Lorde reveals working with Charli XCX inspired her to open up emotionally, shaping her upcoming album Virgin and lead single “What Was That.”
Lorde has opened up about how collaborating with Charli XCX helped her reconnect with vulnerability and rediscover her creative voice. The New Zealand singer-songwriter is preparing to release her fourth studio album, Virgin, this summer, and its lead single “What Was That” has already made an impressive debut in the UK Top 10.
In a recent interview with BBC Radio 1’s Jack Saunders, Lorde, whose real name is Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor, reflected on the emotional and artistic journey that led her to this point.
Lorde admitted that bringing Virgin to life was a difficult process, sharing that at times she didn’t think the album would ever be finished. “I wrote this from the perspective of, ‘well I could never say that’,” she explained, describing the album as an emotional release for thoughts and experiences she had previously avoided confronting. “It was just sort of an exercise in saying everything I needed to say… I put off dealing with that. I was like, that’s for future Ella to deal with.”
A turning point came when Charli XCX reached out, inviting Lorde to collaborate on a remix of “Girl, So Confusing,” a track from Charli’s critically acclaimed album Brat. In the remix, Lorde opens up about personal struggles, including an eating disorder and feelings of insecurity when comparing herself to Charli.
The honesty and vulnerability in the remix resonated with fans and gave Lorde the encouragement she needed. “Brat coming out really gave me a kick,” she said. “Meeting her in that place of rugged vulnerability and people responding really well to that, I was kind of like, ‘OK cool – this is a good thing to be doing.’”
The success and cultural relevance of Brat, which was even referenced in the US presidential campaign and named word of the year by Collins Dictionary, had a ripple effect among artists.
Lorde said Charli’s bold artistic direction pushed her to refine her own. “It forced me to further define what I was doing because Charli had so masterfully defined everything about Brat,” she noted.
“What Was That,” the first single from Virgin, was initially teased on TikTok and has been described by Lorde as “Lorde canon”—a song that captures the essence of her signature sound. “I really went into it like, ‘just make something for you, just make something you think is cool’,” she said, comparing her approach to how she made music as a 15-year-old.
After the mixed reception of her previous album Solar Power, Lorde says this new project is about stripping things back and reconnecting with her core identity as an artist.
