Lorde Says This NSFW ‘Virgin' Song ‘Destroys' Her: ‘I Can't Even Really Listen to It'
Speaking to Jake Shane on an episode of his Therapuss podcast posted Wednesday (June 4), the New Zealand native shared that track seven — which is named after a popular pregnancy test brand — is particularly emotional for her. 'There's a song that I love so much called 'Clearblue' that is about unprotected sex,' she began, laughing.
More from Billboard
Everything We Know About Lorde's 'Virgin' So Far
Queens of the Stone Age Couldn't 'Over-Rehearse' for Paris Catacombs Concert Film: 'You Go Down There & All the Plans Are Off'
Billboard & Global Venture Partners Launch Billboard Africa
'And just the experience of taking a pregnancy test, and like, this flood of emotions that goes through your body,' she continued, noting that the track is one of several 'slammers' on the album. 'Whatever you want to say — it's such a moment.'
'That whole song just destroys me,' Lorde added. 'I can't even really listen to it.'
According to the pop star, 'Clearblue' is one of several songs on Virgin that features sexual content, despite the album's contradicting name. She explained to Shane of the title, 'It speaks to a sort of purity, but the album is quite sexual, so it wasn't sexual purity … virgin steel, virgin hair, all of these things that denote purity, but I'm also kind of always trying to take me to my teen self.'
Arriving June 27, Virgin will mark Lorde's first album in four years. In the weeks leading up to its release, she's been open about how the confluence of stopping birth control, recovering from disordered eating habits and embracing her gender fluidity have shaped the project's direction.
The album's subject matter and percussive, electric sound are expected to mark a distinct shift from the Grammy winner's last project, Solar Power, which peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200. That LP found Lorde singing about her gravitation toward a more peaceful, unplugged lifestyle after years of living the pop-star life following the successes of 2013 debut album Pure Heroine and 2017 follow-up Melodrama. But on Therapuss, she revealed that the concept of Solar Power doesn't really resonate with who she is today.
'I love Solar Power so much, and I truly needed to make it,' she told Shane. 'I wouldn't be here with another album if I hadn't made Solar Power, but I think it showed me that you sort of just have no choice but to be what you're supposed to be. Me sort of disappearing and being all wafty and on the beach, I was just like, 'Actually, I don't think this is me.' I just am this person that's meant to make bangers that f–k us all up … I love to vibe out. That is me to my core.'
Watch Lorde's full Therapuss interview above.
Best of Billboard
Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1
Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits
H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Elle
11 hours ago
- Elle
Selena Gomez Reveals Her Surprising Dream Wedding Dessert for Upcoming Ceremony
Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. THE RUNDOWN Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco got engaged in December 2024, but not yet revealed their wedding plan. Fans have been wanting to know more details about the upcoming event, and the Only Murder in the Building star finally shared some this week. On her Rare Beauty brand's TikTok account, Gomez shared some of her thoughts on the reception, saying she had some ideas for the dessert. Traditionally, a big wedding cake is expected, but Gomez has other dreams. 'My preferred dessert would be biscuits and gravy,' she shared. 'My Nana's biscuits and gravy. That sounds like dessert to me.' She also explained, 'Whenever that day comes, I do know I don't want a big cake. I think I'd want a mini one, for just us, that we can freeze.' Gomez previously discussed the first dance between the bride and groom on an episode of Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware, saying she was probably going to skip it. 'I don't think we're looking at having one of those 'cause they're a little—I feel embarrassed,' she said. But she was hoping to be escorted down the aisle by her grandfather. 'He never got a chance to walk my mom down the aisle,' she explained. 'I wanted to give [my grandfather] the opportunity to have that.' In July, Blanco discussed how planning is going on Jake Shane's podcast, Therapuss. The music producer said that they have both been so busy since the release of their album, I Said I Love You First. 'That's why we both need to chill,' Blanco explained. 'We've both been working so much. We got engaged, and then we were filming music videos for our album. Then it's holidays, then right after the holidays, we had to start all the promo for our stuff, do that. Then she left to film her show Only Murders [in the Building] and then I met her, then we hung out for a week, and then right after that, it's promo. And then I'm writing another book, so then I had to write a book, and then she came back for one day here. And then it was my birthday, and you know.' He continued, 'We're both working on so many things that we hadn't even had time to get into it, but we're so excited. I think this summer we're going to sit down and be like, 'Okay, what are we doing, hun?''
