We Told You This Was Melodrama

By Victoria Sananikone, Contributive Writer

Screams and cheers from hundreds of people engulfed my ears and prompted my voice to join. The bellowing thud of the bass was a behemoth that vibrated up my legs and into my chest. From the stage, vibrant lights blasted their rays throughout the sea of fans hungry for music and the presence of the artist who concert tickets were so expensive, they sold their soul for them. For a split second I was blinded by the intense lights that suddenly disappeared to reveal a stage masked in smoke. Plainly dressed dancers creeped through the smoke’s embrace, performing an intricate dance of slowly swaying arms and twisting bodies that was mesmerizing to the eye. A familiar melody began to play, triggering the audience to simply go mad with excitement, myself included. The smoke cleared, and the spotlight illuminated a figure who stood in the middle of her dancers, dressed head to toe in a black, lacy ensemble that signified the confidence and badassery that initially lured me into granting myself with the title of a ‘die-hard’ fan.

“I don’t know what night of the week it is, but it’s a night for dancing,” Lorde said to us with a grin.

On March 2nd I had the most amazing opportunity to see Lorde at the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis on her Melodrama world tour. Since the release of Pure Heroine, Lorde has been ranked number one on my list of favorite female artists, so when I heard she was coming to St. Louis, I knew that I would do anything to get my hands on a ticket. My boyfriend and I purchased our tickets for cheap nosebleed seats back in December.  They were seats I was not fond of as I wanted to sit one section lower and closer to the stage, but Chase’s insistence on saving money grudgingly persuaded me.

This was the first big concert I had ever been to where the artist was on tour. I had only been to small concerts (watching Børns perform in the parking lot of Waterloo Records) or festivals where different artists played on multiple stages for crowds a quarter of the size of the Chaifetz Arena (Austin City Limits in Austin, Texas). The Lorde concert was truly an experience that I will never forget, and even a month later I still listen to her religiously, for I will never grow tired of her deep and seductive voice along with her relatable lyrics.

After Lorde played her last song, Chase and I sprinted hand in hand out of the arena to avoid the traffic, and I remember laughing with my hair flapping behind me like a dark cape, overcome with a feeling of wholeness and inspiration and happiness even as the icy wind stabbed my face. Her concert enlightened me on the truth about music. This entity sparks so many different emotions and atmospheres, and it has made me contemplate the thought of how music affects different people in unique ways.

What would our lives be like without music? These compositions of sounds and noises and voices serve as our refuge in a cruel world where the melodies of life are crushed by violence and anger and envy. No matter the genre, a song will make someone feel some type of way, evoking unique thoughts and emotions. One may believe “Writer In The Dark” is the best track on Melodrama because of its raw emotion, but another may think it’s the worst song due to its slow rhythm and lack of upbeat. Both perceptions are opposite, yet this song triggered the same reaction for both people: it impacted them.

Personally, I think “Writer In The Dark” is one of the best tracks on the album. I was hardly embarrassed as tears ran down my cheeks while Lorde sang this song, and I could hear the row behind me crying as well. She sang a song many can relate to with such intense passion. It’s a song about someone who hurt her in the past, someone she gave everything to. It was exhilarating to sing along with her as loud as I wanted, and to let my emotions intertwine with hers.

Waves of emotion radiating from the singing crowd is something that I won’t forget. As Lorde sang “Sober”, we couldn’t relate to the title of the song, for it was as if everyone in the arena was as intoxicated as an alcohol-virgin after their second shot. We sang recklessly, at the top of our lungs, paying no heed to how our voices sounded or who was watching. We danced without fear of humiliation, throwing our hands in the air, smiles engulfing our faces. The bass rumbled from my toes to the tip of my nose and a euphoric rush came over my body, a feeling of such intensity I had never felt so alive.

For the finale, Lorde sang “Green Light”, the first song to be released on her album and undoubtedly my favorite one. The was the most upbeat song of the night, one that had the entire arena jumping up and down and singing their souls into the air.

“If anyone or anything has been oppressing you, I want you to let it all go right now! This is the moment!” Lorde exclaimed, producing overwhelming screams from the crowd. Star shaped pieces of paper entailing the names of her songs exploded from the cannons on either side of the stage, erupting into the air and falling atop heads like snowflakes. Chase and I looked at each other and laughed, and held each other close, our rapid heartbeats slamming into one another. In this moment, we were entranced by her voice, and we were free.