Last week, teenager Lorde (a.k.a. Ella Maria Lani Yelich-O’Connor) became the first ever New Zealander to top the charts in the U.S. with her debut single Royals hitting No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100. But what’s the song really trying to say? In this first instalment of Pop Psychology, David Berry picks apart the meaning and message behind the hit.

Reading suggestion: Listen to Lorde’s hit Royals below, then scroll down to follow along with the lyrics.