{{Short description|2017 single by Lorde}} {{Good article}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=June 2017}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}} {{Infobox song | name = Perfect Places | cover = This is the cover art for the single "Perfect Places" by the artist Lorde. The cover art copyright is believed to belong to the label, Universal Music, or the graphic artist(s).png | alt = | border = yes | type = single | artist = Lorde | album = Melodrama | released = {{start date|2017|06|01|df=y}} | recorded = | studio = * Electric Lady (New York) * Conway (Los Angeles) * Westlake (Los Angeles) | venue = | genre = Electropop | length = {{duration|m=3|s=41}} | label = Universal New Zealand | writer = * Ella Yelich-O'Connor * Jack Antonoff | producer = * Lorde * Jack Antonoff * Andrew Wyatt | prev_title = Green Light | prev_year = 2017 | next_title = Homemade Dynamite (Remix) | next_year = 2017 | misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|J0DjcsK_-HY|"Perfect Places"}}|header=}} }}
"'''Perfect Places'''" is a song by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde. It was released on 1 June 2017 through Universal Music New Zealand as the second single, following "Green Light" (2017), from her second album, ''Melodrama'' (2017). Lorde co-wrote and co-produced the song with Jack Antonoff and Andrew Wyatt, with additional production from Frank Dukes. "Perfect Places" was described as an atmospheric electropop song that blends bass, synths and drum machine beats. In the lyrics, Lorde follows the conclusion of the "teenage party circuit" in ''Melodrama'', wondering where her perfect places are.<ref name="Rolling Stone"/>
The track was acclaimed by music critics, with many commending Lorde's songwriting. While it failed to chart in the United States, "Perfect Places" had minor chart placements in Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom. An accompanying music video for the song was directed by Grant Singer, who also filmed the visual for the album's lead single "Green Light", and premiered on Lorde's Vevo account on 3 August 2017. It shows the artist in various shots alone at the beach, in a restaurant and on a boat. Lorde further promoted "Perfect Places" by performing it live on television on several occasions.
Lorde performed the song on the Melodrama (2017-18), Solar Power (2022-23), and Ultrasound (2025-26) concert tours.
==Background and development== [[File:Brooklyn Bridge August 2017 01.jpg|thumb|left|Lorde took several bicycle trips to the Brooklyn Bridge (''pictured''), which served as inspiration for "Perfect Places".]]
When speaking to ''The New York Times'' about the song's composition, Lorde said that it "lived a million times." She added that both she and Jack Antonoff tried "different tempos, used different voicings, took it half time, made it weird and druggy," but nothing worked.<ref name="nytreturn"/> One of their issues was how much depth there was to the song. Searching for a solution, Lorde thought of deleting its pre-chorus, and did so saying the track then "follow[ed] a much simpler trajectory."<ref name="nytreturn"/>
However, the pair still had "not cracked the code."<ref name="nytreturn"/> As they were working on a hook, the idea of having a multi-track vocals from Lorde came up.<ref name="nytreturn"/> They proceeded to belt "out the words together beneath the main vocal" line. During recording sessions, Lorde sang multiple takes and changed the sound by moving away or getting closer to the microphone in different parts.<ref name="nytreturn"/> In post-production, her takes were then layered on top of each other.<ref name="nytreturn"/>
The work of English singer Kate Bush served as an inspiration for a harmony in the second half of the song.<ref name="nytreturn"/> The lyric "Now I don't know which way to go" was changed to "Now I can't stand to be alone" as the pair felt it was too "wishy-washy."<ref name="nytreturn">{{cite news|last1=Weiner|first1=Jonah|title=The Return of Lorde|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/12/magazine/the-return-of-lorde.html|access-date=18 December 2017|work=The New York Times|date=12 April 2017|archive-date=21 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170621182656/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/12/magazine/the-return-of-lorde.html?_r=0|url-status=live}}</ref> On the track's release date, Lorde revealed that riding on the Brooklyn Bridge during the summer and sitting on the Uptown Manhattan subway in the heat, coupled with frequent flights to her residence in New Zealand, prompted her to write the song.<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Kaufman|first1=Gil|title=Lorde Releases Booming Summer Party Anthem, 'Perfect Places'|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/lorde-perfect-places-single-7817371/|access-date=18 December 2017|magazine=Billboard|date=1 June 2017|archive-date=7 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107035644/http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7817371/lorde-perfect-places-single|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Composition and lyrics== Lorde and Antonoff wrote and co-produced the song with production handled mainly by Andrew Wyatt and Frank Dukes.<ref name="Rolling Stone" /> "Perfect Places" is an atmospheric electropop song that blends bass, synths and drum machine beats.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Murphy|first1=Sarah|title=Lorde "Perfect Places"|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/lorde-perfect_places|access-date=18 December 2017|work=Exclaim|date=1 June 2017|archive-date=3 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180103073138/https://exclaim.ca/music/article/lorde-perfect_places|url-status=live}}<br />{{cite news|last1=Sharples|first1=Grant|title=Lorde Releases New Single, "Perfect Places"|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/06/lorde-releases-new-single-perfect-places.html|access-date=18 December 2017|work=Paste|date=1 June 2017|archive-date=23 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171023011426/https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/06/lorde-releases-new-single-perfect-places.