
'Stoned at the Nail Salon' is a song by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde, released on 22 July 2021 as the second single from her third album, *Solar Power*. The song is a folk ballad in which Lorde reflects on the process of ageing and the passage of time. The title is metaphorical and symbolic of a state of mind or setting where one might engage in self-reflection and contemplation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Song title | Stoned at the Nail Salon |
| Artist | Lorde |
| Co-writer and producer | Jack Antonoff |
| Genre | Folk |
| Style | Acoustic |
| Themes | Growing older, self-reflection, contemplation, the passage of time, uncertainty about the future, complex emotions, dissociation, grappling with different versions of oneself |
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What You'll Learn

The song is a metaphor for self-reflection and contemplation
The song 'Stoned at the Nail Salon' by Lorde is a metaphor for self-reflection and contemplation. The title is symbolic of a state of mind or setting where one might engage in self-reflection. The idea of being 'stoned' suggests a feeling of being relaxed, introspective, or contemplative. Lorde uses the setting of a nail salon, a place associated with self-care and personal grooming, as a space to sit and think, allowing her thoughts to wander as she contemplates her life, decisions, and the passage of time.
In the song, Lorde reflects on the process of ageing and the complex emotions that come with growing older. She expresses uncertainty about the future and acknowledges that she might be feeling mellow or reflective. She contemplates the choices she has made and the path she's on, all while sitting in the seemingly mundane but contemplative setting of a nail salon.
Lorde described the song as a "rumination on getting older, settling into domesticity, and questioning if you've made the right decisions". She explained that it explores the familiar feeling of dissociation and grappling with different versions of oneself. The song is a folk ballad with an acoustic style, described by Laura Snapes from The Guardian as "prismatic".
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It's about the passage of time
Lorde's song *Stoned at the Nail Salon* is about the passage of time. The title is metaphorical, and the setting of a nail salon is a place of self-care and relaxation, where Lorde can sit and think. In the song, Lorde reflects on the process of ageing, and the complex emotions and reflections that come with growing older. She expresses uncertainty about the future, and acknowledges that she might be feeling mellow or reflective at the nail salon again. She also contemplates the choices she has made and the path she's on. Lorde described the song as a "rumination on getting older, settling into domesticity, and questioning if you've made the right decisions".
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It explores the feeling of dissociation
Lorde's song *Stoned at the Nail Salon* explores the feeling of dissociation. The title is metaphorical and symbolic of a state of mind or setting where one might engage in self-reflection and contemplation. Lorde uses the idea of being 'stoned' to suggest a feeling of being relaxed, introspective, or contemplative. The nail salon is a place associated with self-care and personal grooming, a setting where Lorde can sit and think, allowing her thoughts to wander as she contemplates her life, decisions, and the passage of time.
In the song, Lorde expresses uncertainty about the future and acknowledges that she might be feeling mellow or reflective at the nail salon again. She grapples with different versions of herself, ruminating on getting older, settling into domesticity, and questioning if she has made the right decisions. She reflects on the choices she has made and the path she is on, expressing her love for her current life, while also wanting to appreciate the moments with loved ones before they change.
The song explores complex emotions and reflections that come with growing older. It delves into the familiar feeling of dissociation, as Lorde navigates the process of aging and the passage of time. She contemplates the wishbone on her windowsill, realising she may have made the wrong choices in life. *Stoned at the Nail Salon* is a folk ballad with an acoustic style, described by Lorde as "one of the quietest, most introspective, and internal moments" on her album.
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It's a rumination on getting older
Lorde's song *Stoned at the Nail Salon* is a rumination on getting older. The title is metaphorical and symbolic of a state of mind or setting where one might engage in self-reflection and contemplation. Lorde uses the idea of being 'stoned' to suggest a feeling of being relaxed, introspective, and contemplative. The nail salon is a place associated with self-care and personal grooming, a setting where Lorde can sit and think, allowing her thoughts to wander as she contemplates her life, decisions, and the passage of time.
In the song, Lorde expresses uncertainty about the future and acknowledges that she might be feeling mellow or reflective at the nail salon again. She reflects on the process of ageing and the passage of time, contemplating the choices she has made and the path she's on. She explores complex emotions and reflections that come with growing older, settling into domesticity, and questioning if she's made the right decisions. In a 2021 interview with Billboard, Lorde said:
> *Stoned at the Nail Salon* is a song about 'rumination on getting older, settling into domesticity, and questioning if you've made the right decisions'.
Lorde also described the song as:
> One of the quietest, most introspective, and internal moments on the record.
The song has been described as melancholy, sombre, eloquent, graceful, dull, and aimless. It explores the familiar feeling of dissociation and grappling with different versions of oneself. Lorde has said that writing down these feelings was comforting to her, and she hoped that the song would resonate with others.
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It's about settling into domesticity
Lorde's song *Stoned at the Nail Salon* is about settling into domesticity. In a 2021 interview with Billboard, Lorde described the song as a "rumination on getting older, settling into domesticity, and questioning if you've made the right decisions". The song explores the familiar feeling of dissociation and grappling with different versions of oneself. Lorde has said that she thinks "lots of people start asking those questions of themselves around my age [24]".
The song is a folk ballad where Lorde reflects on the process of ageing and the passage of time. In the song, Lorde expresses her love for her current life, with lines like "The vine hanging over the door" and "And the dog who comes when I call". She also expresses uncertainty about the future and acknowledges that she might be feeling mellow or reflective at the nail salon again.
The title of the song is metaphorical and symbolic of a state of mind or a setting where one might engage in self-reflection and contemplation. The nail salon is a place where people often go to relax and pamper themselves. It’s a setting associated with self-care and personal grooming. It’s a place where Lorde can sit and think, allowing her thoughts to wander as she contemplates her life, decisions, and the passage of time.
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Frequently asked questions
'Stoned at the Nail Salon' is a song by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde. It's a folk ballad about the process of ageing and the passage of time.
The song title is likely symbolic of a state of mind or a setting where one might engage in self-reflection and contemplation. It uses the idea of being 'stoned' to suggest a feeling of being relaxed, introspective, or contemplative.
In an interview with Billboard, Lorde said that the song is about "rumination on getting older, settling into domesticity, and questioning if you've made the right decisions".
The song has been described as a folk song with an acoustic style. Laura Snapes from The Guardian described the track as a "prismatic folk song".











































