The singer Lorde took her fans by surprise last night by dropping an EP that consists of five songs from her latest album, Solar Power. However, it was performed in traditional Māori dialect, the language of New Zealand's indigenous population.

The new project, titled Te Ao Mārama, was described by the singer, whose real name is Ella Yelich-O'Connor, as motivated by a desire to "represent New Zealand globally." In an email blast, the star wrote, "I'm not Māori, but all New Zealanders grow up with elements of this worldview." Some fans have praised the star's effort to get in touch with her country's native roots, while others applauded Lorde's commitment to donate all proceeds from the EP to New Zealand-based charities. But not everyone was so sure about the new collection of tracks.

Despite the "Royals" singer's consultation with multiple language experts and Māori elders in translating the lyrics of her Solar Power songs, some Twitter users worried that the star was diverting attention from artists who had direct links to New Zealand's indigenous Polynesian population. One wrote, "Give Māori artists the same love you're giving Lorde", while another suggested, "For every te reo māori song from Lorde that you listen to, listen to 5 others written and performed by someone with whakapapa Māori."

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One fan doubted if Lorde's "genuine effort" to engage with the indigenous language could result in a "respectful and meaningful product" when the language itself has a "history of violent oppression."

But the overall consensus on social media seemed to be one of gratitude to the singer for showcasing her cultural heritage on a global scale. A fan account revealed that the star had chosen to feature backing vocals from native Māori singers on the new tracks, gaining praise from Twitter users. One wrote, "having lived in New Zealand myself, her devotion to indigenous issues & attempts to spotlight Māori culture on the international stage is actually really admirable."

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While another wrote, "Lorde has a huge international platform, and she's acknowledged the indigenous language of Aotearoa NA in a respectful way, with pretty good pronunciation. That lifts the profile of Teo Reo. It creates discussion. Already it has drawn attention to Māori musicians and Māori music."

Lorde released her highly anticipated third album Solar Power to a generally positive critical reception last month. The star has most recently made headlines for her decision to pull out of the MTV VMAs, citing production issues as the cause of her last-minute cancellation.

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