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Sarah Grant of ''Rolling Stone'' wrote that the verse structures are "punctuated with throbbing syncopation, giving the song a dark, R&B sensibility."<ref name="Rolling Stone">{{cite magazine|last1=Grant|first1=Sarah|title=Hear Lorde's New Existential Party Anthem 'Perfect Places'|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/hear-lordes-unflinching-new-song-perfect-places-w485340|access-date=18 December 2017|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=1 June 2017|archive-date=23 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171223054032/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/hear-lordes-unflinching-new-song-perfect-places-w485340|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Spin'' noted that the track's "stock dramatic chord movement was backed by church-bell and piano knells."<ref name="Spin">{{cite news|last1=Cook-Wilson|first1=Winston|title=On "Perfect Places," Lorde Searches For Where and What She Wants to Be|url=https://www.spin.com/2017/06/lorde-perfect-places-review/|access-date=18 December 2017|work=Spin|date=1 June 2017|archive-date=27 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170827125457/https://www.spin.com/2017/06/lorde-perfect-places-review/|url-status=live}}</ref> According to sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, "Perfect Places" is set in common time with a "moderate" tempo of 105 beats per minute. The song is composed in the key of E major, with Lorde's vocal range between the notes of C<sub>3</sub> and C<sub>5</sub>.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0174637&intcmp=Recommended#ProductDetails|title=Lorde "Perfect Places" Sheet Music (Piano Solo) in E Major – Download & Print|date=5 June 2017|website=Musicnotes.com|access-date=17 December 2017|archive-date=3 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180103133314/https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0174637&intcmp=Recommended#ProductDetails|url-status=live}}</ref>
Lorde annotated several of the song's lyrics exclusively on Genius. She wrote the lyric "Watch the wasters blow the speakers" in November 2016, when she was standing on her porch watching her friends fiddle with the speakers inside.<ref name="pkannotate">{{cite news|last1=Strauss|first1=Matthew|title=Lorde Annotates New Song "Perfect Places": "I'm a Mess"|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/73934-lorde-annotates-new-song-perfect-places-im-a-mess/|access-date=18 December 2017|work=Pitchfork|date=2 June 2017|archive-date=22 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222053137/https://pitchfork.com/news/73934-lorde-annotates-new-song-perfect-places-im-a-mess/|url-status=live}}</ref> Another verse, "I hate the headlines and the weather" came together on a late summer day in New York, with the singer noting how horrific the news was every day.<ref name="pkannotate"/> The last lyric she annotated was "Now I can't stand to be alone" which Lorde says she wrote after realizing the main reason for her partying habits was "dreading sitting at home" by herself hearing her thoughts "hit the walls."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Nostro|first1=Laura|title=Lorde Breaks Down Her New Single "Perfect Places"|url=https://genius.com/a/lorde-breaks-down-her-new-single-perfect-places|access-date=18 December 2017|date=2 June 2017|archive-date=22 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222051641/https://genius.com/a/lorde-breaks-down-her-new-single-perfect-places|url-status=live}}</ref> The chorus line "All our heroes fading" was a reference to the deaths of English singer David Bowie and American musician Prince in 2016.<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=The Influences on Lorde's 'Melodrama': Frank Ocean, Robyn, Bowie and 10 Other Artists Who Shaped Its Sound|date=24 June 2017|magazine=Newsweek|url=https://www.newsweek.com/lorde-melodrama-influences-frank-ocean-robyn-bowie-prince-628768|last=Shaffer|first=Claire|access-date=6 September 2021|archive-date=8 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210808205208/https://www.newsweek.com/lorde-melodrama-influences-frank-ocean-robyn-bowie-prince-628768|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Critical reception== "Perfect Places" received critical acclaim from music critics, with several comparing the song to her 2013 single "Team". Jenn Pelly of ''Pitchfork'' awarded it "Best New Track", writing that the song "slides in on a spacious, charcoal beat à la ''Pure Heroine''{{’}}s 'Team,' but reality has grown crueler since then." Pelly further described Lorde as a "songwriter who still vividly celebrates out-of-step self-possession."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/19166-lorde-perfect-places|title="Perfect Places" Review|work=Pitchfork|date=1 June 2017|access-date=22 June 2017|first=Jenn|last=Pelly|archive-date=22 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170622155859/http://www.pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/19166-lorde-perfect-places/|url-status=live}}</ref> Winston Cook-Wilson of ''Spin'' compared the lyrics' setting to "Green Light" and added that the song had "a charm [in its] imperfectness," in that Lorde does not know where she is headed. Wilson said the track's main message is that there is "no perfect place" even when "pursuing it leaves you feeling just as lost [...] as you were at the start."<ref>{{cite magazine| title=On "Perfect Places," Lorde Searches For Where and What She Wants to Be| first=Winston| last=Cook-Wilson| date=1 June 2017| access-date=22 June 2017| url=http://www.spin.com/2017/06/lorde-perfect-places-review| magazine=Spin| archive-date=25 June 2017| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170625055737/http://www.spin.com/2017/06/lorde-perfect-places-review/| url-status=live}}</ref>
