Melodrama — Daily Hue for June 25, 2026
Sam McKinniss · 2017 · nkreats
Hidden color: Moderate Cerulean (#3381c2)
About this puzzle
The cover art for Lorde's 2017 album Melodrama is a moody, expressive oil painting by American artist Sam McKinniss. It depicts the singer lying in bed, capturing the vulnerable "morning after" feeling of waking up in the shadows with an electric-blue hue and warm morning light casting across her cheek.
Lorde personally reached out to McKinniss after admiring his figurative pop-culture paintings (such as his work on Prince and Lil' Kim). The pair met and rented out a room in a New York skyscraper to do a photoshoot. Lorde wore a vintage negligee while striking poses, which resulted in the primary reference photos for the final oil painting