Lorde, Audrey Hobert, y Lykke Li

Lorde signed to Universal Music Group in her early teens and was soon paired with producer and songwriter Joel Little (who has won Grammy Awards for songwriting and was the lead singer for New Zealand pop punk band, Goodnight Nurse). Little co-wrote and produced most of Lorde’s works, her first being “The Love Club EP” in March 2013. The EP reached the number two positions in national record charts in New Zealand and Australia.

A few months later Lorde released her debut single titled “Royals” and it was an instant, international hit. It even reached the top spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, making Lorde the youngest solo artist to have a number one US hit single (the last artist to hold to title was Tiffany and her single “I Think We’re Alone Now” in 1987). “Royals” first gained so much recognition on YouTube for its video, directed by Joel Kefali, which received over 750,000 views.

“Pure Heroine,” Lorde’s debut “indietronica” album, was released later in 2013 and predictably achieved immediate chart success in her home country and Australia. The dream-pop album also reached number three on the US Billboard 200. Other than “Royals,” singles from the album include “Team,” “Glory and Gore” and “Tennis Court.”

Lorde has also collaborated with UK house and pop duo, Disclosure, who released a remix of “Royals” (combined with Aluna George’s “White Noise”). She has also become revered as one of the most influential teenagers in popular culture, famously speaking out about feminism being “completely natural” and condemning the media for photo shopping photographs of her; even tweeting an original image of herself next to the photo shopped one, stating “two photos from today, one edited so my skin is perfect and one real. remember flaws are ok :-)”

After spending three months in Brooklyn, New York at 19 years old, Lykke Li eventually returned to Sweden two years later to begin work on her debut record. The result was her first album, Youth Novels, which came out in January 2008, primarily in the Nordic regions before gaining a wider release months later.

Youth Novels received mass critical acclaim for its unique pop sentiments and found itself on many best-of-year lists. This helped Lykke Li secure important festival appearances at the Coachella and Glastonbury festivals among others. This expanded her fan base, who responded to the unique setup of her live shows.

As Lykke Li worked on her music and image, she got the chance to perform on shows like Later…with Jools Holland in the UK and Late Night with Conan O’Brien in the US. As her popularity increased with the release of her subsequent albums Wounded Rhymes in 2011 and I Never Learn in 2014, she continued to play on high-profile late-night shows like The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Late Show with David Letterman as well as more festival slots in Latitude and more.

During that time, Lykke Li also appeared in a series of high-profile collaborations which raised her profile significantly. A remix of her I Never Learn single "No Rest for the Wicked" featured A$AP Rocky. She would also appear on David Lynch’s 2013 album The Big Dream, performing on the lead single, "I'm Waiting Here." And in 2014, she collaborated with U2 on “The Troubles.”

In 2018, Lykke Li released her fourth studio album, So Sad So Sexy. She offered fans numerous singles in anticipation of its release, including “Deep End” and “Two Nights.” She toured extensively in support of the record, including at major festivals like the Osheaga Festival. Barely slowing down to catch her breath, Li released another major album, Eyeye in 2020.

To that point, Lykke Li has branched off into several other creative projects. In 2022, she partnered on an immersive art installation called “Ü & EYEYE,” at Los Angeles’ The Broad Museum. Described as a “hyper-sensory cathedral of female romantic fantasy" installation, it uses her most recent release to enhance the experience.

Li is also an accomplished actress, as can be seen in her performances in the 2014 Swedish crime film Tommy as well as in Song to Song, an experimental film by legendary American director Terrance Malick. On top of all that, she’s also a professional model and the official face for a whole line of Levi’s jeans.

Nevertheless, Lykke Li remains first and foremost a musician. She’s earned a whopping 44 nominations with seven wins, including winning the Swedish Grammys for Best Album and Best Artist back in 2012. She and her work are all over the European awards scene, with American wins sure to follow in the near future.