In a series of reviews by five editors on ''PopMatters'', the average score for the track was a 7.4 out of 10. Chris Tiessen commended Lorde's "melodies, rhythmic delivery, and vocal layering" saying they were at a "peak performance." Conversely, Steve Horowitz gave it a mixed review, saying that Lorde "carries the patina of jaded adolescence" but the "passion" seems "elusive." In contrast, Chris Ingalls called it "highly infectious" and "brand new" saying it already sounded "classic and timeless." Adriane Pontecorvo called the track a "good end-of-summer single choice," which is "emotional, both carefree and bittersweet," saying Lorde has "done more interesting songs before," but she ended by calling it a "solid" single. Sharing similar sentiments, Mike Schiller said the song "doesn't quite land the way it feels like it should," but asserts the singer "remains fascinating and impossible to simply ignore."<ref>{{cite news|last1=PopMatters Staff|title=Lorde - "Perfect Places" (Singles Going Steady)|url=https://www.popmatters.com/lorde-perfect-places-singles-going-steady-2495382266.html|access-date=18 December 2017|work=PopMatters|date=25 August 2017|archive-date=29 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229233140/https://www.popmatters.com/lorde-perfect-places-singles-going-steady-2495382266.html|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Noisey'' editor Phil Witmer called it a "triumphant closer" to the album and felt the chorus is like the refrain of The Beatles' "Hey Jude" (1968) except it "actually slaps."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Phil|first1=Witmer|title=Lorde's "Perfect Places" Is Pretty Much One Big, Triumphant Hook|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/lordes-perfect-places-is-pretty-much-one-big-triumphant-hook/|access-date=18 December 2017|work=Noisey|publisher=Vice|date=1 June 2017|archive-date=29 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229172020/https://noisey.vice.com/en_us/article/wjqqaz/lordes-perfect-places-is-pretty-much-one-big-triumphant-hook|url-status=live}}</ref>
National Public Radio ranked the song number 36 on their 100 Best Songs of 2017 list.<ref>{{cite news|last1=McKenna|first1=Lyndsey|title=The 100 Best Songs Of 2017|url=https://www.npr.org/2017/12/13/568725377/the-100-best-songs-of-2017-page-4|access-date=18 December 2017|work=NPR|date=13 December 2017|archive-date=17 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171217211417/https://www.npr.org/2017/12/13/568725377/the-100-best-songs-of-2017-page-4|url-status=live}}</ref> ''The Guardian'' critic placed the track on its Sounds like Summer list, likening the chorus to Taylor Swift's "Blank Space" (2014), but commending the recording for retaining "Lorde’s singular melancholia."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Hutchinson|first1=Kate|last2=Beaumont-Thomas|first2=Ben|last3=Gibsone|first3=Harriet|last4=Elan|first4=Priya|last5=Bakare|first5=Lanre|last6=Lee|first6=Benjamin|last7=Mumford|first7=Gwilym|title=Sounds like summer: our writers pick their songs of the season|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/jun/21/best-songs-summer-2017-lorde-rihanna-justin-bieber|access-date=18 December 2017|work=The Guardian|date=21 June 2017|archive-date=17 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171217220859/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/jun/21/best-songs-summer-2017-lorde-rihanna-justin-bieber|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Pigeons and Planes'' editor Joyce ranked the song at number four on their Best Songs of 2017 list calling it one of Lorde's "most mature offerings yet."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Gardner|first1=Alex|last2=Corrigan|first2=Graham|last3=Siber|first3=Alex|last4=n.a.|first4=Joyce|last5=Kelly|first5=Katie|last6=Walaszek|first6=John|last7=Moore|first7=Jacob|last8=Black|first8=Adrienne|last9=Skelton|first9=Eric|last10=Price|first10=Joe|last11=n.a.|first11=Khal|title=Best Songs of 2017|url=http://pigeonsandplanes.com/music/2017/12/best-songs-2017/|access-date=20 December 2017|work=Pigeons and Planes|date=19 December 2017|archive-date=22 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222053308/http://pigeonsandplanes.com/music/2017/12/best-songs-2017/|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Complex'' ranked the song at number 22 on its year-end list, labelling it "an earnest, yearning pop anthem that would have been the best song on ''Pure Heroine''."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Klinkenberg|first1=Brendan|title=The Best Songs of 2017|url=http://www.complex.com/music/best-songs-2017/lorde-perfect-places-1|access-date=21 December 2017|work=Complex|date=19 December 2017|archive-date=22 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222114359/http://www.complex.com/music/best-songs-2017/lorde-perfect-places-1|url-status=live}}</ref> It was ranked the 71st greatest song of 2017 by Australian alternative music station Triple J.<ref>{{cite web|title=Humble winner: Kendrick Lamar's hit single tops the hottest 100|work=Sydney Morning Herald|date=27 January 2018|access-date=29 January 2018|url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/humble-winner-kendrick-lamars-hit-single-tops-the-hottest-100-20180127-h0p9na.html|archive-date=28 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180128064033/http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/humble-winner-kendrick-lamars-hit-single-tops-the-hottest-100-20180127-h0p9na.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Music video== ===Background=== The accompanying music video for "Perfect Places" was directed by Grant Singer, who also directed the visual for "Green Light". The video was shot in Jamaica.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Whitehead |first1=Mat |title=Lorde Challenged The Internet To Find 'Easter Eggs' In Her 'Perfect Places' Video |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2017/08/03/lorde-challenged-the-internet-to-find-easter-eggs-in-her-perf_a_23064150/ |access-date=2 June 2018 |work=The Huffington Post |date=8 August 2017 |archive-date=21 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171221230524/http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2017/08/03/lorde-challenged-the-internet-to-find-easter-eggs-in-her-perf_a_23064150/ |url-status=live }}</ref> It was released on Lorde's YouTube channel on 3 August 2017.<ref name="PerfectPlacesVideo">{{YouTube|J0DjcsK_-HY|Lorde - Perfect Places}}</ref>
