Singer and songwriter Lorde has finally unveiled her long-anticipated fourth studio album Virgin, sending ripples across the global music scene. The record marks her dramatic return to lush synth-pop and dance-pop after the stripped-back acoustic turn of Solar Power, and early reactions suggest it is her boldest release yet.
The album has already topped charts in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Austria, while landing at number two on the US Billboard 200.
Alongside the excitement, fans are once again revisiting questions about the singer's real name and the meaning behind her distinctive stage identity.
Lorde's Real Name Revealed
The New Zealand pop star was born Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor in 1996. Raised in Auckland, she began performing in her teens and adopted the name Lorde before the release of her breakthrough debut album Pure Heroine in 2013.
Her birth name often resurfaces in searches whenever she drops new music, as listeners seek to connect the global star to her origins. The curiosity underscores the public's fascination with both her music and her personal story, which has shaped her rise to international acclaim.
The Meaning Behind the Name 'Lorde'
The decision to perform under the name Lorde grew out of her early fascination with aristocracy and grandeur. She has said in interviews that the word 'Lord' carried the sense of timelessness and authority she wanted for her artistry.
To soften the masculine quality of the word, she added an 'e' at the end — a small change that gave the name a more feminine and distinctive character. This choice aligned with her desire to craft a persona that was both mature and unique, even at just 16 years old.
'It was that nobility, aristocracy obsession that I had. I hit upon "Lord" and loved the way it sounded, and then I was like, it would be quite cool to add an "E" to feminise it,' the singer told 60 Minutes Australia in 2017.
'Virgin': A Bold Return to Pop
Her latest album Virgin signals a confident artistic shift back into electronic textures, layered production and lyrical explorations of identity and desire. According to Billboard, first-week US sales reached 71,000 equivalent units, including 31,000 vinyl copies — her strongest commercial performance since Melodrama in 2017.
The album was launched with the singles 'What Was That', 'Man of the Year' and 'Hammer'. Each track examines themes of gender expression, city life and personal freedom.
The accompanying videos also generated buzz: from Lorde wandering New York's streets in What Was That to her provocative performance in nature in Hammer.
Critics have described Virgin as a daring blend of nostalgia for early synth-pop and modern experimentalism.
Lorde's Ultrasound World Tour Schedule
To support the release of 'Virgin', Lorde will embark on the Ultrasound World Tour, her first major touring cycle since 'Solar Power' in 2022–23. The tour is scheduled to begin on 17 September 2025 in North America and conclude on 25 February 2026 in Oceania, covering a total of 53 arena dates.
The North American leg will include 26 shows, followed by 19 performances across Europe, before wrapping with eight dates in Australia and New Zealand. The tour is expected to showcase material from 'Virgin', alongside fan favourites from 'Pure Heroine', 'Melodrama', and 'Solar Power'.
Concert venues announced so far include major arenas in New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Sydney, and Auckland, underlining the global scale of the project. The Ultrasound World Tour has already generated significant ticket demand, with fans eager to see how Lorde translates the striking visuals and bold themes of Virgin into her live performances.
