Latest news with #Virgin
RNZ News
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Lorde on new album Virgin
This audio is not downloadable due to copyright restrictions. Lorde has a kōrero with Tony Stamp about her just-released album Virgin . Lorde's fourth studio album, Virgin, is out now. Photo: Supplied Featuring singles 'What Was That', 'Man of the Year' and 'Hammer', the album comes four years after the release of Solar Power in 2021. Gossamer textures propel the album forwards. 'Current Affairs' samples Dexta Daps' 'Morning Love' amidst cool, lush synth work and layered reverb-drenched backing vocals. The skipping beat and arpeggiated synth of 'Favourite Daughter' lend a playful air to the song, speaking to the the sonic fluidity and versatility of the album. Gender is a significant theme of Virgin , with Lorde describing herself as 'in the middle gender-wise'. The album cover features an X-ray of a pelvis with a belt buckle, zip and IUD visible. The cover's blue colour reinforces a theme of purity, an idea that prevails through lyrical visual snapshots like 'pure and true', 'broken glass' and 'Clearblue', titling the seventh track, an acapella piece just shy of two minutes. Lorde discusses the creative process of making the album and working with producer Jim-E Stack.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Critics call Lorde's ‘Virgin' both a ‘reinvention' and ‘a return to bangers'
Four years after her pandemic-induced pivot to sunshine and acoustic guitars on Solar Power, Lorde has returned with her fourth album, Virgin. Behind the scenes, the Kiwi pop star changed up producers, leaving behind recent collaborator Jack Antonoff, but the first reviews for Virgin are heralding the return of the old Lorde (in some ways, at least). Vulture's Craig Jenkins frames the album as a response to the release of Solar Power and celebrates its understanding of the singer's audience. More from Gold Derby Marge lives! Here are 3 other 'Simpsons' characters that returned from the grave - and 3 who stayed dead Fast cars vs. killer dolls: 'F1,' 'M3GAN 2.0' gear up for box-office showdown "Everything about Virgin, Lorde's fourth album, feels like a reaction to trials preceding and following Solar Power," he writes. "Virgin is rife with epiphanies earned in tussles with one's own established persona. But these cerebral dispatches realize their audience often experiences the work communally and tends to enjoy it most when accompanied by flowing synths and insistent drums. Pure Heroine and Melodrama left indelible marks on mainstream music; Lorde is instrumental to the 21st-century whisper-singer epidemic. Heroine's lean minimalism is one of many sonic precursors to the commercial breakthrough of Taylor Swift's 1989 and thus kin to its many scion. Virgin is a return to bangers." And while the sound may be something more akin to the tracks off of Pure Heroine and Melodrama, there's a strong consensus that Virgin represents a lyrics and sonic evolution for Lorde. "The result is nearly 40 minutes of undeniable pop bangers and jagged synth flashes where Lorde wipes parts of her past clean and makes room for the adult she has crystallized into," writes Rolling Stone's Maya Georgi. "Since [Solar Power], fans have clamored for Lorde to return to the swooping, alternative synth-pop that defined her early career, which means the stakes are particularly high for Virgin. She has answered the call with an album that isn't trying to capture something from the past, but instead leans into the chaos of reinvention." A significant element of the changes present in Virgin's lyrical content seems to be the natural passage of time. Lorde broke onto the scene with "Royals" at the age of 16. For those keeping track at home, that was 12 years ago. "You could call Virgin a coming-of-age album for Lorde's late 20s. It's as if she's finally realized that to come of age is actually a messy, lifelong process — that as sturdy as you think your sense of self is, it'll keep snagging on things that unravel it," writes NPR's Hazel Cillis. "As familiar as Virgin might sound at first play, the Lorde here isn't — and that's a good thing. 'Who's gon' love me like this?' Lorde sings on 'Man of the Year,' in the throes of a breakup. 'Now I'm broken open?' The old Lorde would never sing that. The old Lorde would never even let us see her break." While some critics, like Paste's Matt Mitchell, find the return to bangers as somewhat of a step down in ambition, the move doesn't keep Virgin from being a major piece of work. "Musically, it's the least-ambitious album Lorde has ever made, thanks to her avoidance of the big hooks and explosive resolutions that pop orthodoxy demands," he writes. "But, in an undeniably personal collection of songs full of clichés and gestures toward conversations around earthly desires, gender, and habitual living, it's Ella Yelich O'Connor's most important statement yet." And since this is a Lorde album — which is to say that it's influential — there's a utility in digging through Virgin to see where it will inevitably lead pop music for the next few years. "Obviously, Virgin is very autobiographical and a bit of an elaborate self-cleanse, but it's also the sound of a person in the second half of their twenties finding wisdom and themselves," writes Variety's Jem Aswad. "And judging by how often in the past few years she's been cited as a major influence by young female artists, it will be interesting to see how far this album reaches." Best of Gold Derby Billboard 200: Chart-topping albums of 2025 Billboard Hot 100: Every No. 1 song of 2025 The B-52s' Kate Pierson talks Rock Hall snub, influencing John Lennon, and fears a solo album would be a 'betrayal' to her band Click here to read the full article.
