The Lord Reflects on Past Issues with Body Image: ‘Every Bite of Food Felt Like a Theft’

Body Image Journey

Lorde discussed her past struggles with body image and how she embraces herself in this new phase of her life.

In a recent interview with Documents magazine, the Kiwi pop star spoke about her return with the first single in four years: “What it was.” This track offers the first glimpse of her fourth Virgin album, set to release on June 27.

• Read more: “What Was It” by Lorde takes us back to the dance floor for another emotional, electric journey

Lorde reflected on her emotions and experiences while creating her previous record, “Sunny Force,” released in 2021. Recalling that summer, she told The Outlet: “It felt like, ‘Well, we’re back here, and everything is fine!’ – but it just wasn’t.”

“I was still in the midst of the process, and layers of grief would emerge. There was such collective anger, and many wounds surfaced.”

Reflecting on her relationship with her appearance at that time, Lorde added, “I made my body very small, thinking that’s what one did as a woman to be perceived seriously. I thought: ‘I’m small. This will show people that I take my position seriously.’ This led me to realize that I was not completely healed.”

She continued, “I felt very weak. Now, looking back, I don’t feel that way at all. I eat as much as I want and need now. I’m more embodied.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1upozpmbm9y

Explaining her newfound positivity about her body and how she overcame these issues, Lorde said, “It was like: ‘I’m not going to release anything while I’m not in my body, as I know how I should be to perform my job.’”

“What I’ve done over the past four years has mainly been about fully embracing my body and feeling the fullness of my strength. It’s so cool to return to this place, like opening a portal and shedding weight.”

She added, “I feel like myself. All these parts of me are represented in different ways. I’m not hiding from myself. I don’t sneak home (…), but being on stage at Coachella felt like the first day of high school when you think, ‘This outfit is amazing; I love how I look.’”

Lorde told the interviewer that she “just felt like me” when she performed the “girl” remix with Charlie XCX at the festival last month.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smw2fq-0cl0

Experiences in the Spotlight

In 2021, Lorde spoke about body image and the scrutiny pop stars face. “I didn’t want people commenting on how my body looked. I was a kid,” she recalled about her early years in the limelight. “And I really wasn’t in my body. As a teenager, it felt like wearing an outfit that didn’t fit.”

She added, “The way my body looks is not something I think should be a center of curiosity. I believe that’s partly rooted in the insecurities I had as a teen. So yes – I feel good, and I do it for my future self.”

In an interview with NME in 2017, Lorde reflected on the impact of her debut single “Royals” in 2013: “It shook my foundations and could have messed me up, you know? I remember being acutely aware of my appearance and body after that.”

“I recall all these kids on the internet saying, ‘Fuck her, she has strange eyes,’ and I thought, ‘Wow! This is just odd.’”

Lorde’s fourth album, “Virgin,” was co-produced by the singer alongside Jim-E Stack, with contributions from Fabiana Palladino, Andrew Aged, Buddy Ross, Dan Nigro, and Devonté Hynes of Blood Orange.

Regarding the inspiration for the project, Lorde stated: “The album’s color is clear. Like bathwater, windows, ice, spit. Complete transparency. The language is simple and not overcomplicated. The sounds aim for the same clarity. I strived to see myself completely.”

“I aimed to create a document reflecting my femininity: raw, primary, innocent, elegant, open, spiritual, and unmasked. I’m proud and afraid of this album. There’s nowhere to hide. I believe that introducing ourselves to music is what liberates us.”

Since then, she has discussed how collaborating with Charlie XCX influenced the record, while fans have responded to the intriguing cover of Lorde’s upcoming album.

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