After a four-year hiatus, pop sensation Lorde has burst back onto the music scene with her highly anticipated fourth album, “Virgin”.
Released on Friday, June 27, the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter has filled her latest album with raw honesty and vulnerability.
“Virgin” arrives as a follow-up to her indie-folk project, “Solar Power“, and is the culmination of a transformative period for Lorde, who described the writing process as both a personal exploration and a creative rebirth.
Collaborating closely with producer Jim-E Stack, along with contributors like Dev Hynes and Daniel Nigro, Lorde carefully crafted each track over the past couple of years in cityscapes from London to New York.
“What Was That”, a powerful break-up anthem, is the album’s lead single.
It further unfolds with tracks such as “Man of the Year”, “Shapeshifter”, “Broken Glass” and “Hammer”.
Notably, “Hammer” is offered as a bold declaration of her evolving gender identity, where she openly reveals, “Some days I’m a woman, some days I’m a man.”
In an interview with “Rolling Stone”, Lorde shared that the mood of the album swings between celebration and introspection.
“I think coming more into my body, I came into an understanding of the grotesque nature of it and the glory and all these things,” she explained.
“It’s right on the edge of gross. I often really tried to hit this kind of gnarliness or grossness. ‘You tasted my underwear’. I’ve never heard that in a song, you know? It felt like the right way to tell this whole chapter.”
One of the most painful tracks, “Favourite Daughter”, reveals the complexities of her relationship with her mother and the pressures of fame, as she sings, “Now every day the plane takes off, and every night the room fills up with people who are convinced I’m not just some kid faking it for your love.”
A theme throughout “Virgin” is Lorde’s ongoing journey with identity and the nuanced handling of trauma.
“There’s going to be a lot of people who don’t think I’m a good girl anymore … For some people, I will have arrived. I’ll be where they always hoped I’d be.”
Lorde is set to support the album with her “Ultrasound” world tour. She will be joined by Blood Orange, the Japanese House and Nilüfer Yanya
As she delves into themes of gender fluidity, trauma and self-discovery, the album not only redefines her sound but also cements her status as a truly groundbreaking artist of her generation.
