Did Lorde's face just give away major insight into her musical preferences? According to Twitter conspiracists, who are quick to read deeply into Lorde's reaction following a certain win at tonight's Billboard Music Awards, the answer is yes. But we're not so sure.
Let’s examine the evidence. We’re at the Billboard Music Awards. The Chainsmokers and Halsey are giving an endearing acceptance speech, having just won the Top Collaboration Award for their song “Closer.” It’s the first award of the evening, and a sense of anticipation and potential is in the air.
The speech wraps up. Yet as the camera pans out onto the clapping audience, the light-hearted mood hits a snag. And that snag is Lorde’s arched, skeptical eyebrows and a smirk that stopped a thousand ships.
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For a visual artifact, look no further.
@lorde is me. #BBMAs pic.twitter.com/RGBvCIx7nQ
— Danny Ratcliffe (@DannyRatcliffe) May 22, 2017
This is Lorde's Mona Lisa moment. This is a half-smile cloaked in mystery. What opinions does her wry smile mask? Who is the intended recipient of that eyebrow wave?
Twitter decided to read deeply into the smirk, concluding Lorde’s expressive face was a reaction to the Chainsmokers and Halsey’s win. People assumed that Lorde's face meant she isn't a fan of the Chainsmokers.
And @lorde's like I flew all the way from New Zealand for this? #BBMAs pic.twitter.com/iw9B64FcZt
— Tommy McFLY (@TommyMcFLY) May 22, 2017
At first, it might be tempting to agree with Twitter that Lorde, writer of sophisticated and intellectual pop songs, would look down at the Chainsmokers’ exuberant chart-topper "Closer." But before we ignite a rivalry in the music world, let’s put Lorde’s expression into perspective.
After taking a deep dive into Lorde's Instagram, we can safely say that the “smirk” is, in fact, one of the singer's favorite poses. Odds are, Lorde was just smirking because she’s Lorde, and that is her face.
Here's proof. Lorde smirks when she’s at her birthday party with Taylor Swift.
Lorde smirks when she's about to go onstage for a concert.
She even smirks when she's lounging on a hammock on a perfect summer day.
Clearly, Lorde dons this expression all the time. It's not necessarily an expression of disdain, or a reaction to a sworn pop music enemy. More likely, its just a byproduct of bone structure.
Let’s not assume Lorde lords over the entire music industry with a sense of superiority. When the Chainsmokers and Halsey won, Lorde probably just chose to rest her hands, knowing that the Billboard Music Awards are long, and she had three more hours of clapping ahead of her.
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But just as some people saw a blue dress and others a white one, you're free to derive whatever conclusion you'd like from Lorde's Mona Lisa smile.
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