LORDE BIOGRAPHY - AGE, CAREER, SONGS & FACTS

Lorde is the stage name of Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor, the New Zealand singer-songwriter born on 7 November 1996 in Auckland, New Zealand. She is 29 years old as of October 2026 and holds dual New Zealand and Croatian citizenship.

She broke through as a teenager with the single "Royals", a sparse, minimalist pop song that spent nine weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and won her two Grammy Awards. Across four studio albums — from Pure Heroine to Virgin (2025) — she has moved from dark electropop to confessional synth-pop, sunlit indie folk and back to electronic pop, becoming one of the defining pop voices of her generation alongside peers such as Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo.

Early Life

Ella Yelich-O'Connor was born on 7 November 1996 in Auckland, New Zealand, to poet Sonja Yelich and civil engineer Vic O'Connor. She grew up alongside her sister Indy and was writing stories and songs from a young age.

At 12 she was signed to Universal Music Group, which paired her with producer and songwriter Joel Little. Together in Auckland they wrote and recorded The Love Club EP, released in 2012, and its breakout track "Royals" changed her life. She built her stage name from the word "lord", adding an "e" to feminize it — a nod to her fascination with aristocracy.

Career

"Royals" was released as her debut single and topped the Billboard Hot 100 for nine consecutive weeks. At the 2014 Grammy Awards it won Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance. Her debut studio album, Pure Heroine (2013), carried the same moody electropop sound and produced hits including "Team".

In 2014 she curated the soundtrack for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1, contributing the single "Yellow Flicker Beat". Her second album, Melodrama (2017), co-produced with Jack Antonoff, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and drew wide acclaim for songs such as "Green Light". She then pivoted to indie folk with Solar Power (2021).

She returned to electronic pop with her fourth studio album, Virgin (2025), produced with Jim-E Stack and led by the single "What Was That". Virgin reached number one in New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom, and number two on the Billboard 200. On release day, 27 June 2025, she performed a surprise full-album set at Glastonbury. Like fellow pop songwriter Taylor Swift, Lorde writes or co-writes her own songs and is known for her sharp, literary lyrics.

Awards & Facts

Lorde has won 20 Aotearoa Music Awards, two Grammy Awards, two Brit Awards and a Taite Music Prize, and she has earned a Golden Globe nomination. Beyond her own records she has co-written songs for other artists, including Broods and Bleachers. Her labels include UMG, Lava and Republic, and she has been active in music from 2009 to the present.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Lorde's real name and age?

Lorde's real name is Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor. She was born on 7 November 1996 in Auckland, New Zealand, which makes her 29 years old as of October 2026.

What was her breakthrough song?

Her breakthrough song was "Royals", her debut single, which spent nine weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and won two Grammy Awards.

How many Grammys has she won?

She has won two Grammy Awards — Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance, both for "Royals" in 2014.

What is her latest album?

Her latest album is Virgin, released on 27 June 2025. Produced with Jim-E Stack, it debuted at number one in New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom, and at number two on the Billboard 200.