Lorde is the stage name of Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor, a New Zealand singer-songwriter born in Auckland in 1996. She broke through at 16 with 'Royals', which topped the US Billboard Hot 100 for nine weeks and earned her two Grammy Awards in 2014 - making her the youngest songwriter ever to win Song of the Year. Her albums Pure Heroine (2013), Melodrama (2017) and Virgin (2025) have each marked a distinct artistic shift, from minimalist electropop to emotionally raw dance-pop and, most recently, a stark electronic sound co-produced with Jim-E Stack.
Lorde donated approximately $204,000 in merchandise proceeds from her Minneapolis shows to immigrant rights organizations during the Ultrasound World Tour.
The Ultrasound World Tour launched on 17 September 2025 in Austin, Texas, supporting her fourth studio album Virgin, with arena dates across North America, Europe and Oceania running through September 2026.
Lorde released her fourth studio album Virgin on 27 June 2025 via Universal Music, co-produced with Jim-E Stack; Rolling Stone gave it a score of 90/100.
Lorde announced her return in April 2025 with lead single 'What Was That', her first original release in four years.
Virgin was notably absent from the 2026 Grammy nominations despite strong critical reception, continuing Lorde's complicated history with the Recording Academy.