On the video's release, Lorde took to Twitter to announce a series of subliminal references in the visual for fans to find. A scene where Lorde holds a lightbulb as a microphone in a dark-lit room interpolates Paramore's "Ignorance" (2009) video, while another shot with her nearly submerging her body in a small pond was compared to the group's visual for "Monster" (2011).<ref name="nmevideo"/> During "Perfect Places", Lorde sits alone in a restaurant with several empty champagne glasses around her; this reference is taken directly from the ''Melodrama'' track "Sober II (Melodrama)" where she sings: "Oh, how fast the evening passes / Cleaning up the champagne glasses."<ref name="nmevideo"/>
The yellow dress and safari-style hat worn by Lorde in the music video take inspiration from a similar outfit of ''Tarzan''{{'s}} Jane.<ref name="nmevideo"/> The dress has also been compared to the one Beyoncé sports in her video for "Hold Up" (2016).<ref name="nmevideo"/> In one scene, Lorde shoots a pair of coconuts from a palm tree with a shotgun, which drew comparisons to Lana Del Rey's "High by the Beach" (2015) video where Del Rey shoots down a helicopter.<ref name="nmevideo"/> Another shot, showing Lorde swinging from a giant tree swing draped with hanging moss, is a reference to her cover of The Replacements' "Swingin Party" (1985) on the ''Tennis Court EP'' (2013).<ref name="nmevideo"/> During the video, Lorde also sits outside on a balcony and serves herself tea, which was compared to Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi" (2009) video.<ref name="nmevideo">{{cite news|last1=Bartleet|first1=Larry|title=Did you spot all the easter eggs in Lorde's new video?|url=https://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/lorde-perfect-places-video-easter-eggs-2121011|access-date=18 December 2017|work=NME|date=4 August 2017|archive-date=22 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222052046/http://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/lorde-perfect-places-video-easter-eggs-2121011|url-status=live}}</ref>
===Synopsis=== [[File:Perfect Places Video Screenshot.png|250px|thumb|In this scene, Lorde sits on a chaise longue chair, overlooking a balcony as she serves herself a cup of tea. It was compared to Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi" video.<ref name="nmevideo"/>]] The video begins with Lorde, dressed in a Jacquemus hat and white shirtdress,<ref name="hpoutfits">{{cite magazine |last1=Gonzales |first1=Erica |title=Every Incredible Look Lorde Wears in Her New Music Video |url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/art-books-music/a11328134/lorde-perfect-places-music-video/ |access-date=18 December 2019 |magazine=Harper's Bazaar |date=3 August 2017 |archive-date=18 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218200739/https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/art-books-music/a11328134/lorde-perfect-places-music-video/ |url-status=live }}</ref> walking toward a field of tall grass with a machete. She walks through a gate that automatically opens overlooking a clear blue ocean and lays her shoulder next to one of the gate's sides while the artist's name and song title appear in retro orange letters.<ref name="spineastereggs">{{cite news|last1=Gaca|first1=Anna|title=Can You Find the Easter Eggs in Lorde's New "Perfect Places" Video?|url=https://www.spin.com/2017/08/lorde-perfect-places-video-easter-eggs/|access-date=18 December 2017|work=Spin|date=3 August 2017|archive-date=9 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809072149/http://www.spin.com/2017/08/lorde-perfect-places-video-easter-eggs/|url-status=live}}</ref> As the song opens, Lorde stands alone on a sandy beach wearing a red silk kimono coat.<ref name="i-d">{{cite news |last1=Martinez |first1=Abraham |title=Watch as Lorde Takes You to 'Perfect Places' in Her Latest Music Video |url=https://i-d.co/article/watch-as-lorde-takes-you-to-perfect-places-in-her-latest-music-video/ |access-date=30 December 2019 |work=i-D |publisher=Vice |date=3 August 2017 |archive-date=12 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190712011136/https://i-d.vice.com/en_us/article/vbv9m4/watch-as-lorde-takes-you-to-perfect-places-in-her-latest-music-video |url-status=live }}</ref> The next scene shows her walking near the beach in a silk Vaquera robe-gown at dusk.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fashionista Staff |title=Fashionista Editors Have a Lot of Feelings About Lorde's 'Perfect Places' Video |url=https://fashionista.com/2017/08/lorde-perfect-places-video-fashion-feelings |access-date=5 April 2020 |work=Fashionista |date=4 August 2017 }}</ref> Lorde is then shown swaying from a giant moss swing, dressed in a white tulle dress, suspended from a tree limb.<ref name="i-d"/> When the chorus begins, she is seen in different shots dancing wildly, running across a coastline, followed by her nearly submerging herself in a small pond near a waterfall.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lorde drops mesmerising Perfect Places video |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/95440679/lorde-drops-mesmerising-perfect-places-video |access-date=30 December 2019 |publisher=stuff.co.nz |date=4 August 2017 |archive-date=30 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191230144350/https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/95440679/lorde-drops-mesmerising-perfect-places-video |url-status=live }}</ref>
