An outpouring of sexual assault accusations have destroyed the reputations of some of the most powerful men in entertainment, media and politics ― and Lorde apparently predicted it.
In January, the pop star tweeted a short but ominous prophecy: “these old men in power have a storm coming, the likes of which they cannot comprehend.”
Three months after the tweet, Fox News host Bill O’Reilly was ousted from the network after a report revealed that he and Fox News had paid $13 million in sexual harassment settlements.
In October, The New York Times and the New Yorker reported accusations that film mogul Harvey Weinstein had raped, sexually harassed and intimidated women for decades. In light of the damning reports, Weinstein was forced out of his own production company, dropped as a member of the Motion Picture Academy, and now faces multiple police investigations and class-action lawsuits.
The reports sparked the #MeToo movement, empowering women around the world the speak up about abuse and harassment. Other accusations against powerful men soon flooded the news.
Allegations of harassment and abuse forced figures like comedian Louis C.K., Amazon Studios head Roy Price and “Today” host Matt Lauer to either resign from their posts or put their careers on hold.
So far, there have been accusations of misconduct against at least 34 high-profile men, according to tracking by The New York Times. It’s a cultural moment that is now being referred to as the “Post-Weinstein” era.
On Wednesday, nearly 12 months after sending her first tweet, Lorde took note of her dim prediction.
The singer’s original tweet was part of a longer reflection on Trump’s inauguration and the massive Women’s March protests across the U.S., which took place a week prior to her message.
She went on to call on “people with significant privilege” to act as allies for underprivileged and underrepresented communities. Lorde also urged her millions of fans to protest or to contact government officials.
While Lorde’s prediction may have rung true for Weinstein and other powerful figures, it still isn’t true for the person who initially inspired her message: Trump. Polling indicates that a majority of Trump voters don’t believe the women accusing him of sexual harassment and assault.
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