I enjoyed Lorde’s Teen Vogue pictorial and interview, surprisingly. I feel like Lorde was at her best last year, when she was a sh-t-talking teenager who would say anything about anyone. Then someone told her to watch her mouth and Lorde befriended Taylor Swift, so she went through a brief period when she was more cautious about her public statements. I think in this piece she’s learned how to balance those two instincts – hyper-self-awareness plus the typical teenage ‘tude. Anyway, I learned a few new things. Lorde claims she hasn’t cut her hair in seven years, which is… crazy. She also says she wrote “Royals” during a school holiday a few years ago. Here’s more from the piece:
Upon learning that Hilary Duff attended her show: “Hilary Duff? Are you freaking serious? Hilary Duff was there last night? This is what dreams are made of! Was she vibing it? Was she bobbing her head? This is the most insane thing that’s ever happened to me. That’s my childhood right there. Hilary Duff is a fan—that freaks me out!”
Her look: “There are a lot of expectations in this industry about looking a certain way and having a certain kind of appeal. I am feminine, but I really love dressing in boys’ clothes too. I guess that’s why I get labeled as ‘the grumpy girl,’ because I don’t play into that.”
Her whirlwind year: “Believe me, it’s not lost on me. This time last year, I had never put new music out.”
Her childhood: “I was friends with all the boys and kind of bratty, nerdy, and quiet. I was probably really obnoxious to hang out with.”
Her new stardom: “Living in New Zealand, you don’t get these experiences. I spent so much time in my room before. My life is so wild right now. For me to be able to do something I really enjoy and for that to get me out in the world—to South America, to here, to London—every day I kick myself, I’m so lucky.”
I love when Lorde talks wistfully about her “childhood” like she’s not still a teenager. As for her description of her “youth” – I get tired of girls saying that they were only friends with the boys and that they were nerdy and dorky and such. So many celebrities these days rewrite their childhoods with the same kind of language. You know some of them were actually the cool cheerleaders, jocks and popular kids. But I like that Lorde admits she was “bratty.” We were all bratty when we were 13.
Photos courtesy of Teen Vogue.
Ooooh I lover her to death…her CD rocks, and she can be pretty and goth and is always herself, even with that awful dark purple lipstick she sometimes wears lol. Love love love Lorde!
Oh, whatever. I was the coolest 13 year old around. Ha, nah I was pretty big dork that preferred books over make up and whatnot, so I’m sure I was a pain spouting off random crap to my friends that didn’t care.
I had no idea “Royals” was written because of a photo of George Brett, that’s pretty cool.
I like her and I really hope she sticks around.
Same.
I actually believe what she says here, but that may also be because I really like her.
I like her. And I actually believe her.
Lorde is still a kid. Come on, people.
+1
Yes thank you. though she looks far older than 17!
+1000 came here to say exactly the same.
so nothing has changed in the last couple of years.
I like her music, but dont get it twisted she does come across bratty lol
Love what u said!
She’s seems humble. I hope it lasts.
God they photoshopped the heck out of her face didn’t they? I saw her show and that is not what she looks like. Beautiful but not like that.
I get tired of “I was friends with all the boys,” too. I don’t trust women who don’t get along with other women, or who have to make a point that they were friends with boys, not girls. My best friend from 2-7 was a boy, but I had girl friends as well and didn’t prefer one sex over the other. I find that off-putting.
I wouldn’t say I don’t trust ’em but usually, when a woman says stuff like that to me, it takes about 2 hours before I know exactly why she doesn’t have (m)any girlfriends. There is a difference though between saying “I was mostly friends with boys.” and “I don’t get along with women, they’re too bitchy and exhausting.” The latter p*sses me off because there are as many cool women as there are men. If you don’t get along with all the “bitchy” women, the common denominator is you.
I couldn’t live without my girlfriends and I definitely have more female friends than male friends but I didn’t plan it that way.
Also, I find it surprising how many celebrities can describe their teenage or childhood selves in such certain terms. I couldn’t. I had no idea who I was back then and looking back, I’m still not sure. Neither do I know how others perceived me and I think my own memories would differ wildly from my friends’ memories.
Thank you so much for this comment, I really agree. Why is having guy friends cool? You never here male celebrities say, “when I was growing up all of my friends were girls.” People would find that to be weird.
Uh oh. I love my handful of really great girlfriends, but since day one, I’ve gravitated towards hanging out (platonically) with men. *hides under chair with my mimosa*
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. Some men—and not just gay ones—prefer hanging out (platonically) with women, so… *shrugs*
I have a few really good girl friends but growing up I had an older brother I idolized, so I tended to be friends with more boys than girls. It honestly made me value my girl friends more I think, because they were rare for me.
*my brother hated that I tried to hang out with him and his friends but he eventually gave up and started including me.
My husband prefers hanging out with women, I prefer men. He reckons it’s because my personality is more mannish. Any friends I have are close ones, regardless of gender. There’s nothing wrong with that.
Mind, Lorde is still a teenager. Her phrasing might just be because she’s young and hasn’t learnt to be diplomatic.
