At first glance, Lorde —the New Zealand pop sensation known for her moody anthems— and Marina Abramović—the Serbian performance artist hailed as the “grandmother of performance art” — seem to inhabit entirely separate realms.
But upon closer inspection it could be said that they share a certain artistic DNA.
Something that transcends genre, age, and medium.
Music and Performance as a Mirror
Whether influenced by Lorde or not, both artists are considered icons within their sphere.
Admittedly Lorde is a relative newcomer compared to Abramović but that said… both are trying to say something: using their voice, their body, and their actions to affect an audience.
Both artists built careers upon delving into the human psyche.
Lorde’s lyrics chart the emotional terrain of youth, fame, isolation, and self-discovery. Her music is laced with vulnerability, but also defiance.
Similarly, Abramović’s work confronts the extremes of emotion and endurance.
Abramović’s performances often test the limits of the body and soul, inviting audiences to witness—and sometimes participate in—raw, unfiltered, many times emotionally intense experiences.
Methodology: Minimalism as a Method
Minimalism is another common thread.
Lorde’s early sonic palette is strikingly sparse, relying on restrained production to draw attention to her voice and words. Abramović employs minimal settings and props in her performances, relying on stillness and silence to heighten intensity.
In both cases, less is more—and the impact is profound.
Control and authorship also play central roles too.
Creative Control: Subject and Author
Lorde is known for her hands-on approach to songwriting and production, exerting creative control over her music and public image.
Abramović, too, is meticulous in crafting the parameters of her work, asserting herself as both subject and author in performances that often challenge notions of power and presence.
Spirituality: Lorde’s Work
A spiritual undercurrent runs through both oeuvres.
Lorde’s 2021 album Solar Power marked a turn toward nature-worship and ritualistic imagery.
Similarly, Abramović has long drawn from Eastern spirituality, shamanism, and metaphysical practices, infusing her art with a sacred, ceremonial quality.
Perhaps most telling is the cult-like devotion each inspires.
Lorde’s fans revel in her poetic detachment and generational commentary; Abramović’s audiences often treat her performances as transformative experiences.
It is fair to say they have become cultural figures whose influence extends beyond their primary fields.
Different stages, different tools and on a different scale — but the same fearless pursuit of truth.
Different Artists, With a Clear Message
Abramavic is a true beacon amongst emerging artists; a game-changer, a global figure in the world of performance art, and in art per se.
She has not faltered in her vision or practice, spanning nearly five decades.
Her manifesto is something that many artists, including myself, revisit from time to time.
Written relatively early on in her career yet still powerful and resonant to this day.
Her memoir Walking Through Walksa, the text that propelled me into art and painting, spoke the loudest in a language I understood.
To speak more generally, one could say that Lorde and Abramović remind us that art, at its core, is about confrontation and about finding our voice… with the world, with others, and ultimately with ourselves.
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