Lorde admits trying to tape down her chest to become a man: "The image scared me"

The New Zealand pop star's shocking experiment with changing her appearance left her deeply unsettled.

A Musical Journey of Self-Expression

Grammy-winning singer Lorde has been making waves with revelations about her upcoming album "Virgin," set to release later this year.

The 28-year-old artist, born Ella Yelich-O'Connor, recently sat down with Rolling Stone magazine where she discussed the creative process behind her new music.

One track in particular, titled "Man of the Year," has drawn significant attention for its provocative lyrics: "Some days I'm a woman/Some days I'm a man."

The Celebrity Gender Trend

Lorde's comments come amid a growing trend of celebrities discussing fluid gender identities, which has sparked debate across social media and traditional news outlets.

Fox News contributor Douglas Murray recently commented on this phenomenon, describing the non-binary identity trend as "look at me" behavior during an appearance on "Jesse Watters Primetime."

Many critics have questioned whether these expressions represent authentic identity struggles or are simply marketing strategies in an increasingly competitive entertainment landscape.

Birth Control and "Regulated Femininity"

In her Rolling Stone interview, Lorde revealed that going off birth control for the first time since age 15 was a pivotal moment in her personal journey.

She described the experience as having "cut some sort of cord between myself and this regulated femininity."

"My gender got way more expansive when I gave my body more room," the singer explained.

This decision apparently coincided with what she called her "gender broadening" – a sensation she's been experiencing since the release of her previous album "Solar Power" in 2021.

The Chest-Taping Experiment

While writing "Man of the Year," Lorde decided to physically experiment with a different gender presentation.

She envisioned herself in men's jeans and a gold chain, with duct tape flattening her chest – a common practice among some transgender men and non-binary individuals who experience chest dysphoria.

But when she actually tried this look, the results were far from what she expected.

The Moment of Truth

The singer revealed that when she looked in the mirror with her chest taped down, the image she saw "scared" her.

Lorde described feeling like "something bursting" out of herself – a visceral reaction that clearly unsettled her.

Despite her lyrical exploration of gender fluidity, this physical experiment proved too jarring for the pop star, revealing the significant gap between artistic expression and personal identity.

The experience became part of what she describes as an "emotional journey" in creating her new album.

Importantly, despite her gender-fluid lyrics and experimentation, Lorde continues to identify as a "cis" woman – a fact that distinguishes her from many celebrities who have formally announced non-binary identities.

She explicitly acknowledged her privileged position, stating: "I'm not trying to take any space from anyone who has more on the line than me. Because I'm, comparatively, in a very safe place as a wealthy, cis, White woman."

This careful qualification suggests an awareness of the criticism often directed at celebrities who appear to casually adopt identity labels while facing few of the real-world challenges experienced by ordinary people in the transgender and non-binary communities.

For now, Lorde seems content to explore gender through her music and fashion choices, having learned that some experiments are best kept in the creative realm rather than applied to her personal identity.