Lorde is reflecting on how her past projects have influenced her new era of music.
The New Zealand musician sat down with Jake Shane on a recent episode of his Therapuss podcast where she opened up about the reaction to her 2021 album Solar Power and detailed the events that led to the project, per People. The album was a follow-up to her lauded 2017 sophomore record Melodrama, an era that initially left her feeling "overwhelmed" by its success.
"This thing that was my hobby that I did after school is now, like, my employment, and I employ all these other people," she said. "It's gotten too big. Like, I'm a kid."
After the "very intense" scale of touring what she called the "endless hardcore music" of Melodrama, she was ready for "something that felt very light and easy," leading to Solar Power. Lorde noted that the album "came from a place of feeling very joyful and chill," but looking back on the era now, she doesn't think it showcased her true self.
"I love Solar Power so much, and I truly needed to make it. I wouldn't be here with another album if I hadn't made Solar Power, but I think it showed me that you have no choice but to be who you're supposed to be," she said, adding, "Me disappearing and being all wafty and on the beach, I was like, 'Actually, I don't think this is me.'"
Lorde is gearing up to release her fourth studio album Virgin later this month, a record that was "100% written in blood" and features the singles "What Was That" and "Man of the Year."
Virgin drops June 27.