She may never be royal, but Lorde certainly was the Queen of Roseland Ballroom on Tuesday, March 11 .

Ella Yelich-O’Connor, better known as Lorde, rocked the legendary Roseland Ballroom on Tuesday as part of her three-night mini residency. The two-time 2014 Grammy winner put on an incredible show and brought “Pure Heroine” to life in a magical way.

Lo-Fang aka Matthew Hemerlein served as the evening’s opening act. He performed seven songs, and we were blown away by his rich, textured voice. Notables that we spotted in VIP included Q-Tip and Vampire Weekend’s lead singer Ezra Koenig.

At around 9PM, it was time for Lorde! Hazy blue lights shined on the stage, and then all of lights went out. The crowd went wild. Then a lone spotlight appeared on a microphone. Lorde appeared on stage and walked out slowly from stage left. She was clad in a flowy above-the-ankle black skirt and a black shirt tucked in and belted. She was also wearing her signature black platform boots. She sang the first few lines of “Glory And Gore” and then the lights went out. The next few lines echoed, and then the lights went out again. As she sang “Glory and Gore,” we enjoyed watching Lorde perform her signature dance moves and couldn’t take our eyes off her.

A simple black curtain served as the backdrop, and a chandelier hung over the center of the stage. The black veil lifted and Lorde’s band appeared, consisting of a powerhouse drummer and keyboardist. She performed “Biting Down.” Strobe lights flashed on the drums to the beat and the stage turned purple.

Despite being sick, Lorde’s vocals were perfection. Before her third song, she addressed attendees. “I’m so happy to say hello.” She sipped on some tea and went right into “Tennis Court” as blue and green lights flashed. Lorde waved her hands like a conductor and swirly aqua lights appeared for “Buzzcut Season.” As she sang, “I remember when your head caught flame/It kissed your scalp and caressed your brain, ” three video panels appeared behind her featuring clear blue water. “But it’s so easy in this blue” she sang, making this one of our favorite performances of the evening.

For “Swingin’ Party,” Lorde started small and gained momentum. Two panels behind the songstress reflected like a mirror. After that, the lights dimmed and Lorde started singing “Still Sane ,” sunset colors appeared on the video panels. The lyrics that rang most true were: “I’m little, but I’m coming for the crown/ I’m little, but I’m coming for you.”

“I’m in Roseland!” Lorde proclaimed with pride before she started singing “400 Lux.” Mirroring the lyrics of the song “I love these roads where the houses don’t change ,”  a video montage taken from a driving car on a backroad showed the forest with houses peeking out from behind. The audience roared with joy after this song.

Lorde told the audience, “This song’s pretty old. It was one of the first proper songs I wrote, but it’s important to me,”
about her next track “Bravado” from her EP “The Love Club.” Fuchsia lights flashed as she sang. Next up, Lorde performed her new song “Easy (Switch Screens),” a track off of producer Son Lux’s upcoming EP “Alternate Worlds,” which will be released on May 26, 2014.

For her lengthiest audience address of the evening, Lorde discussed the inspiration behind “Ribs .” She said she wrote the song in February of 2013 after a big house party that she threw for her friends. She told the crowd that aging terrifies her, and it’s something she thinks about all the time. “For ‘Ribs,’ we softened everything made everything sound like velvet … That’s why I write songs to protect myself.” Lorde expressed gratitude to her fans for supporting her and helping her sell out three nights at the venue.”It keeps me so warm knowing you are here for me … thank you so much.” Her version of “Ribs” was haunting. “We’re reeling through the midnight streets/And I’ve never felt more alone/It feels so scary getting old,” she sang.

Soon after “Baby I Rule,” boomed over the speakers and everyone knew what was next. “Royals,” of course! It was yet another stellar rendition and the energy in the room was off the charts for this song. A red curtain draped behind the stage and crowns appeared on the video panels. Lorde won Best Pop Solo Performance and Song of the Year at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards for this song, which has sold over 5 million singles.

After a strong rendition of “Team,” which had the audience dancing, the band continued and strobe lights flashed, when Lorde briefly exited the stage for a wardrobe change. She came back in a golden robe-like dress and cape. Confetti rained everywhere and the crowd went wild. She closed the show with “A World Alone.” The lights dimmed as Lorde left the stage.

Lorde definitely knows how to put on a show, and did not disappoint. We are so excited for more from this 17-year-old from New Zealand.

Check out our exclusive photos from concert taken by Michael Knapp: