Lorde Biography

Lorde is the performing name of Ella Yellich-O’Connor, a New Zealand singer and songwriter who had an international hit with 2013’s “Royals.” She began writing her own songs when she was barely in her teens. Success at talent shows led to a development deal with a record company, and in late 2012 Lorde released her debut EP, The Love Club, on the internet. At first a hit in New Zealand, by the summer of 2013 Lorde was internationally popular; “Royals” became the first New Zealand record to become a number one hit in the United States, when Lorde was still only 16 years old; the song earned her a Grammy award in 2014. Her mature voice and minimalist electronic beats were ripe for both mainstream fans and alternative outlets, and she released her first full album, Pure Heroine, in September of 2013.