“The Man with the Axe” by Lorde

The titular metaphor is based on the vocalist depicting herself as a pine tree, with the addressee, i.e. “the man with the axe”, ‘falling her’. Or put more plainly, this is an individual whom she fell in love with. And that is why she is “writing a love song” for him. And as Lorde songs tend to go, there’s a lot being expressed therein. 

Judging from the lyrics, it’s quite obvious that the addressee is likely someone the songstress actually knows as opposed to this narrative being based on a fictionalized or idealized romance. 

The idea that this piece was in fact inspired by her private life is one that Lorde more or less verified herself in describing this track. And it has also been reasonably put forth that said addressee is one Justin Warren, an industry figure whom Lorde has been romantically linked to – even if only in rumor up until this point – for years. 

In fact you may notice in the second verse that the vocalist identifies herself as being 22 years of age. This is even though at the time of the release of this track Lorde is actually 24. So that implies that not only did she write this song a couple of years ago but also that she and the addressee remain involved to this day.

The Long and Short of the Story

And what this story ultimately seems to boil down to is that Lorde, being a music star and all, has various stresses in her life which preoccupy her mind. But the addressee is able to positively affect her in a way that no one else can. 

In other words, she is not only enamored with him based on the standard reasons women tend to be so, i.e. physical and mental attraction. But even beyond that he is able to break through her emotional and psychological defenses, you know, without even really trying. 

And it is this concept of the addressee being the one who the vocalist can’t help but to submit to once again being what the titular metaphor is based on.

The Conclusion of “The Man with the Axe”

So conclusively, this is a personalized love song being presented to us via Lorde. All lyrics and postulations considered, it reads as if Justin Warren is someone she never really intended to get involved with in that sort of way, rather being an individual she met, with his ‘office job and silver hair’, along the course of her music career. 

But as fate would have it, they ended up becoming friends and eventually lovers. And that latter reality is made possible by the fact that Justin affects Lorde in a profound way, most simply by making her genuinely happy and carefree.

Justin Warren

There currently doesn’t seem to be much information online about Justin Warren. But what we do know about him is that he is currently an exec for the New Zealand branch of Universal Music.

Furthermore, he holds such a power position in the industry has afforded him the opportunity to work with the likes of Justin Bieber, Katy Perry and Eminem besides Lorde herself. 

It is also speculated that he is nearly a generation older than the songstress. This therefore explains the “silver hair” reference in the lyrics. 

The two of them have been associated with each other since 2016. And it was circa 2020 that the rumors of them dating really began to fly.

Facts about Lorde and “The Man with the Axe”

Lorde, as of the release of this track on 20 August 2021, is a 24 year old singer/songwriter. She has held the distinction of being the top pop artist from New Zealand for about a decade, since her 2013 mega-hit debut album Pure Heroine. 

In fact in a way it can be said that she put New Zealand on the map musically, with other famous musicians from the country likely being individuals most outsiders never really heard of. 

In fact as of the early 2020s, Lorde is generally considered to be the most famous New Zealander in general. However, Hollywood actor Russell Crowe is also up there on the list.

Lorde wrote this song herself. She has referred to it as “one of the biggest accomplishments of the album”. And the said album is her third full-length, Solar Power (2021). 

And she also served as one of the track’s co-producers. She accomplished that task alongside Jack Antonoff and more notably, from her perspective, Malay.

This song is a product of Lava Records and Republic Records, both subsidiaries of the Universal Music Group. And as stated earlier, the aforementioned Justin Warren is an employee of Universal Music New Zealand. This is the label behind the distribution of Solar Power.

Did Lorde release “The Man with the Axe” as a single?

No. The official singles that supported her Solar Power project are as follows:

• “Solar Power”
• “Stoned at the Nail Salon”
• “Mood Ring”