First Look Friday: Lorde - "Royals" Shoots Up The Charts [Official Video]

When we selected Lorde as an artist to watch for our First Look Fridays series back in March, we knew the 16-year old  upstart from New Zealand had talent, and we knew she had buzz amongst the type of people who pay close attention to debut artists. But we didn't know that those would translate almost instantly into 'chart phenom'. However, Billboard reported today that Lorde's song "Royals"--the standout jam from her first batch of online demo tracks--cracked their alternative song chart at #30, pointing out that:

"The debut is the highest for a solo female making her first visit to the airplay chart as a lead artist since M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes" (No. 28) nearly five years ago."

Both that song and Lorde's EP Love Club have jumped 10 positions or so on multiple charts: Hot Rock Songs, Triple A and The Billboard 200, all of the strength of radio play, meaning her label Republic records is that much more likely to give Lorde's music the push--and artist development--it is crying out for. As Dennis Blair, Republic senior VP of rock promotion, told Billboard:

"Not since we launched Gotye ('Somebody That I Used to Know,' the Hot 100's top song of 2012) have we seen such instant reaction, all being driven so far by radio..."

All of which is really just to say "We was there First!!!" Watch Lorde's brand new video for the track--kind of like "Paper Planes"-meets-Friday Night Lights--below. And watch for more big things from this star fittin' to go supernova.

spotted at BB