Lorde is unfurling the intricate tapestry of her gender identity journey in a poignant cover story for Rolling Stone, timed meticulously to precede the anticipated release of her upcoming album, Virgin. In an intimate and heartfelt dialogue, the gifted singer-songwriter delves deep into the realms of gender with her dear friend and fellow artist, Chappell Roan. When prompted by the magazine about her gender identity, Lorde echoed, "[Chappell Roan] posed the very same question to me." She elaborated further, recounting how Chappell essentially inquired, "'So, have you embraced a nonbinary identity now?'" To which Lorde responded thoughtfully, "I am a woman, except for those days when I feel like a man." Acknowledging the complexity, she stated, "I understand this may not be a concrete answer, but there's a part of me that fiercely resists being neatly slotted into a category."
The vocalist behind the smash hit "What Was That" affirmed her continued identification as a cisgender woman, utilizing "she/her" pronouns, yet positioned herself as "gender-wise, in a liminal space." Nonetheless, Lorde clarified, "I do not consider my identity radical." "I have witnessed these incredibly brave young individuals, and the intricacies involved are beyond words," she continued. "Expressing oneself in private is one thing, but I want to be unequivocally clear: I'm not seeking to encroach upon the space of those who face greater challenges than I. As a privileged, cisgender, white woman, I occupy a relatively secure position."
Virgin dives deeper into Lorde's exploration of gender identity, with the magazine revealing that the album's opening track will feature poignant lyrics: "Some days I'm a woman / Some days I'm a man." Recalling a pivotal moment of embracing her gender fluidity, Lorde shared an anecdote about trying on a pair of men's jeans in a clothing store. She sent a snapshot to Jim-E Stack, a key collaborator on the album, who responded enthusiastically, "I want the 'you' from this photo to be mirrored in the music." She added, "This was before I had even remotely considered the expansion of my gender spectrum."
Scheduled for release on June 27, Virgin's cover art—a captivating blue x-ray image depicting a zipper descending a pelvis, adorned with a belt buckle and an IUD—subtly teases the album's thematic exploration. During the creative process of penning "What Was That" and another track, "Man of the Year," Lorde made a conscious decision to discontinue birth control in late 2023. Describing this choice, she likened it to "severing a cord tying me to this regulated femininity," which in turn "unlocked new horizons."
"I hadn't ovulated in ten years. And the first time I did, it was an indescribable experience—like the most exhilarating high I'd ever known," she reminisced. "It may sound peculiar, but after stopping birth control, I felt like I had stepped beyond the conventional confines of femininity. And I genuinely believed that this liberation allowed for an expansion within me."
