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Lorde is back.

It’s a statement not even Lorde herself thought could be true. Three days before the release of her fourth and latest album, “Virgin,” the New Zealander wrote on Instagram that after “Solar Power” in 2021, she didn’t know if she had another album in her.

She decided otherwise, and I’m so glad she did.

“Virgin” is Lorde at her best, a cool older sister to her 2017 album “Melodrama.” It’s Lorde’s rebirth as she recognizes that she didn’t have it all figured out at 16 years old.

Lorde described the album as “written in blood,” conveying the personal and raw nature of the piece. “Virgin” is a callback to the synth-pop sound that dominated her early career, but not an attempt to recreate her first two albums.

Through its 11 tracks, “Virgin” explores Lorde’s journey with her gender identity and family trauma. The album includes vivid storytelling about navigating an eating disorder and becoming comfortable in her skin.

Lorde explained the album’s title in a collection of cryptic Instagram stories in May. A screenshot detailing the origins of the word “virgin” reads that it’s derived from the Greek word “parthenos,” meaning “not attached to a man, a woman who was ‘one-in-herself.’”

Lorde’s explanation reasoned that Greek goddesses were called “virgins” because they were strong and independent, not inexperienced. This definition of the word perfectly encapsulates the rawness and strength exuding from the album’s lyrics.

The opening track “Hammer” sets the theme for the remainder of the album: Lorde’s rebirth.

“I mighta been born again / I’m ready to feel like I don’t have the answers,” she sings in its chorus.

“Hammer” opens the album with 15 seconds of a slightly unsettling, glitchy noise. Some fans theorize it’s meant to emulate the sound from inside an MRI machine or an ultrasound — an ode to the title of her upcoming world tour.

The song is reminiscent of Lorde’s sophomore album, “Melodrama.” The chorus brings back the vibrant, powerful sound of the 2017 album while still being unique. The lyrics explore Lorde’s gender fluidity, saying, “Some days I’m a woman, some days I’m a man.”

The second track, “What Was That,” was fans’ first taste of Lorde’s new sound when the lead single was released in April. Lorde sings about life-changing cigarettes and MDMA shared with an ex, asking, “What was that?”

“Since I was 17, I gave you everything / Now, we wake from a dream / Well, baby, what was that,” she sings.

The song reminisces on weekends spent at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in an “Indio haze.” She hints at body image struggles while singing about preparing a meal she ultimately won’t eat and covering up all her mirrors.

It ends by repeating “When I’m in the blue light, I can make it alright,” as she reaches a point of acceptance and chases her own romantic highs instead of someone else’s.

“Shapeshifter” continues Lorde’s look into her romantic relationships as well as her own self-perception as she describes the clashing roles she’s often played to guard her heart.

“I’ve been the ice, I’ve been the flame / I’ve been the prize, the ball, the chain / I’ve been the dice, the magic eight / So I’m not affected,” she sings in the chorus.

In one of my favorites on the album, Lorde dives into what it’s like to uncover new aspects of your own personality. She’s shapeshifting as she recognizes different facets of herself and rejects being confined to a singular label.

Looking to “Virgin’s” fifth track, “Favourite Daughter,” Lorde reveals her generational family trauma in a relatable piece to all overachieving daughters. In three minutes, she highlights her desire to be praised by her mother and “breaking (her) back” in doing so.

“‘Cause I’m an actress, all of the medals I won for ya / Panic attack just to be your favorite daughter / Everywhere I run I’m always runnin’ to ya,” she sings.

The song ends by drawing a parallel to Lorde’s mother, whose achievements have also been overlooked, revealing the complexities of their relationship. She feels a sense of resentment from working so hard just so her mother can imagine being a favorite daughter, but also commends her strength and hopes to be just as brave.

The seventh track, “Clearblue,” is the most audibly different from the rest as Lorde recalls her anxiety while taking a pregnancy test. Singing a cappella, the rigidness of the sound mixed with her harmonies in the background is almost anxiety-inducing, making it the only possible skip for me. She brings listeners into the moment with her on the album’s most raw track.

“If She Could See Me Now” is the second-to-last track and a stark reminder of how far Lorde has come. It’s deeply introspective and juggles her past and present self, a common theme throughout the album.

“Cause I’m a mystic, I swim in waters / That would down so many other b-tches,” she sings.

The confidence in her lyrics is refreshing as she looks at her past self not with pity or regret, but with a sense of triumph and compassion.

The ending track, “David,” is my personal favorite on the album because it’s uniquely, unmistakably Lorde. It’s a vulnerable conclusion to “Virgin,” with a soft sound filled with rage and emotion. It’s ethereal and uncomfortable, as most great things are.

In “David,” Lorde isn’t just closing out the album, but closing an important chapter in her life. She’s looking back on betrayal, heartbreak and the painful aftermath of putting someone else on a pedestal.

“Said why do we run to the ones we do? / I don’t belong to anyone / I made you God cause it was all that I knew how to do,” she sings.

The singer is letting go and reclaiming herself, capturing the essence of “Virgin” as a whole.

The work is Lorde’s reincarnation wrapped into 34 minutes. It reminds listeners that transformation isn’t linear; it’s often messy and disorienting. “Virgin” is an invitation into Lorde’s next stage of life, where she’s existing on her own terms.

Published on July 4, 2025 at 2:48 pm
Contact Delia: dsrangel@syr.edu