Lorde Just Entered Her Most Raw Era Yet — And She’s Not Holding Anything Back

May 30, 2025

Lorde is back, baring it all — emotionally, artistically, and literally — in the video for her new single “Man of the Year”, and it’s possibly the most unfiltered we’ve ever seen her.

The haunting, stripped-back visual opens with a close-up of her face before slowly revealing the 28-year-old singer removing her shirt and binding her chest with duct tape, raw and unflinching. As the camera pulls back, Lorde walks across a minimalist, gallery-like space — bare-chested and barefoot — to a floor covered in soil. What follows is a visceral final minute: Lorde throwing dirt, contorting her body, and dancing like she’s exorcising every version of herself she’s ever been.

“Swish mouthwash, jerk off, ah, days go by in a haze, stay up and sleep late,” she sings — lyrics that feel messy, human, and painfully relatable.

The video ends with her collapsed in the dirt, curled into a fetal position, breathing heavy. No cuts. No glam. Just Lorde — in transition, in process, in whatever this chapter of her life is.

In her recent Rolling Stone cover story, Lorde revealed that the song came out of a period where she stopped taking birth control, was diagnosed with premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and was deeply questioning her gender identity. She described trying to “visualize a version of herself that felt real” — and what she saw was “men’s jeans, gold chain, and duct tape.” The tape had this feeling of rawness to it,” she told Rolling Stone, “of it not being a permanent solution.”

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And this isn’t just a music video drop — it’s a whole Lorde cultural reset. After teasing “Man of the Year” with an actual surprise performance in a YMCA bathroom (yes, really), she popped out to perform an intimate set for fans in Auckland Central. Attendees walked away with limited-edition paper towel prints of her upcoming album Virgin — a literal souvenir from a moment that already feels iconic.

The new track follows her previous single “What Was That”, which she debuted in NYC’s Washington Square Park back in April. The unannounced performance gathered such a huge crowd the police shut it down — only for her to pull up again later that night and do it anyway. Chaos queen behavior. 💅

Both singles will be featured on Lorde’s upcoming album Virgin, dropping June 27th — and based on the first two tracks, we’re in for a soul-shattering, gender-exploring, post-pop opus.

Lorde is no longer whispering in pastels. She’s screaming in duct tape and dirt — and honestly, we’ve never felt more seen. 🖤

Written by: MJ