30 Jan 2018

Lorde's powerful Time's Up message

8:11 am on 30 January 2018

Lorde joined in the #MeToo and Time's Up movement at last night's Grammys in her own unique way.

Lorde and brother, Angelo Yelich-O'Connor, attend the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden.

Lorde and brother, Angelo Yelich-O'Connor, attend the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden. Photo: AFP

Rather than donning the white rose symbol that adorned many gowns of the evening, Lorde had a bold message pinned to the back of her dress.

The text, written by Jenny Holzer, read in full: "Rejoice! Our times are intolerable. Take courage, for the worst is a harbinger of the best. Only dire circumstance can precipitate the overthrow of oppressors. The old and corrupt must be laid to waste before the just can triumph. Contradiction will be heightened. The reckoning will be hastened by the staging of seed disturbances. The apocalypse will blossom."

Holzer is a feminist artist who gained renown in the 1970s for her public works, Truisms, which were words pasted onto buildings and public spaces.

The poem Lorde used was from Holzer's work Inflammatory Essays.

Lorde posted a photo of the pinned statement to Instagram saying it was her version of a white rose.

Lorde also made a statement about sexism at the Grammys when she refused to perform after she was not offered a solo spot despite being nominated for Album of the Year. The other nominees, all men, were offered solo performances.

She lost out on the award to Bruno Mars who won the Album of the Year for 24 Magic.

Mars also took home Record of the Year for the title track, and song of the year for the Number 1 hit, That's What I Like.