It’s the biggest confirmation you’ve made it in the music industry, and even more of a coup when it happens the week before music’s most prestigious awards. Kiwi singer Lorde, real name Ella Yelich-O’Connor, has made her debut on the cover of US music bible Rolling Stone – touted as the girl who broke all the rules to achieve global success with her song Royals.
But the 17-year-old Auckland resident has had to pinch herself – registering her shock on her Twitter account.
“I have to keep reminding myself that this is my life,” she wrote. “This month’s Rolling Stone cover girl: yours truly.”
In the article, Lorde talks about her love of Phil Collins and Kanye West, and how buddy Taylor Swift sent her a bunch of roses when Royals hit number one in the US.
Lorde, whose mum Sonja Yelich is a poet and dad Vic O’Connor is a civil engineer, also explains what drives her.
“I’ve totally learned in this process that 99% of the time, your gut is right, and you know what’s right for you,” she says.
“I know exactly what’s right for my career and for my art, and sometimes, even if the whole room is saying, ‘don’t do that, don’t do that,’ you know doing that is going to be good for you, in the long run.”
Even before next week’s Grammys, where she has been nominated for four awards, 2014 has already been massive for Lorde. Named as a headliner for US music festival Coachella, she’s also sold out an entire US tour in March – an almost unheard of feat for an artist who’s been around for less than a year, let alone one who still lives at home with her parents.
She’s also performing at the Grammys, which she’ll be attending alongside co-writer Joel Little, who’s been nominated for three awards.
Kiwis will now get to see the awards live after TVNZ reversed its decision to delay coverage by seven hours.
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