After 17 years at Universal, Lorde is now free – and opens up about how it feels. When new music is coming and where it can be experienced live in 2026.
Singer Lorde was signed at just 12 years old. It expires at the end of 2025. The New Zealander announced this to her fans via voice message on March 18th.
The “Royals” interpreter was committed to a major label for 17 years – starting with a development deal that she concluded while still a child.
She explained: “I had a wonderful experience with them. But the truth was that a 12-year-old girl was selling her creative works in advance, before she even knew what it would look like and before she knew what she was getting into.” She met incredible people and had them by her side. Now the 29-year-old is looking forward to a new beginning.
First of all, she wants a break where she doesn’t have to publish or sell anything. The artist plans to use this time out to gain new inspiration and create new creativity. “And it actually feels different… I feel a sense of openness and possibility, and I’m inspired. It’s just exciting to have the framework or something removed for a moment,” she said of her newfound freedom.
Return to Universal not out of the question
She definitely doesn’t want to give up her music career. Lorde can even see herself re-signing with Universal after she’s had her time to herself. Together with the major label, the 29-year-old had released all of her previous albums – Lorde holds no grudges – from her big debut album “Pure Heroine”, which includes her well-known hit “Royals”, to “Melodrama” and “Solar Power” to her latest record “Virgin”. She released this in 2025.
Her sound between electronic underground and pop mainstream made her one of the pioneers of electro-indie pop. She definitely developed further during her time at Universal. With her “Virgin” album, she showed what she had learned in a ten-year music career and combined pop anthems with lighter, minimalist songs in one album. She managed to find a mix of all her previous releases – perhaps with the intention of producing her last album under the contract.
Lollapalooza 2026 is the next date
Overall, the singer always takes her time with her music releases. Their albums were released regularly every four years, which is very relaxed given today’s release rhythms. Now it sounds like Lorde is aiming for an even longer gap.
It will still be seen live this year. She is announced as the headliner for Lollapalooza 2026 in Berlin. Lewis Capaldi, Pitbull, Ayliva, Teddy Swims, Lily Allen, Zara Larsson, Tom Odell, Zartmann and many more will also perform there.
