The iconic singer recounted a conversation she had with Chappell Roan about gender identity
BY VIOLET NEWTON-WILD, IMAGE BY THISTLE BROWN
In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde opened up about her gender identity. She recalled a conversation with fellow musician and friend Chappell Roan, who asked Lorde if she was non-binary.
Widely recognised as a queer icon, Roan is known for her outspoken advocacy for LGBTQIA rights. From using her social media platforms to raise awareness, to dedicating her 2025 Brit Award for international artist of the year to trans artists, the Pink Pony Club singer continues to champion queer representation within the music industry.
In the interview, Lorde recounted her response to Roan’s question, stating: “I was like, ‘I’m a woman except for the days when I’m a man.’” Lorde said. “I know that’s not a very satisfying answer, but there’s a part of me that is really resistant to boxing it up.”
Lorde elaborated on how her understanding of her gender expression has “broadened” since a pivotal moment in 2023, when she tried on a pair of men’s jeans. This sparked a deeper connection to her authentic self, one that she had not previously explored in her music. While writing her new song, Man Of The Year, which will appear on her upcoming album Virgin, Lorde drew on that instance – wearing men’s jeans and duct tape across her chest – to express how her gender felt in that moment. Virgin, her fourth studio album, is scheduled for release on 27 June 2025, and is influenced by her growing sense of comfort and clarity around her gender expression.
This was not the first time Lorde had addressed gender identity. In 2022, the Royals singer shared a letter with fans, expressing a desire to explore the conventions of gender, beauty, and form and how those could be reflected in her artistry.
In the Rolling Stones interview, Lorde reaffirmed that she still identifies as a cis woman and uses the same pronouns but described herself as feeling “in the middle gender-wise.”
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