ABC News
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Lorde reborn
Lorde's fourth studio album Virgin is a rebirth for a generational artist still in her 20s. Ella Yelich-O'Connor became a household name as a teenager after her debut album Pure Heroine delivered a new minimalist art-pop sound with hip hop production and a persona of magnetic self-assurance. The albums that followed represented two very different coming of age moments – 2017's Melodrama and 2021's Solar Power – for a young artist confronted with fame. Now, after over a decade in the public eye, Virgin walks the tightrope between experimentation and hitmaking pop, metaphorical obscurity and confessional sincerity. Ella joins Andy via zoom. Composer Christine Pan's new song cycle The Parts We Give has already had multiple lives. It's being performed live this weekend with two singers (Megan Kim and Wesley Yu) who perform the roles of Jiejie and Didi ('sister' and 'brother'). But it's also a DIY video game. Producer Ce talks to Christine about how operatic vocals, glitchy hyperpop, and 8-bit gameplay can tell the story of love in a Chinese-Australian home. The Parts We Give is at ESCAC by Brand X in Sydney, 27-28 June You can play the game via Fable Arts here Music heard in the show: Title: Royals Artist: Lorde Composer: Ella Yelich O'Connor, Joel Little Album: Pure Heroine Label: Sony Title: Man of the Year, Shapeshifter, Clearblue, Hammer Artist: Lorde Composer: Ella Yelich O'Connor, James Harmon Stack Album: Virgin Label: Universal Title: Ribs Artist: Lorde Composer: Ella Yelich O'Connor, Joel Little Album: Pure Heroine Label: Sony Title: Barangaroo Baby, Jiejie (extracts from The Parts We Give) Artist: Megan Kim, Wesley Yu Composer: Christine Pan Development recording courtesy of the composer Title: Carpet Artist: Brian Campeau Composer: Brian Campeau Album: Brian Campeau Presents Jo Dellin and the Bone Spurs Label: Art As Catharsis The Music Show is made on Gadigal, Gundungurra, Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung, Yuggera and Turrbal land Technical production by Dylan Prins, Brendan O'Neill, and Roi Huberman
Hamilton Spectator
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
What to Stream: ‘The Bear,' Lorde, ‘Smoke,' ‘A Minecraft Movie,' ‘Nosferatu' and Nelly and Ashanti
The Jack Black-led movie phenomenon 'A Minecraft Movie' and Lorde's fourth studio album, 'Virgin,' are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you. Also among the streaming offerings worth your time, as selected by The Associated Press' entertainment journalists : All 10 episodes of season four of FX's 'The Bear' drop Wednesday, Nelly and Ashanti get their own reality show and Bill Skarsgård leads an update of the 1922 silent vampire classic 'Nosferatu.' New movies to stream from June 23-29 — The Porky Pig and Daffy Duck movie 'The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie' comes to HBO Max on Friday (it will also broadcast on HBO on June 28 at 8 p.m. ET). Reviews were a little mixed, but mostly positive for the full-length animated feature. Bob Strauss wrote in the San Francisco Chronicle that 'The laugh ratio is more hit-and-miss than in the tightly scripted shorts, but enough jokes land to satisfy most funny bones.' The film had a wild ride to end up where it was originally intended, including a theatrical release in December not from Warner Bros. but Ketchup Entertainment (who will also distribute the previously shelved 'Coyote vs. Acme' ). — Mariska Hargitay's documentary about her mother Jayne Mansfield, 'My Mom Jayne,' will also be streaming on HBO Max on Friday. The Hollywood bombshell died in a car accident at 34, when Hargitay was only 3. — La-la-la-lava, ch-ch-ch-chicken, Steve's lava chicken is now streaming on HBO Max, as is the rest of 'A Minecraft Movie.' A box office phenomenon with over $950 million in worldwide ticket sales and counting, this movie adaptation of the popular game stars Jack Black and Jason Momoa. In his AP review, Mark Kennedy wrote that 'the Jared