World chart-topping New Zealand musician Lorde has released the first single from her second album this morning.
She posted the single's video online at 8am and has since been viewed more than 500,000 times.
'Green Light' has already topped the New Zealand iTunes chart and has been the number one trending topic worldwide on Twitter throughout the morning.
The 20-year-old popstar and songwriter, whose real name is Ella Yelich-O'Connor, topped charts around the world in 2013 with her single 'Royals'.
She went on to win multiple international music awards awards including two Grammys, one for Song of the Year.
In an interview this morning she said, "It's kind of a heartbreak song, but about being OK in the end. Because I am OK."
"It's a conflict song, there's a lot going on," she told The Edge radio station.
In January it was announced she would be one of the major acts at the 2017 US Coachella Festival, which fuelled speculation she had new material to come, and she has been teasing fans in recent days with cryptic tweets.
She said 'Green Light' was very different, complex and unexpected, but would also make you want to dance.
auckland thank you so much for coming out last night.. pic.twitter.com/2AYtggOpGc
— Lorde (@lorde) March 1, 2017
Her fans were quick to praise the new track.
oh DAMN I literally just grabbed Tessa's arm listening to green light for the first time
— dodie (@doddleoddle) March 2, 2017
it's so good@lorde
i can't believe Lorde has single handedly cured me with Green Light
— becs (@RebeccaSJenkins) March 2, 2017
#greenlight made me cry, I love you @lorde and I'm excited for Melodrama
— gordon (@robjim_97) March 2, 2017
It has been well reviewed - the Guardian has called it a "triumphant return" and NME said the track was a "euphoric rocket".
The song is the first release from her forthcoming album Melodrama, which follows her debut full-length record Pure Heroine.
A laudable career
Lorde was signed to Universal when she was 13. She was 16 when 'Royals' hit No 1 in the UK, making her the youngest artist to take out the top spot since 1998.
The track also went to No 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100, beating songs from Miley Cyrus and Katy Perry.
She was the first woman in almost two decades to top the Billboard Alternative Songs chart in the US, and achieved the longest reign by a lead female in its 25-year history.