The next scene shows Lorde, in an embellished red dress, a headpiece, and a black fishnet veil,<ref name="hpoutfits"/> alone in a restaurant filled with empty champagne glasses and an array of plants and flowers around her.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Yapalater |first1=Lauren |title=All The Perfect Places In Lorde's "Perfect Places" Video |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/lyapalater/all-the-perfect-places-in-lordes-perfect-places-v |access-date=30 December 2019 |work=BuzzFeed |date=3 August 2017 |archive-date=30 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191230144349/https://www.buzzfeed.com/lyapalater/all-the-perfect-places-in-lordes-perfect-places-v |url-status=live }}</ref> She lays down on an outdoor chaise longue, dressed in a bejeweled nude dress, while pouring herself a cup of tea.<ref name="hpoutfits"/> Lorde appears alone in a boat, wearing a yellow Shrimpton Couture caftan dress and a hat as it floats off in the distance;<ref name="thecut"/> critics compared this scene to paintings by French artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir.<ref name="spineastereggs"/> In the next scene, she shoots a coconut from a palm tree with a shotgun and hits a lightbulb to the rhythm of the song.<ref name="time">{{cite magazine |last1=Bruner |first1=Raisa |title=Watch Lorde Take an Epic Solo Vacation in Her New "Perfect Places" Video |url=https://time.com/4886729/lorde-perfect-places-video/ |access-date=30 December 2019 |magazine=Time |date=3 August 2017 |archive-date=5 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805114233/https://time.com/4886729/lorde-perfect-places-video/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Continuing in a similar way, the rest of the video features several scenes shown before and ends with Lorde singing into a lightbulb and then leaving.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fu |first1=Eddie |title=Lorde reveals her "Perfect Places" in new video: Watch |url=https://consequence.net/2017/08/lorde-reveals-her-perfect-places-in-new-video-watch/ |access-date=30 December 2019 |work=Consequence of Sound |date=3 August 2017 |archive-date=30 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191230144351/https://consequenceofsound.net/2017/08/lorde-reveals-her-perfect-places-in-new-video-watch/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
===Reception and analysis=== The music video was well received by critics, with many commending its scenery. ''Cosmopolitan'' compared the coconut scene to Betty Draper from ''Mad Men'' (2007–2015).<ref>{{cite news |last1=Min |first1=Lilian |title=Lorde's "Perfect Place" Is An Island With No Other People On It And Yes, Same |url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/music/a11388712/lorde-perfect-places-music-video/ |access-date=2 June 2018 |work=Cosmopolitan |date=4 August 2017 |archive-date=4 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190104004359/https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/music/a11388712/lorde-perfect-places-music-video/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Arielle Tschinkel from Idolator called the video "visually stunning", adding that it places Lorde as the "focus with scenes out of a postcard as her backdrop."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Tschinkel |first1=Arielle |title=Lorde's "Perfect Places" Video Shows Her Version Of Paradise |url=http://www.idolator.com/7667153/lorde-perfect-places-video |access-date=2 June 2018 |work=Idolator |date=3 August 2017 }}{{dead link|date=August 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> ''Uproxx'' editor Derrick Rossignol expressed that the video was "beautiful", noting that the "dynamic and anthemic pop track" perfectly scores the moments of "diverse aesthetic wonder in a way that both the song and visual deserve."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rossignol |first1=Derrick |title=Lorde's 'Perfect Places' Video Was, As You'd Expect, Filmed In A Bunch Of Gorgeous Locations |url=https://uproxx.com/music/lorde-perfect-places-video/ |access-date=2 June 2018 |work=Uproxx |date=3 August 2017 |archive-date=9 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181209124117/https://uproxx.com/music/lorde-perfect-places-video/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Abraham Martinez from ''i-D'' expressed that the visual was a "theatrical tour de force with nature's elements as Lorde's only co-stars."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Martinez |first1=Abraham |title=watch as lorde takes you to 'perfect places' in her latest music video |url=https://i-d.co/article/watch-as-lorde-takes-you-to-perfect-places-in-her-latest-music-video/ |access-date=2 June 2018 |work=i-D |date=3 August 2017 |archive-date=9 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181209123613/https://i-d.vice.com/en_us/article/vbv9m4/watch-as-lorde-takes-you-to-perfect-places-in-her-latest-music-video |url-status=live }}</ref>
