Song Exploder Lorde - Sober
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May 21, 2025 In this engaging conversation, Grammy Award-winning artist Lorde shares her creative journey behind the song 'Sober.' She discusses how her personal heartbreak inspired its evolution from intimate demos with Jack Antonoff to a vibrant anthem of resilience. Lorde delves into the intricacies of vocal production, emotional storytelling, and the importance of collaboration in crafting a song's essence. She reflects on the balance between fleeting intimacy and the stark returns to reality, making for a compelling exploration of connection in music.
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Lorde's Party Tension Story
- Lorde wrote "Sober" about a tense party night after a breakup where she avoided dealing with emotions by being social and loud.
- The song captures the dichotomy of wanting to confess feelings while maintaining the night's social theater.
Creating "Sober" in the Rat Nest
- Lorde and Jack Antonoff started "Sober" in a small, dirty studio they called the Rat Nest, focusing on the Juno 106 keyboard.
- Lorde had very specific visions for the song structure, including an uneven number of bars which Jack accepted, shaping the album's direction.
Coachella Groove Breakthrough
- At Coachella 2016, Lorde and Jack crafted a groove featuring a distinctive bongo sound and a vocal sample repeating "night midnight lose my mind."
- The song evolved to have a serious tone until the last 20 seconds flipped into a fun, upbeat groove, like changing a radio station.