New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde has shared new insights into her evolving sense of gender identity. During a candid interview with Rolling Stone, she revealed that she sees herself “in the middle gender-wise.”
As she prepares to release her highly anticipated fourth studio album, Virgin, the 27-year-old artist spoke about how her understanding of gender has broadened over the past year—and how it’s shaped her music and expression.
During the conversation, Lorde recounted a moment with fellow musician and close friend Chappell Roan, who asked her directly if she identified as non-binary.
“I’m a woman except for the days when I’m a man,” Lorde replied, before adding, “I know that’s not a very satisfying answer, but there’s a part of me that is really resistant to boxing it up.”
Exploring Gender Through Music and Style
Lorde explained that her exploration of gender began to deepen in 2023, when she tried on a pair of men’s jeans and shared the photo with her Virgin collaborator Jim-E Stack. His response was pivotal:
“I want to see the you that’s in this picture represented in the music.”
This visual and emotional shift played a role in the creation of Virgin, and particularly in the track “Man of the Year”. While writing the song, Lorde said she wanted to express how her gender felt in that moment—wearing men’s jeans and duct tape across her chest. That imagery inspired the Met Gala look she debuted in May 2025, echoing her sense of fluid masculinity.
Speaking earlier with artist Martine Syms for Document Journal, Lorde described Virgin as emerging from a period of personal transformation, including becoming single and confronting “body stuff” head-on.
“I started to feel my gender broadening a little bit,” she said.
“What Was That” was “the first music of my rebirth.”
Virgin: A New Era
Lorde’s upcoming album Virgin is scheduled for release on 27 June 2025 through Universal Music New Zealand and Republic Records. It promises to be her most personal and experimental work to date, exploring themes of rebirth, self-expression, and gender fluidity.
As always, Lorde resists being easily defined, but her honesty, complexity, and creative evolution continue to resonate deeply with fans around the world.