The video was also analysed by several publications who noted an evolution in Lorde's approach to fashion.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Luu |first1=Christopher |title=The Outfits In Lorde's New Video Are Killer |url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2017/08/166540/lorde-perfect-places-music-video-fashion |access-date=18 December 2019 |work=Refinery29 |date=3 August 2017 |archive-date=18 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218185205/https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2017/08/166540/lorde-perfect-places-music-video-fashion |url-status=live }}<br />{{cite news |last1=Murray |first1=Daisy |title=Oh Lorde, Lorde's New Music Video 'Perfect Places' Is All Kinds Of High Fashion (And With Some Easter Eggs Thrown In Too) |url=https://www.elle.com/uk/fashion/news/a37584/oh-lorde-lordes-new-music-video-perfect-places-has-us-shook/ |access-date=18 December 2019 |work=Elle |date=9 August 2017 |archive-date=18 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218185214/https://www.elle.com/uk/fashion/news/a37584/oh-lorde-lordes-new-music-video-perfect-places-has-us-shook/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ''The Cut'' revealed that several of the outfits worn in the video belonged to the Jacquemus, Vaquera and Zandra Rhodes' Shrimpton Couture collection.<ref name="thecut">{{cite news |last1=Petrarca |first1=Emilia |title=All the Looks Lorde Served Up in Her New 'Perfect Places' Video |url=https://www.thecut.com/2017/08/lorde-perfect-places-looks.html |access-date=2 June 2018 |work=The Cut |date=4 August 2017 |archive-date=17 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180717072521/https://www.thecut.com/2017/08/lorde-perfect-places-looks.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Melissa Minton from ''W'' magazine noted that the singer marked a transition from her darker fashion clothing and dark lips to a "more refined, sexy, glam look that's a bit more tame but just as witchy (and bewitching)."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Minton |first1=Melissa |title=Lorde Stuns in Nine Dramatic Looks in Her "Perfect Places" Music Video |url=https://www.wmagazine.com/story/lorde-perfect-places-music-video-fashion |access-date=2 June 2018 |work=W |date=3 August 2017 |archive-date=17 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180717070957/https://www.wmagazine.com/story/lorde-perfect-places-music-video-fashion |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Vogue'' editor Daise Bodella noted that Lorde's decision to "spotlight young, rising designers certainly points the star in a more fashion-forward direction." She concludes by saying that the singer's style "shows a young woman who has comfortably come into her own."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bedolla |first1=Daise |title=In "Perfect Places," Lorde Reveals a Brand-New, Fashion-Forward Look |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/lorde-perfect-places-music-video-jacquemus-vaquera-karla-welch |access-date=2 June 2018 |work=Vogue |date=4 August 2017 |archive-date=17 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180717095906/https://www.vogue.com/article/lorde-perfect-places-music-video-jacquemus-vaquera-karla-welch |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Live performances== Lorde performed the song on ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'' on 16 June 2017, on the day of the album's release. She was dressed in "an oversized white suit" with a halo of flowers taped to her back; critics compared it to the outfit worn by David Byrne in Talking Heads' 1984 concert film, ''Stop Making Sense''.<ref name="rsfallon"/> ''Rolling Stone'' editor Ryan Reed praised Lorde's band for "nailing the song from the verse's stark piano to the chorus' 3-D blast of synth and arena-sized drum."<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/watch-lorde-perform-artful-perfect-places-on-fallon-w488306 |title=Watch Lorde Perform Artful 'Perfect Places' on 'Fallon' |magazine=RollingStone |date=16 June 2017 |access-date=18 June 2017 |archive-date=18 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170618115229/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/watch-lorde-perform-artful-perfect-places-on-fallon-w488306 |url-status=live }}</ref> Ben Kaye from ''Consequence of Sound'' called the performance "powerful" stating that she proved to be as "passionate on late night television as she is on stage".<ref name="rsfallon">{{cite news|last1=Kaye|first1=Ben|title=Lorde performs "Perfect Places", admits to Onion Ring-gate on Fallon — watch|url=https://consequence.net/2017/06/lorde-performs-perfect-places-admits-to-onion-ring-gate-on-fallon-watch/|access-date=24 February 2018|work=Consequence of Sound|date=16 June 2017|archive-date=25 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180225064718/https://consequenceofsound.net/2017/06/lorde-performs-perfect-places-admits-to-onion-ring-gate-on-fallon-watch/|url-status=live}}</ref>
She also closed out the Much Music Video Awards on 18 June 2017 by singing "Perfect Places", along with "Green Light". She wore a red tracksuit and crop top, singing with a choir of "tracksuited kids" while fireworks exploded above her. ''Stereogum'' writer Tom Breihan stated that her performance was "enormously fun to watch, with her skeleton rap hands and her theatrical intensity".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Breihan|first1=Tom|title=Watch Lorde Perform "Green Light" & "Perfect Places" At MMVAs|url=https://www.stereogum.com/1947686/watch-lorde-perform-green-light-perfect-places-at-mmvas/video/|access-date=24 February 2018|work=Stereogum|date=19 June 2017|archive-date=24 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180224232713/https://www.stereogum.com/1947686/watch-lorde-perform-green-light-perfect-places-at-mmvas/video/|url-status=live}}</ref> Geena Kloeppel from ''Spin'' described Lorde as having a "fiery vision on stage".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Kloeppel|first1=Geena|title=Watch Lorde Perform "Green Light" And "Perfect Places" At The iHeartRadio MMVAs|url=https://www.spin.com/2017/06/lorde-iheartradio-mmvas-green-light-video/|access-date=24 February 2018|work=Spin|date=19 June 2017|archive-date=25 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180225144713/https://www.spin.com/2017/06/lorde-iheartradio-mmvas-green-light-video/|url-status=live}}</ref> She also performed on ''Late Night with Seth Meyers'' on 17 July 2017. Lorde opted to perform a stripped-down version of the track and then dance liberally, which ''Rolling Stone''{{'}}s Elias Leight said added a "forlorn sensibility to the song, complimenting the lyrics in a literal way".