Forbes
12 hours ago
- Forbes
Travis Scott Reaches A New Career Peak
Travis Scott reaches a career high point on Billboard's Top Streaming Albums chart, where Jackboys ... More 2, his new set with Jackboys, opens at No. 4. PARIS, FRANCE - SEPTEMBER 27: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY - For Non-Editorial use please seek approval from Fashion House) Travis Scott walks the runway during the Vetements Paris Womenswear Spring-Summer 2025 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on September 27, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by) Travis Scott's new album, Jackboys 2 — which is credited to both Scott as a solo musician and his group Jackboys, which features several other rappers — debuts across in lofty positions on a number of Billboard charts this week. The full-length arrived with little warning during an exciting tracking period, as Scott and company competed against Swag, Justin Bieber's highly-anticipated new album, which also dropped with minimal notice. Jackboys 2 wins most races, and even on the rankings where it doesn't launch at No. 1, the set still manages to bring both the band and Scott to career highs. Travis Scott and Jackboys Hit a New High Jackboys 2 opens at No. 4 on the Top Streaming Albums chart, Billboard's ranking of the most successful collections on platforms like Apple Music, Amazon Music, Spotify, and others. That position is the lowest starting point for Jackboys 2 on any tally in America, and yet it's a special placement for both credited stars. No. 4 now stands as the highest that either Scott or Jackboys have reached on the Top Streaming Albums tally. Scott earns his third career placement and second top 10 with the collaborative project, which beats the No. 9 peak Utopia managed in March of last year. He also sent Days Before Rodeo to No. 11 for a single frame in early September 2020. For Jackboys, this project marks a debut appearance on the Top Streaming Albums list. Justin Bieber's Swag Wins One The Top Streaming Albums chart is one of just two Billboard lists where Bieber reigns. Swag opens in first place, earning Bieber his first champion, while it also conquers the Top R&B Albums tally. In most instances — such as on the Top Album Sales ranking and the Billboard 200 — Jackboys 2 comes out on top. The Biggest Album in America This Week Jackboys 2 is easily the biggest album in America this week, as it shifted 232,000 equivalent units between pure purchases and streaming activity. Of that sum, 160,000 are sales, according to Luminate, with much of the rest coming from tens of millions of plays on streaming platforms. The set manages to conquer the Billboard 200, Top Album Sales, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and Top Rap Albums charts upon its debut thanks to one of the most impressive openings of 2025.
Forbes
12 hours ago
- Forbes
Chris Stapleton Hits No. 1 With One Of Country Music's Most Successful Women
Chris Stapleton and Miranda Lambert's first duet, 'A Song to Sing,' debuts at No. 1 on Billboard's ... More Country Digital Song Sales chart with nearly 2,300 downloads. FRISCO, TEXAS - MAY 16: Chris Stapleton performs onstage at the 59th Academy of Country Music Awards at The Star in Frisco on May 16, 2024 in Frisco, Texas. (Photo byfor ACM) Chris Stapleton and Miranda Lambert are two of the biggest names in the country music world. Both have charted bestselling albums, scored numerous hit singles, and won Grammys, earning critical acclaim with seemingly everything they release. As collaborations grow increasingly important in the music industry, it was only a matter of time before these two singer-songwriters teamed up. Their first joint single, "A Song to Sing," has become a quick-selling hit in the United States, as their fan bases rushed to snag a copy of the tune once it dropped. "A Song to Sing" Debuts at No. 1 "A Song to Sing" debuts on several Billboard charts this frame, thanks largely to a very healthy number of pure purchases. Luminate reports that in its first tracking period, the collaboration sold just under 2,300 copies. That sum is enough to send it straight to No. 1 on the Country Digital Song Sales chart, where it opens in the top spot. Fourth No. 1 for Miranda Lambert, Fifth for Chris Stapleton Lambert earns her fourth No. 1 on the Country Digital Song Sales ranking as "A Song to Sing" arrives, while Stapleton collects his fifth. It's been more than four years since Lambert last ruled, with "Drunk (And I Don't Wanna Go Home)," her collaboration with Elle King, which reached the summit in March 2021. Stapleton last topped the Country Digital Song Sales list in November 2023 with "White Horse." Miranda Lambert Claims More Top 10 Smashes While Stapleton may claim more No. 1s than Lambert, she's winning when it comes to total top 10s and charting hits overall. Stapleton has racked up 17 top 10s and 34 total appearances on the list, while Lambert has reached the highest tier 22 times, with 43 different cuts appearing on the tally throughout her lengthy career. 'A Song to Sing' Debuts Across Several Charts "A Song to Sing" sold well enough to appear not just on the country-specific digital ranking, but also the all-genre list that's compiled in the same manner. On that roster, the two country powerhouses debut at No. 10, adding to their growing list of general successes. The collaboration also enters the Country Airplay tally at No. 20 and the consumption-based Hot Country Songs list at No. 30. For now, "A Song to Sing" hasn't been assigned to an upcoming album from either Stapleton or Lambert. It could eventually end up on one of their projects — or even both — but for the moment, it stands alone as a bestselling standalone tune.
