Born Ella Yelich-O’Connor, Lorde was raised in Devonport, a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. The 16-year-old global sensation was discovered by future manager Scott Maclachlan while performing at a local talent show, and was signed to Universal by the age of 12.

The teenager released her debut single Royals on June 29, and within less than two months it reached number one.

What differentiates this green eyed teen from the norm is not only her mysterious public persona, but her originality; some may even call it genius. The teen began writing songs at age 13 and cites Lana Del Ray, Drake, Bon Iver and Lou Reed(among others) as her influences. She later penned her debut single Royals in 30 minutes. Her EP “The Love Club” released on November 22, 2012 and her debut album “Pure Heroine” was released September 27 of this year, six weeks before the young artist’s 17th birthday.

A slow but strong alternative track, “Royals” stands out on the airwaves. It’s seemingly confusing lyrics and soulful vocals clash with the informal profanity and innuendo ridden pop songs that usually grace the billboard top 100. The song draws both alternative and pop music listeners; a rare combination which testifies to the track’s unique appeal.

“Royals” eloquently criticizes modern pop and rap music’s obsession with wealth and status. The song opens with “I’ve never seen a diamond in the flesh” and continues “Crystal, Maybach, diamonds on your timepiece, jet planes, islands, tigers on a gold leash” ultimately repeating the sentiment of “That luxe just aint for us” and “We’ll never be royals (royals)/ It don’t run in our blood”.

Compared to the likes of Lana Del Ray and Florence Welch for her raw vocals, and crowned by Billboard as “the new queen of alternative music” Lorde has already made an impact within the music industry. The self-proclaimed kiwi has gained rave reviews from the likes of Elton John, who praised herfor her simplicity. The teen was also called by the president of her label as a “legitimate genius” and “the artist of her generation”.