Take 5 with Lorde

from Take 5 · host Australian Broadcasting Corporation

At the age of 16, Lorde went #1 across the world. She was catapulted from the suburbs of Auckland to the Grammy's stage, winning Song of the Year. 12 years and four albums later, she's continued to defy expectations as a pop artist and is one of the most gifted songwriters of our time. This is an episode of Take 5 that was filmed for the TV series, but this podcast is an extended edit - capturing even more stories, insight, and sounds. It's an incredible conversation with one of the most thoughtful people I've met. Lorde has been going through a massive period of change. A chrysalis, taking new form. So I worked up a Take 5 theme to draw that out. And from Lucinda Williams to Westerman to something very close to home, hearing her speak about the craft of song is a rare treat.Lorde's song choices:Lucinda Williams – 'Fruits of My Labor'Bronski Beat – 'Smalltown Boy'Nina Simone – 'Suzanne'Westerman – 'Confirmation'Charli xcx & Lorde – 'Girl, so confusing featuring lorde'00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview00:49 Lorde's Early Influences and First Song Choice02:03 SONG 1: Lucinda Williams – 'Fruits of My Labor'02:33 Lucinda Williams' Impact on Lorde09:30 Lorde's Childhood and Musical Beginnings12:56 The Mystery of Songwriting14:02 SONG 2: Bronski Beat – 'Smalltown Boy'18:55 Writing songs about life experiences21:05 Reflecting on the huge success of 'Royals', The Love Club EP and being world famous at 1624:10 Reflecting on Teenage Years and Womanhood28:22 Lorde's Relationship with Her Parents30:18 SONG 3: Nina Simone – 'Suzanne'30:27 Nina Simone's Transformative Cover of 'Suzanne'31:16 Leonard Cohen's Inspiration and Poetic Imagery32:12 Nina Simone's Unique Interpretation35:39 Exploring Gender and Identity in Music36:36 Relationship break-up and personal transformation39:47 SONG 4: Westerman – 'Confirmation'42:01 The Creative Process Behind 'Virgin'44:55 Physical reactions to music46:15 SONG 5: Charli xcx & Lorde – 'Girl, so confusing featuring lorde'46:44 Charli xcx releasing 'Girl, so confusing' about Lorde48:04 Lorde's verse and working it out in the remix49:08 Articulating the complexity of female friendships54:02 Lorde reflecting on her friendship with Charli xcx55:22 Concluding Thoughts and Future PlansWatch Take 5 on ABC iview:https://iview.abc.net.au/show/take-5-with-zan-rowe

What this episode covers

At the age of 16, Lorde went #1 across the world. She was catapulted from the suburbs of Auckland to the Grammy's stage, winning Song of the Year. 12 years and four albums later, she's continued to defy expectations as a pop artist and is one of the most gifted songwriters of our time. This is an episode of Take 5 that was filmed for the TV series, but this podcast is an extended edit - capturing even more stories, insight, and sounds. It's an incredible conversation with one of the most thoughtful people I've met. Lorde has been going through a massive period of change. A chrysalis, taking new form. So I worked up a Take 5 theme to draw that out. And from Lucinda Williams to Westerman to something very close to home, hearing her speak about the craft of song is a rare treat. Lorde's song choices: Lucinda Williams – 'Fruits of My Labor' Bronski Beat – 'Smalltown Boy' Nina Simone – 'Suzanne' Westerman – 'Confirmation' Charli xcx & Lorde – 'Girl, so confusing featuring lorde' 00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview 00:49 Lorde's Early Influences and First Song Choice 02:03 SONG 1: Lucinda Williams – 'Fruits of My Labor' 02:33 Lucinda Williams' Impact on Lorde 09:30 Lorde's Childhood and Musical Beginnings 12:56 The Mystery of Songwriting 14:02 SONG 2: Bronski Beat – 'Smalltown Boy' 18:55 Writing songs about life experiences 21:05 Reflecting on the huge success of 'Royals', The Love Club EP and being world famous at 16 24:10 Reflecting on Teenage Years and Womanhood 28:22 Lorde's Relationship with Her Parents 30:18 SONG 3: Nina Simone – 'Suzanne' 30:27 Nina Simone's Transformative Cover of 'Suzanne' 31:16 Leonard Cohen's Inspiration and Poetic Imagery 32:12 Nina Simone's Unique Interpretation 35:39 Exploring Gender and Identity in Music 36:36 Relationship break-up and personal transformation 39:47 SONG 4: Westerman – 'Confirmation' 42:01 The Creative Process Behind 'Virgin' 44:55 Physical reactions to music 46:15 SONG 5: Charli xcx & Lorde – 'Girl, so confusing featuring lorde' 46:44 Charli xcx releasing 'Girl, so confusing' about Lorde 48:04 Lorde's verse and working it out in the remix 49:08 Articulating the complexity of female friendships 54:02 Lorde reflecting on her friendship with Charli xcx 55:22 Concluding Thoughts and Future Plans Watch Take 5 on ABC iview: https://iview.abc.net.au/show/take-5-with-zan-rowe

