There’s a certain level of surrealism in growing up. For Lorde and “Secrets from a Girl (Who’s Seen It All),” the most important thing is acknowledging the hurt and experiences that made you who you are. The lyrics and video explore one talking to their younger self with introspection and advice in the form of secrets.
The biggest compliment I can give is the genuine nature of the lyrics and imagery. The use of three Lordes walking, talking, and taking lines of lyrics that would fit perfectly with the events she sings about is a nice touch. Speaking of which, the surrealism mentioned is in full display with lyrics like:
“Couldn’t wait to turn fifteen, then you blink and it’s been ten years, growing up a little at a time, then all at once”.
With that, we transition into the visuals attached to the music. Waking up, once again on a beach, as per usual within this era of Lorde. She gets up and meets a past self, they walk together before they come across the current Lorde. The trio then sing and switch up accordingly, sometimes walking through rubbish in the sand, and leaning on each other. Illustrating the theme of self-growth and care in a fitting fashion.
A worthy thing to note is the second verse. Questioning what a younger Lorde believed pain and grief was. The lyrics refer naivety she once held and the grief she went through when her dog, Pearl, died. Pearl served as a friend and guide for her after the release of “Melodrama” back in 2017. Hence, the entire outro being a flight attendant guiding someone through the turbulence of sadness is a very fitting one. Finally, the musical touches are relaxed and have a chill vibe, expressing a much more put together person simply looking back and reminiscing.
Make sure to check out the music video, and for more, look at our Word and Drops sections.