<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Leight|first1=Elias|title=See Lorde Belt 'Perfect Places' With Choir on 'Seth Meyers'|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/see-lorde-belt-perfect-places-with-choir-on-seth-meyers-w492859|access-date=25 February 2018|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=18 July 2017|archive-date=26 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180326202848/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/see-lorde-belt-perfect-places-with-choir-on-seth-meyers-w492859|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Spin'' writer Anna Gaca called it a "great rendition", noting the "choir of young people wearing matching monogrammed ''Melodrama'' tracksuits" in the background, which helped elevate the song.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Gaca|first1=Anna|title=Watch Lorde Perform "Perfect Places" on Seth Meyers|url=https://www.spin.com/2017/07/lorde-perfect-places-seth-meyers-video/|access-date=25 February 2018|work=Spin|date=18 July 2017|archive-date=26 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180326202540/https://www.spin.com/2017/07/lorde-perfect-places-seth-meyers-video/|url-status=live}}</ref>
The track was included in the set lists for the Melodrama (2017-18),<ref>{{cite news |last1=Levy |first1=Piet |date=2 March 2018 |title=Lorde proves she's one of pop's boldest stars in Milwaukee concert, kicking off new tour |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/music/2018/03/02/review-lorde-proves-shes-one-our-boldest-living-pop-stars-milwaukee-tour-kickoff/387988002/ |access-date=3 May 2026 |work=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel}}</ref> Solar Power (2022-23),<ref>{{cite web |last1=DeLuca |first1=Dan |date=21 April 2022 |title=Review and setlist: Lorde at the Met |url=https://www.inquirer.com/entertainment/lorde-met-philadelphia-concert-setlist-review-20220420.html |access-date=3 May 2026 |website=Inquirer |language=en}}</ref> and Ultrasound (2025-26)<ref>{{cite web |last1=Dailey |first1=Hannah |date=18 September 2025 |title=Lorde’s Ultrasound World Tour Setlist: Every Song From the First Show |url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/lorde-setlist-ultrasound-world-tour-songs-night-1/hammer-2/ |access-date=3 May 2026 |website=Billboard}}</ref> concert tours.
==Credits and personnel== Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''Melodrama''.<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Melodrama|others=Lorde|year=2017|publisher=Lava Records / Republic Records}}</ref>
'''Recording and management''' *Recorded at Conway Recording Studios and Westlake Recording Studios (Los Angeles, California), and Electric Lady Studios (New York City) *Mixed at Mixstar Studios (Virginia) *Mastered at Sterling Sound Studios (New York City) *Published by Songs Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Songs LLC, and Ducky Donath Music (BMI)
'''Personnel''' {{col-begin}} {{col-2}} *Lorde – lead vocals, songwriting, production *Jack Antonoff – songwriting, production *Andrew Wyatt – production *Greg Eliason – assistant engineer *Eric Eylands – assistant engineer *Frank Dukes – additional production *Serban Ghenea – mixing {{col-2}} *John Hanes – engineered for mix *Barry McCready – assistant engineer *Randy Merrill – mastering *Seth Paris – assistant engineer *Ben Sedano – assistant engineer *Laura Sisk – engineering {{col-end}}
==Charts== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ Weekly chart performance for "Perfect Places" ! scope="col"| Chart (2017) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- {{single chart|Australia|44|artist=Lorde|song=Perfect Places|rowheader=true|access-date=24 June 2017}} |- {{single chart|Flanders Tip|23|artist=Lorde|song=Perfect Places|rowheader=true|access-date=21 July 2017}} |- {{single chart|Wallonia Tip|10|artist=Lorde|song=Perfect Places|rowheader=true|access-date=14 July 2017}} |- {{single chart|Canada|76|artist=Lorde|rowheader=true|access-date=27 June 2017}} |- !scope="row"| Croatia (HRT)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://radio.hrt.hr/clanak/airplay-radio-chart-2013/10534 |title=Croatia ARC TOP 40 |publisher=HRT |access-date=18 September 2017 |archive-date=27 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227162540/http://radio.hrt.hr/clanak/airplay-radio-chart-2013/10534 |url-status=live }}</ref> | 64 |- {{single chart|Czechdigital|83|year=2017|week=25|rowheader=true|access-date=27 June 2017}} |- {{single chart|Denmark Airplay|9|artist=Lorde|song=Perfect Places|week=35|rowheader=true|year=2017|access-date=21 August 2017}} |- ! scope="row"| Ireland (IRMA)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://irish-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Lorde|title=irish-charts.com – Discography Lorde|publisher=Hung Medien|access-date=12 March 2018|archive-date=9 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309083354/http://irish-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=lorde|url-status=dead}}</ref> | 91 |- {{single chart|New Zealand|11|artist=Lorde|song=Perfect Places|rowheader=true|access-date=9 June 2017}} |- {{single chart|Slovakdigital2|76|year=2017|week=23|rowheader=true|access-date=27 June 2017}} |- {{single chart|UK|95|date=20170414|rowheader=true|access-date=18 June 2017}} |- {{single chart|Billboardbubbling100|13|artist=Lorde|rowheader=true|access-date=27 June 2017}} |- {{single chart|Billboardrockairplay|24|artist=Lorde|rowheader=true|access-date=8 October 2017}} |}
==Certifications== {{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for "Perfect Places"}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=single|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=2017|certyear=2025|access-date=2 September 2025}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|artist=Lorde|title=Perfect Places|type=single|award=Platinum|relyear=2017|relmonth=6|certyear=2024|access-date=1 July 2024}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|artist=Lorde|title=Perfect Places|award=Platinum|type=single|relyear=2017|certyear=2025|access-date=2 February 2025|refname="mc"}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|artist=Lorde|title=Perfect Places|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=2017|certyear=2024|source=radioscope|access-date=2 April 2025}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Lorde|title=Perfect Places|award=Silver|relyear=2017|certyear=2023|id=18799-3846-1|access-date=17 March 2023}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=Lorde|title=Perfect Places|award=Platinum|relyear=2017|certyear=2025|access-date=June 26, 2025}} {{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