NOW PLAYING

Take 5 with Lorde

0:00 59:38

1×

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

Why Live and Evergreen Models Both Fall Short

Feb 4, 2026 ·18m

The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien Audiobook, Chapter 19 of 19

Sep 22, 2023 ·20m

The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien Audiobook, Chapter 18 of 19

Sep 22, 2023 ·20m

The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien Audiobook, Chapter 17 of 19

Sep 22, 2023 ·27m

The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien Audiobook, Chapter 16 of 19

Sep 22, 2023 ·14m

The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien Audiobook, Chapter 15 of 19

Sep 22, 2023 ·24m

Similar Podcasts

The Course Mentors Podcast The Course Mentors Hey there, future course creator!Ever feel like turning your know-how into an online course is like trying to solve a Rubik's cube blindfolded? Well, grab your headphones because "The Course Mentors Podcast" is here to be your secret weapon!Meet Aimee and Odette (that's us!), your new best friends in the course creation world. We've been in the trenches for over a decade, and for the last five years, we've been rocking the online course space. Now we're here to spill all our secrets in bite-sized, 15-20 minute episodes that'll fit perfectly in your coffee breaks.No fluff, no filler - just real, actionable advice that'll take you from "um, what's a landing page?" to "holy moly, I just hit six figures!". We're talking everything from crafting your course to marketing it like a pro and building a business that'll have you pinching yourself.Whether you're dreaming of ditching the 9-to-5 grind, adding a sweet extra income str 2 Old Ladies Walking Rozee 2 Old Ladies Walking features the journeys, insights, and light conversation between Liz and Rosie, two women of a certain age who live in the Hudson Valley of New York. From pelvic floor challenges and life with young adult children to food, bird calls, fear of “mad lamb” disease, and myriad topics in between, we cover it all while walking on the scenic trails of the northeast, or wherever our travels take us. Join us and have a listen! The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien Audiobook Raghvendra Singh The journey through Middle-earth begins here with J.R.R. Tolkien's classic prelude to his Lord of the Rings trilogy.“A glorious account of a magnificent adventure, filled with suspense and seasoned with a quiet humor that is irresistible... All those, young or old, who love a fine adventurous tale, beautifully told, will take The Hobbit to their hearts.”—The New York Times Book Review"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." So begins one of the most beloved and delightful tales in the English language—Tolkien's prelude to The Lord of the Rings. Set in the imaginary world of Middle-earth, at once a classic myth and a modern fairy tale, The Hobbit is one of literature's most enduring and well-loved novels.Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away Take Me Off Your List Pitchfire Ryan O'Hara, CEO and founder of Pitchfire dives into the wild world of B2B marketing, demand generation, sales, and all things go-to-market with the help of some friends. Sponsored by Pitchfire. Sign up for free: https://www.pitchfire.com

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Take 5?

This episode is 59 minutes long.

When was this Take 5 episode published?

This episode was published on September 30, 2025.

What is this episode about?

Can I download this Take 5 episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.

URL copied to clipboard!