Hess-directed action-adventure artfully straddles the line between delighting preteen gamers and keeping their parents awake. It's an often-bananas adaptation, with bizarre digressions into turquoise blouses and tater tot pizzas. It has Jennifer Coolidge being very Jennifer Coolidge. Need we say more?' — Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp and Bill Skarsgård lead the Robert Eggers-directed update of the 1922 silent vampire classic 'Nosferatu,' streaming on Prime Video starting Friday. Jocelyn Noveck wrote in her AP review that 'it will chill you to the bone' but that 'it may not terrify you.' Everything, she adds, in Eggers 'faithful, even adoring remake ... looks great. But with its stylized, often stilted dialogue and overly dramatic storytelling, it feels more like everyone is living in a quaint period painting rather than a world populated by real humans (and, well, vampires) made of flesh and, er, blood.' — AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr New music to stream from June 23-29 — What will the next era of Lorde look like? 'What Was That,' the singer's first new single in four years, recalls the clever synth-pop of her 2017 album 'Melodrama,' casting aside the folk detour of 2021's 'Solar Power.' The song that followed, 'Man of the Year,' is stripped and spare – just Lorde and a sorrowful bass. Who knows what will come next? Listeners will have to wait until Friday when she releases her fourth studio album, 'Virgin.' (Read AP's review.) — The 'F1' movie, starring Brad Pitt and Damson Idris, is quickly gearing up to be a summer tentpole. Naturally, the filmmakers knew its sound had to be massive, too. That arrives via a score by the many-time Oscar winner Hans Zimmer and a huge soundtrack releasing as 'F1 The Album' via Atlantic Records, the team behind the award-winning 'Barbie' album — with bespoke tracks from Chris Stapleton, Ed Sheeran, Myke Towers, Blackpink's Rosé, Tate McRae and many more. Learn all about how the soundtrack came together here. — On Friday, arty alt-rock legends Failure will receive documentary treatment in 'Every Time You Lose Your Mind: A Film about Failure,' available to stream on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+. The unorthodox and influential band finally gets their due in the project, directed by frontman Ken Andrews. And don't worry if Failure isn't a familiar name to you. Some of the featured voices in the documentary certainly will be: Paramore's Hayley Williams, actor Jason Schwartzman, comedian Margaret Cho, legendary producers Steve Albini and Butch Vig and many more participate. — AP Music Writer Maria Sherman New series to stream from June 23-29 — All 10 episodes of season four of FX's 'The Bear' dropped Wednesday on Hulu. Viewers will find out if Michelin-starred chef Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) can successfully run an acclaimed and profitable fine dining restaurant in Chicago. The series has led to acting awards for White, Ayo Edebiri, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Liza Colón-Zayas. — Jensen Ackles ('Supernatural,' 'Tracker') stars in a new crime thriller series for Prime Video called 'Countdown.' Ackles plays a LAPD detective assigned to a task force investigating the murder of a government official. Eric Dane of 'Grey's Anatomy' and 'Euphoria' also stars. It premiered Wednesday. — Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez's second shot at love didn't work out but there's another celebrity couple who has rekindled a past flame. Recording artists Nelly and Ashanti were an item for more than 10 years before their breakup in 2013. They got back together in 2023 and are now married with a son. The pair are the subject of their own reality show called 'Nelly & Ashanti: We Belong Together.' It debuted Thursday on Peacock. — Taron Egerton and Jurnee Smollett star in the new thriller 'Smoke' for Apple TV+ as investigators working together to catch two serial arsonists. It's created by Dennis Lehane and based on a true story where an arson investigator turned out to be a serial arsonist. 