Let’s be honest, even the original music video for Lorde’s “Solar Power” — the title track from her imminent third album — gave off some distinct Midsommar vibes. That’s not to mention the commune-inspired visuals for her latest single, “Mood Ring”, which include a healthy dose of aesthetic rituals and burning sage.
However, a recent YouTube video, aptly-titled “Solar Power by Lorde but it’s Midsommar”, makes the connection between the material on Lorde’s Solar Power and Ari Aster’s 2019 folk horror film even clearer.
Posted by user leandroxcx, the fan mashup trades the sandy beaches of Lorde’s “Solar Power” video — co-directed with “Royals” filmmaker Joel Kefali — for the Scandinavian utopia of Midsommar, following Florence Pugh’s Dani on her mushroom trip and subsequent emotional rollercoaster.
Thanks to the editing, the song’s lyrics seem tailor-made for the action onscreen, while Florence Pugh dancing around in a flower crown feels like a perfect fit for the universe of Lorde’s self-proclaimed “weed album”.
“The album is a celebration of the natural world, an attempt at immortalising the deep, transcendent feelings I have when I’m outdoors,” Lorde previously explained of Solar Power. “In times of heartache, grief, deep love, or confusion, I look to the natural world for answers.” Sounds just like Dani, tbh, who looks to the natural world (and a bit of ritual sacrifice) to overcome her own demons.
Watch “Solar Power by Lorde but it’s Midsommar” below, and find Dazed’s conversation with the composer of the film’s original soundtrack, Bobby Krlic, here.
