Lorde Releases Her Fourth Studio Album “Virgin”

The art of patience has become a defining trait of Lorde fans. Throughout her career, the New Zealand-born pop phenomenon kept her fans in suspense. She would give them music with such a slow pace, always leaving them wanting more. But the wait is finally over. Her feeling of blissful arrival marks the coming of her much-anticipated fourth studio album, Virgin.

Dropped on Friday, June 27, under Universal Music, “Virgin” is Lorde’s much-awaited comeback. The album features 11 tracks, among which are some of her chart-topping singles. This is yet another example of Lorde’s classic introspective yet experimental paintings. Yet, this time, she’s pushing the envelope even further.

Lorde’s description of the Virgin is as bold and unfiltered as the music itself. In an April statement, she compared the album to the color “clear.” Thus, she specifically referenced things like bathwater, windows, and ice. “Full transparency,” she said, adding that the album’s language is “plain and unsentimental.” For Lorde, this project was about delving deep into her own sense of self. “I was trying to see myself all the way through,” she explained. ” Additionally, she emphasized her need to express her femininity raw and passionately.

Lorde and New Music In “Virgin”

Thus, one notable shift on Virgin is the fresh lineup of producers Lorde enlisted to bring her vision to life. However, her longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff, who worked on Melodrama and Solar Power, isn’t involved this time. The album features the talents of Jim-E Stack, Dan Nigro, and Dev Hynes. Lorde acknowledged Antonoff’s pivotal role in her previous projects, calling him a “positive, supportive collaborator.” However, noted that her intuition guided her to explore new territory. “I just have to trust when my intuition says to keep moving,” she shared.

The themes of self-exploration and fluidity are deeply woven into Virgin. In interviews prior to release, Lorde opened up about how conversations with Chappell Roan sparked her reflections on gender. “I was like, ‘I’m a woman except for the days when I’m a man,'” she confessed. Her journey through gender identity is a thread that runs throughout the album. Thus marking it as one of her most personal and boundary-pushing projects to date.

With Virgin, Lorde once again proves that she’s not afraid to evolve, explore, and, most importantly, be unapologetically herself.