'Smoke' reunites Egerton and Lehane who worked on the Apple limited-series 'Blackbird.' John Leguizamo and Greg Kinnear also appear in 'Smoke,' out Friday. — 'Nautilus,' a reimagining of Jules Verne's novel 'Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas' comes to AMC+ Friday. It's an origin story of the character known as Captain Nemo and portrayed by Shazad Latif. Nemo is an Indian prince whose birthright was stolen from him and he's on a mission for revenge. — Alicia Rancilio New video games to play from June 23-29 — In 2019's Death Stranding, a courier named Sam worked to reconnect survivors in a postapocalyptic America beset by 'beached things,' gooey monsters trapped between the worlds of the living and the dead. Sam is back in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach , but now he faces a question we've all asked in the internet age: Was connecting everyone really such a good idea? The series is the brainchild of legendary 'Metal Gear Solid' mastermind Hideo Kojima, and fans know they can expect a complex story, flamboyant graphics and some off-the-wall gameplay ideas. (The original included a lot of walking and inventory management next to some mind-blowing boss battles.) Norman Reedus of 'The Walking Dead' returns as Sam, and yes, he's still carrying a baby who has psychic powers. Embrace the weirdness Thursday on PlayStation 5. — Lou Kesten
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Why Is ‘Lordeussy' Trending Amid Lorde's New ‘Virgin' Album Release?
Lorde's fourth studio album, Virgin, dropped June 27, but it's the vinyl packaging causing the biggest stir. The album includes an explicit photo that fans have dubbed 'Lordeussy,' sparking intense social media reactions. Lorde's new album, Virgin, seemingly contains a picture of what appears to be a body part that fans have dubbed as 'Lordeussy.' Listeners who purchase the vinyl packaging of the album will find a close-up shot of what fans assume is the 'Supercut' hitmaker's vagina, peeking through clear plastic trousers. The intriguing addition of the picture in Lorde's new album has started a social media frenzy. There are other visible elements of the album that appear to allude to the singer's body. The album cover of Virgin itself features an X-ray scan of what appears to be a pelvis with an IUD visible. Fans discussed if the new album, dubbed as her 'bravest' release yet, is also trying to reinforce its themes around female autonomy and reproductive rights. One fan opined on Reddit, 'Virgin is a perfect title for the album. The songs tell an uncomfortable and raw story about navigating body and identity issues all while relearning how to love yourself and others following the breakup of a long term partner. Lorde finds herself in a new body she hasn't figured out yet, but has learned to understand.' Another defended Lorde's creative choice of adding the picture of Lordeussy, adding on X (formerly Twitter), 'Just saw the Lordeussy and I don't get why people are so shocked, and it's creating so much discourse. Like, it's barely visible, and have they never seen nude paintings.' A third fan shared on X, 'Lorde shared her lordeussy with the world. Some people are uncomfortable. Clearly they haven't been paying attention to what she's been saying about VIRGIN.' Meanwhile, Lorde's fourth album, Virgin, contains a total of eleven tracks: 'Hammer,' 'What Was That,' 'Shapeshifter,' 'Man Of The Year,' 'Favourite Daughter,' 'Current Affairs,' 'Clearblue,' 'GRWM,' 'Broken Glas,' 'If She Could See Me Now,' and 'David.' Within a day of its release, the album has received rave reviews. The Guardian praised Lorde's 'act of consolidation' through the new project. The review stated, 'Lorde has reappeared because she's got something fresh to say rather than to reassert her commercial pop bona fides.' The post Why Is 'Lordeussy' Trending Amid Lorde's New 'Virgin' Album Release? appeared first on - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