==Release history== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |+ Release dates and formats for "Perfect Places" ! scope="col" | Region ! scope="col" | Date ! scope="col" | Format ! scope="col" | Label ! scope="col" | {{Tooltip|Catalogue no.|Catalogue number}} ! scope="col" |{{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference}} |- !scope="row"|United Kingdom | rowspan="2"| 1 June 2017 | Digital download |Virgin |{{n/a|None}} |align="center"|<ref>{{cite news|title=This week's new releases|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/new-releases/|access-date=3 January 2018|publisher=Official Charts Company|date=1 June 2017|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170605163727/http://www.officialcharts.com/new-releases/|archive-date=5 June 2017}}</ref> |- !scope="row" rowspan="1"|United States | rowspan="2"| Streaming | rowspan="2"|Universal Music New Zealand | B06XHPQBRQ |align="center"|<ref>{{cite news|title=Perfect Places [Explicit]|url=https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Places-Explicit/dp/B06XHPQBRQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1514948374&sr=8-1&keywords=perfect+places+lorde|access-date=3 January 2018|publisher=Amazon|archive-date=6 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210906112329/https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Places-Explicit/dp/B06XHPQBRQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1514948374&sr=8-1&keywords=perfect+places+lorde|url-status=live}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"|Germany |2 June 2017 | B06XHR7W73 |align="center"|<ref>{{cite news|title=Lorde - Perfect Places [Explicit]|url=https://www.amazon.de/Perfect-Places-Explicit/dp/B06XHR7W73/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1514942074&sr=8-1&keywords=perfect+places+lorde|access-date=3 January 2018|publisher=Amazon|language=German|archive-date=6 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210906112330/https://www.amazon.de/Perfect-Places-Explicit/dp/B06XHR7W73/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1514942074&sr=8-1&keywords=perfect+places+lorde|url-status=live}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| United States | 6 June 2017 | Alternative radio | Virgin | rowspan="3" {{n/a|None}} |align="center"|<ref>{{cite web|title=Future Releases on Alternative Radio Stations|url=https://www.allaccess.com/alternative/future-releases|publisher=All Access Media Group|access-date=5 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170605000414/https://www.allaccess.com/alternative/future-releases|archive-date=5 June 2017}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| Various | rowspan="2"| 16 June 2017 | Digital download | Universal Music New Zealand |align="center"|<ref name="iTunes Store"/> |- !scope="row"|Italy | Contemporary hit radio |Universal |align="center"|<ref>{{cite news|last1=Aldi|first1=Giorgia|title=Lorde "Perfect Places"|url=http://radiodate.it/radio-date/lorde-perfect-places-176411-16-06-2017-radiodate/|access-date=3 January 2018|publisher=Radio Airplay SRL|language=Italian|archive-date=3 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180103133809/http://radiodate.it/radio-date/lorde-perfect-places-176411-16-06-2017-radiodate/|url-status=live}}</ref> |- |}
==References== {{Reflist|refs= <ref name="iTunes Store">Digital release of "Perfect Places": *{{cite web|url = https://music.apple.com/us/album/melodrama/1429662346|title = Melodrama by Lorde on Apple Music|access-date = 16 June 2017|publisher = iTunes Store (US)|archive-date = 17 January 2019|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190117185820/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/mile-high-feat-metro-boomin-travis-scott-single/1448900352?i=1448900353,1448900353|url-status = live}} *{{cite web|url = https://music.apple.com/gb/album/perfect-places/1210856718?i=1210858392|title = Melodrama by Lorde on Apple Music|access-date = 16 June 2017|publisher = iTunes Store (UK)|archive-date = 3 January 2018|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180103193332/https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/perfect-places/1210856718?i=1210858392|url-status = live}} *{{cite web|url = https://music.apple.com/mx/album/perfect-places/1211010237?i=1211010344|title = Melodrama by Lorde on Apple Music|access-date = 16 June 2017|publisher = iTunes Store (MX)|archive-date = 3 January 2018|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180103193335/https://itunes.apple.com/mx/album/perfect-places/1211010237?i=1211010344|url-status = live}} *{{cite web|url = https://music.apple.com/au/album/perfect-places/1210856718?i=1210858392|title = Melodrama by Lorde on Apple Music|access-date = 16 June 2017|publisher = iTunes Store (AU)|archive-date = 3 January 2018|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180103193523/https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/perfect-places/1210856718?i=1210858392|url-status = live}}</ref> }}
{{Lorde}} {{Authority control}}
Category:2017 singles Category:2017 songs Category:Electropop songs Category:Lorde songs Category:Song recordings produced by Andrew Wyatt Category:Song recordings produced by Frank Dukes Category:Song recordings produced by Jack Antonoff Category:Song recordings produced by Lorde Category:Songs written by Andrew Wyatt Category:Songs written by Jack Antonoff Category:Songs written by Lorde