Lorde Is Officially An Independent Artist

Though Lorde summer never fully took off last year, it looks like we might be due for a redux in 2026.

In a Community note sent out to her loyal fanbase on March 18, Lorde disclosed that she is officially an independent artist. Previously, the “Royals” singer was signed to Universal Music Group (UMG), releasing her album Virgin under the entertainment company in 2025. “A feel a real hunger for newness, and I feel like a new leaf is turning or there’s a blank slate that has been presented. And I feel this way because at the end of last year, my label deal, my record contract with Universal came to an end,” she shared in the voice note. “I have been in that contract for a very, very long time, in some form of that contract since I was 12 years old when I signed my first development deal with Universal.”

“I’ve had an amazing experience with them,” Lorde goes on to say. “But the truth is, that 12-year-old girl pre-signed — pre-sold — her creative output before she knew what it would be like, and before she knew what she was signing away.”

The singer maintains she’s excited for whatever the new era may bring, even if it’s just temporary. “I’m sure I’ll have a deal again, it could well be with Universal, but I knew that I needed to take a second to have nothing being bought or sold that comes from me,” she said. “It just feels exciting to remove the container for a second.”

The news comes just one day after the Lollapalooza setlist dropped, wherein Lorde was announced as one of the headliners. Not-so-coincidentally, Lorde also revealed to her Community that her upcoming shows in Los Angeles will be the last of the Ultrasound Tour, leaving fans to speculate about a whole new show for her stacked festival run this summer.

Whether or not this means a new Lorde era is on the horizon still remains to be seen, but we’re here for it regardless.