George Michael’s Estate Responds to Comparisons of Lorde’s ‘Solar Power’
After comparisons were made between George Michael’s song “Freedom! ’90” and Lorde’s recently released “Solar Power,” the estate of the late singer responded to the claims with praise.
Lorde’s comeback single after a four-year hiatus dropped June 10. “Solar Power” leads her highly-anticipated third studio album of the same name. A new teaser was uploaded to Lorde’s website over the weekend along with the caption “SOLSTICE.” Given that the Summer Solstice takes place today (June 21), fans are expecting new material from Lorde to drop imminently.
https://youtu.be/r7a6YO0Kuh0
Following her release of “Solar Power,” some people began drawing comparisons to Michael’s “Freedom! ’90”, which was released in October 1990. In a statement shared on Friday (June 18), Michael’s estate shot down any notion that they were bothered by the comparisons. Instead, the praised Lorde, saying that Michael “would have been flattered to hear” about the connection.
The short statement read, “We are aware that many people are making a connection between “Freedom ’90” by George Michael and “Solar Power” by Lorde which George would have been flattered to hear, so on behalf of one great artist to a fellow artist, we wish her every success with the single. – The George Michael Estate”
"We are aware that many people are making a connection between Freedom '90 by George Michael and Solar Power by @lorde which George would have been flattered to hear, so on behalf of one great artist to another, we wish her every success with the single." - George Michael Estate pic.twitter.com/XuoFUQwXjS
— George Michael Official (@GeorgeMOfficial) June 18, 2021
The response from Michael’s estate comes after Primal Scream recently also praised “Solar Power” following an interview where Lorde cited their 1990 single “Loaded” as a key inspiration behind her new material.
Lorde said, “I had never heard Primal Scream in my life. I’d been told to check them out. I wrote the song on the piano and then we realized it sounds a lot like “Loaded.” It’s just one of those crazy things that they just were the spiritual forebears of the song.”
She spoke to the band’s frontman Bobby Gillespie about the similarities between the songs and that he was “so lovely about it.” She explained that he said, “‘You know, these things happen, you caught a vibe that we caught years ago.’ “And he gave us his blessing. So let the record state “Loaded” is 100 percent the original blueprint for this, but we arrived at it organically. And I’m glad we did.”
We ❤️ @lorde new single ! https://t.co/7xUa03Vpgp
— Primal Scream (@ScreamOfficial) June 12, 2021
Watch Lorde’s “Solar Power” video below:
Watch George Michael’s video for “Freedom! ’90” below:
Folks on Twitter saw the similarities right away:
is it just me or does solar power by lorde remind you of freedom! 90 by george michael
— ثاقب🇮🇹 (@boujeeasshoe) June 14, 2021
Oh so Lorde basically tweaked George Michael's "Freedom." I get it, it was a great song!
— Chapin (@Chapinc) June 14, 2021
Lorde‘s Solar Power sounds like a slower version of George Michael‘s Freedom. #copycat pic.twitter.com/L61KH0DLWH
— ⚓️ Todd 👨🏼💻 (@toddgotlost) June 20, 2021
Solar Power is very similar to Freedom 90, just a little slower, but even George Michael loved to rearrange other songs, giving them a new glory. Any idea of absolute originality is illusory as much as any idea of perfection, with some exceptions ;-) https://t.co/Adl9CRQ0xW
— Giovanni Fanfoni (@GiovanniFanfoni) June 19, 2021
Lorde’s solar power….or….george michael’s freedom in disguise 🤔
— Allisoun (@Allisoun5) June 15, 2021
