Lorde is celebrating a milestone not just for her music, but for the raw, honest journey behind it. Marking the first anniversary of her critically acclaimed album Virgin, the artist has offered fans an intimate look into the creative process by releasing a collection of demos and personal notes that reveal the unfiltered essence of the record.
This project isn’t just a casual release; it’s an act of profound transparency. Lorde shared 49 demos dating back to 2022, alongside photographs and reflections detailing the making of Virgin. These exclusive materials are available for listeners on the streaming platform untitled.stream.
In her accompanying letter, Lorde spoke about her decision to share these tracks, noting that she realized that the truest X-rays of the album were “realer, funnier, more revealing of crookedness and slant.” She described the process as liberating, stating that sharing felt “raw and exposing in a new way,” allowing her to build what she called a “holy site.”
The creative journey was interwoven with navigating deeply personal challenges. Lorde revealed that while recording the album, she was simultaneously working through a breakup, grappling with an eating disorder, and living with a diagnosis of PMDD, a condition that causes significant mood disturbances leading up to menstruation.
She detailed how this period of intense creation offered a sense of freedom, focusing on singing to herself in the way she needed to be sung to. To further illustrate her commitment to healing, she discussed her work recovering from an eating disorder, including deleting calorie-tracking apps and recalibrating her relationship with food.
The influence of external forces also shaped this period. Lorde pointed to Charli XCX’s ‘Brat’ as a pivotal moment, describing it as “a weather system of fearlessness and fragility.” This external influence helped her shift perspective, restoring her faith in music as a social technology.
The powerful combination of these experiences is reflected in the album’s reception. The NME lauded Virgin as “a vibrant combination of Lorde’s best qualities,” noting how the record blended the emotional intensity of ‘Melodrama’, the minimalism of ‘Pure Heroine’, and the freedom of ‘Solar Power’—a true testament to her willingness to strip herself bare.
Beyond the music, Lorde continues to demonstrate a commitment to broader causes. Since the release of Virgin, she has channeled her success into philanthropy, donating over $200,000 from merchandise sales to Minnesota immigrant funds. Furthermore, she is set to headline the All Points East 2026 festival in London, alongside artists like PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson.
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Credit: NME
