Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor, known professionally as Lorde ( LORD), is a New Zealand singer-songwriter. She is known for her unconventional style of pop music and introspective songwriting.
Lorde first gained recognition as a teenager during a talent show performance. She signed with Universal Music Group (UMG) in 2009 and began collaborating with producer Joel Little in 2011. Their first effort, an extended play (EP) titled The Love Club EP, was self-released in 2012 for free download on SoundCloud before it was commercially released in 2013. Its single "Royals" topped charts in multiple regions and spent nine weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. It sold 10 million units worldwide, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time. Her debut studio album, Pure Heroine, was released that same year to critical and commercial success.