Photo: Talia Chetrit
Lorde’s ‘Virgin’ is about hitting reset. Four years on from the little-loved ‘Solar Power’, home to a sunny disposition that didn’t strike much of a chord with critics or fans, Ella Yelich-O’Connor has veered back towards the minimalist synth-pop that made her name.
‘Virgin’ succeeds where its predecessor stumbled by offering something much closer to ‘Melodrama’ in both tone and scope — gone is the acoustic meandering and back in are the synths and 808s, along with some huge choruses. 
The lead single What Was That, trailed with videos of Lorde dancing to the track on the streets of New York, repurposes dancefloor rhythms and twists them as only she can, finding chilled textures as the beat is pushed into the background before an instant-earworm hook hits.
The heavily distorted percussion of Man Of the Year glitches and thunders as the song reaches its crescendo, while Favourite Daughter is littered with syncopated skips. Closer David pointedly wonders “Am I ever going to love again?”
A few songs are structured in a way that pop overlord Taylor Swift might favour for an ode to an ex, but broadly Lorde’s approach to portraying growing up and reckoning with heartbreak is far more authentic. She has lived in the spotlight for 12 years and four albums, but ‘Virgin’ almost seems like a second debut, with bracing honesty meeting overt sexuality.
Jettisoning what didn’t work ‘Solar Power’ to reembrace what does, here we have a strong Lorde album propelled by a love of club culture and an understanding of her own idiosyncratic style that moulds it into shapes that suit her perfectly.
Lorde Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Sat November 15 2025 - MANCHESTER AO Arena
Sun November 16 2025 - LONDON O2 Arena
Mon November 17 2025 - LONDON O2 Arena
Wed November 19 2025 - GLASGOW OVO Hydro
Thu November 20 2025 - BIRMINGHAM Utilita Arena
Sat November 22 2025 - DUBLIN RDS Simmonscourt
Compare & Buy Lorde Tickets at Stereoboard.com.
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