I have a handful of really good girlfriends who I have had in my life since Jr high and early 20’s but every few years i gain a few female friends here and there (via book club, zumba class, mutual friends) – we hang for a year, a summer – whatever and disband for whatever life reasons at the moment – moving away, having kids, working too much, etc. Usually one or two of the new friends stays in the background of my life – dinner once a year, facebook friends, birthday parties, etc. We just never got that invested to not outgrow each other or need each other. My male friends however are the majority of my friends and most have been in my life from either jr high/hs or early 20’s when i moved for college. We can go years without talking and then hang out 3-4 times a month for a few months. I think men make better friends sometimes because they don’t hold grudges – they don’t resent and there’s no competition. I missed a really good guy friends wedding because it was a destination wedding at a time when I couldn’t afford – heard about it once when it happened and it does not bother him at all – literally in 8 yrs have never heard about it. My close gf since jr. high still brings up how i was 2 hours late to her HS graduation party. You can dissapear from a mans life for years or vice versa a mostly pick right back up. Men are more forgiving of how you’ve changed, the different place you are at now. Some of my girlfriends, you dissapear they take it as a personal affront to their importance. They don’t take into account your life is different now. They see you as the same 20 yr old who they met.
Personally, I think you don’t have to talk or see each other all the time to remain close friends. If you need each other, you should be able to call and be there for each other. I believe solid friends are ones you can depend on, but can come and go to the background or forefront when life swings you two in different directions and that tends to equal more longevity with male friends over female friends.
Your stance on this bums me out, Goodnames, because admittedly, I *generally* prefer the company of men. I say *generally* because I do have a tight-knit gaggle of lady-friends that I couldn’t live without.
I can’t believe I just typed “gaggle”….I must be drunker than I thought.
Here’s the thing: I truly think the best conversations occur between the opposite genders because we don’t have the default topics to rely on like sports and work (for men) or shopping and relationships (for women). We have to be more creative and that allows for some really interesting and unique dialogue IMO. I feel like I’ve said this before around here…anyway, I love men. Truly enjoy their company immensely. I also grew up with a big brother that I was (and still am) EXTREMELY close to, so there’s that.
EDIT: Marie-I’m the same with the big brother. He was and still is my hero.
I’m extremely close with my brother as well, I think it’s the relationship I’m most proud of because we’re so different. (if that makes sense)
Totally makes sense.
This might be one of the reasons we get along so well.
Let’s hear it for big brothers!
Don’t be bummed out, anyone. I don’t have any problem at all with having male friends, or even mostly male friends, if that’s how it works out. Notice that all of you said you had close female friends as well. (Actually, one of you said you had a gaggle of female friends, but we’re chalking that up to the 7 beers). I have male friends, and my younger brother and I are very close. My problem is with women who say they are ONLY friends with men, and imply that they don’t get along with women because women are jealous of them, when the truth is women don’t like them because they’re a$$holes. To be fair, Lorde didn’t say that. Her words just reminded me a two different women I knew in my twenties, both of whom I couldn’t stand. So I soften or clarify my stance.
Clarification noted and I’m suddenly not bummed anymore.
I’m glad the women you describe here are not included in my gaggle of friends.
What?
I’m still hungover. It didn’t magically disappear.
Eh, I don’t know. I think sometimes “I preferred hanging out with the boys” is code for “I wasn’t a typical girly girl,” or part of the popular crowd. I’ve noticed among my sons’ peers in middle school and high school, there seems to be a popular crowd of boys (jocks) and a popular crowd of girls (cheerleader/dancer types), while other groups or cliques tend to be more co-ed. My kids are in band and music and the boys and girls mix like it’s no big deal (which I love because they seem more interested in true friendship than rushing into dating or sex).
I tend to think Lorde was part of that artsy crowd where typical gender roles didn’t matter so much. Maybe she connected with the boys on the stuff that interested her vs she has an inability to get along with females.
Yeah, I think I put words in her mouth.
I really do think there’s a difference between gravitating towards men (or it simply being coincidence) or deciding that all women are backstabbing bitches and therefore not friend material. The former is fine, obviously. The latter is … questionable. And to think that someone would eliminate a sex/gender as a potential group of friends is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard but also really funny in a way because these girls usually think it makes them look so damn cool.
I think she’s talented, but Lorde talking about her childhood reminds me of when my 3 year old daughter started a conversation with, “Mommy, renember when I was little?”.
I hadn’t really considered that when you achieve fame at such a young age you really do go from hanging out mostly in your room to having doors opened for you all over the world. Crazy.
She seems refreshingly self aware, I gotta love a teen who can readily admit she might be obnoxious! And I don’t think she’s saying she’s no longer a child, but just viewing her life now in terms of “before fame” and “after” vs. “childhood” vs. “adulthood.”
Great dialogue Ladies!!! THIS is why I LOVE clicking on Celebitchy! Informative, intellectual, honest, thought provoking conversations! Thank you guys…err girls;)!
I may the odd man out, but I think she is awful and irritating and horribly contrived. Her comments about being nerdy, and Hilary Duff, c’mon she is a put together gimmick pop princess for the girls who want to be more edgy. Nothing about her is groundbreaking and she will fade into oblivion as she lacks the raw power to make her anything besides a fad.
+1. Agreed. I don’t see her as self-aware at all. Contrived is definitely the word though as I think she’s trying desperately hard to create a certain image.
I love her and she looks beautiful!
I feel like Lorde has been 17 for 300 years.