Lorde is back—and she’s not holding anything back. The New Zealand artist officially returns with Virgin, her first full-length album since Solar Power in 2021. Released via Universal New Zealand and Republic Records, Virgin is already making waves, thanks in part to its bold visuals, unfiltered lyrics, and a lead single—“What Was That”—that quickly shot to No. 1 on Spotify US. The follow-up singles, “Man of the Year” and “Hammer,” have also earned praise from fans.
This album isn’t about innocence—it’s about reinvention. Lorde drops the filter entirely, delivering her most emotionally raw body of work to date. Virgin explores themes of self-reclamation: owning your body, your past, and your story. From the striking X-ray cover featuring a pelvis with a belt buckle and visible IUD, to the synth-heavy, distorted production, Lorde makes a definitive break from her previous sound. The 11-track project is co-produced with Jim-E Stack and features contributions from Dev Hynes, Dan Nigro, Fabiana Palladino, and others. Lyrically, it dives deep into late-20s anxiety, heartbreak, identity, and autonomy—with both sharp introspection and sonic bite.
To support the album, Lorde will launch her Ultrasound World Tour this fall, kicking off September 17 in Austin. Until then, we’re ranking all 11 songs from Virgin.
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