lorde Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I cut my teeth on wedding rings in the movies
And I'm not proud of my address, in the torn up town
No post code envy
But every song's like gold teeth, Grey Goose, trippin' in the bathroom
Bloodstains, ball gowns, trashin' the hotel room
We don't care, we're driving Cadillacs in our dreams
Jet planes, islands, tigers on a gold leash
We don't care, we aren't caught up in your love affair
And we'll never be royals
It don't run in our blood
That kind of lux just ain't for us
We crave a different kind of buzz
Let me be your ruler, you can call me Queen B
And baby I'll rule (I'll rule I'll rule I'll rule)
Let me live that fantasy
My friends and I we've cracked the code
We count our dollars on the train to the party
And everyone who knows us knows that we're fine with this
We didn't come from money
But every song's like gold teeth, Grey Goose, trippin' in the bathroom
Bloodstains, ball gowns, trashin' the hotel room
We don't care, we're driving Cadillacs in our dreams
But everybody's like Cristal, Maybach, diamonds on your timepiece
Jet planes, islands, tigers on a gold leash
We don't care, we aren't caught up in your love affair
And we'll never be royals
It don't run in our blood
That kind of lux just ain't for us
We crave a different kind of buzz
Let me be your ruler, you can call me Queen B
And baby I'll rule (I'll rule I'll rule I'll rule)
Let me live that fantasy
(Ooh ooh oh)
We're bigger than we ever dreamed, and I'm in love with being queen
(Ooh ooh oh)
Life is great without a care
We aren't caught up in your love affair
And we'll never be royals
It don't run in our blood
That kind of lux just ain't for us
We crave a different kind of buzz
Let me be your ruler, you can call me Queen B
And baby I'll rule (I'll rule I'll rule I'll rule)
Let me live that fantasy
The lyrics of "Royals" by Lorde featuring Rashon Amiel are a commentary on the excessive and often unattainable lifestyles that celebrities and the wealthy lead, as portrayed in the media. The song contrasts this with the modest, everyday life of the singer and her friends. The opening lines, "I've never seen a diamond in the flesh/I cut my teeth on wedding rings in the movies," express her lack of exposure to the lavish lifestyles of the rich and famous.
She goes on to describe the extravagant lifestyles that are often portrayed in popular culture, contrasting them with the simple pleasures that she and her friends enjoy, like "counting dollars on the train to the party." Despite the luxurious and glamorous lifestyles of the rich and famous, the singer asserts that this kind of "lux" just isn't for her, and that she and her friends "crave a different kind of buzz."
The chorus of the song emphasizes her desire to be her own ruler, "let me be your ruler, you can call me Queen B," rather than conforming to societal expectations or chasing after fame and fortune. The song's overall message is that true happiness and contentment can be found in living a simple life, rather than in pursuing material wealth and fame.
Line by Line Meaning
I've never seen a diamond in the flesh
I have never seen an actual diamond, in person or real life
I cut my teeth on wedding rings in the movies
My experience with expensive jewelry is limited to what I've seen in movies, particularly the ones where they show off wedding rings
And I'm not proud of my address, in the torn up town
I'm not particularly proud of where I live, in a town that is not in the best shape
No post code envy
I don't envy people who live in fancy areas with high-class postcodes
But every song's like gold teeth, Grey Goose, trippin' in the bathroom
In the songs that I hear, the themes are often about flashy things such as gold teeth, expensive Grey Goose vodka, and using drugs in bathrooms
Bloodstains, ball gowns, trashin' the hotel room
The lyrics to these songs also reference things like bloodstains on clothes, fancy ball gowns, and trashing hotel rooms
We don't care, we're driving Cadillacs in our dreams
Despite not having all of these luxurious things, we still dream of having them, like driving a Cadillac
But everybody's like Cristal, Maybach, diamonds on your timepiece
But it seems like everyone else aspires for even more expensive things, such as Cristal champagne, Maybach cars or diamonds on watches
Jet planes, islands, tigers on a gold leash
People in the song seem to have even crazier desires, such as owning a private jet, an island, or even a tiger on a leash made of gold
We don't care, we aren't caught up in your love affair
Regardless of all these things, we don't care about getting caught up in relationships full of materialistic things
And we'll never be royals
We will never achieve the status of being a royal with all the luxuries that come with it
It don't run in our blood
Achieving royal status is not in our DNA or lineage
That kind of lux just ain't for us
That lifestyle of luxury just doesn't suit us
We crave a different kind of buzz
We desire a different kind of excitement or enjoyment
Let me be your ruler, you can call me Queen B
However, I am willing to be a leader or ruler in my own right, and you can call me Queen B
And baby I'll rule (I'll rule I'll rule I'll rule)
I have confidence in my own abilities to lead and rule
Let me live that fantasy
I want to live out that dream or fantasy life that others sing about
My friends and I we've cracked the code
My friends and I have figured out the secret or trick for enjoying what we have, despite not having expensive luxuries
We count our dollars on the train to the party
We are mindful and keep track of our money as we take the train to the party
And everyone who knows us knows that we're fine with this
Those who know us understand that we are content with our situation
We didn't come from money
We were not born from wealthy or privileged backgrounds
We're bigger than we ever dreamed, and I'm in love with being queen
Despite our humble beginnings, we have achieved things we never thought were possible, and I love the feeling of being in charge or having control
Life is great without a care
Our simple lifestyle without too many materialistic cares or worries is great
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Ella Marija La Yelich O'Connor, Joel Little
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Aurelio Ferreira De Freitas Aurelio
on Perfect Places
ITALIAR OPP
Rivera Azer Lloyd
on Royals
Lorde