The New Zealand artist had a poem by artist Jenny Holzer sewn into her dress
Lorde didn’t perform at the 60th Grammy Awards, despite her second full-length Melodrama being nominated for Album of the Year. She was the only woman nominated in the category, but according to reports she was not invited to perform solo, and instead asked to be part of a group tribute to the late Tom Petty, which she declined.
She did, however, attend the ceremony, where her dress made a statement in itself. As the New Zealand star shared on Instagram, a poem by American artist Jenny Holzer was sewn into the back of the red dress in solidarity with the White Rose initiative.
“My version of a white rose — THE APOCALYPSE WILL BLOSSOM — an excerpt from the greatest of all time, Jenny Holzer,” Lorde wrote in the caption.
The excerpt that Lorde used is taken from Holzer’s series of “Inflammatory Essays” from the late 1970s. Over 100 words, the essays combine the language of philosophy, newspaper headlines, and political and religious pamphlets. These are split onto 30 lines and presented in all-caps.
Women didn’t win big at the Grammys last night, with only one female nominee taking home a prize during the televised portion of the ceremony – Alessia Cara, who won Best New Artist.