Lorde's "Man of the Year" Grapples with Power, Identity, and Self-Perception

May 30

Lorde’s new single “Man of the Year” is out now, offering another layered preview of her upcoming album Virgin, due June 27. Co-produced with Jim-E Stack, the track arrives after the success of “What Was That”, which marked a career-high streaming debut for Lorde—and set the tone for an album that’s proving both personal and sharply constructed.

Built on tight percussion and icy synths, “Man of the Year” is sonically precise, with Lorde’s haunting voice cutting through the mix in deliberate, almost clipped lines. There’s a sense of control to the track. Not just in the song’s grand production, but in the way Lorde delivers each lyric with a practiced calm, even as the words hint at deeper tension.

Though the title gestures at irony, the song takes a more introspective route. According to the singer, “Man of the Year” was written during a period of physical and emotional reset—exploring her current understanding of femininity, agency, and how identity is both projected and self-shaped. The music video reflects that same restraint. Stylized but spare, it keeps Lorde front and center, in focus, but never overly dramatized. It mirrors the song’s refusal to chase spectacle, instead allowing presence to do the work.

The single comes during a sold-out run of her Ultrasound World Tour, with multiple dates added in response to overwhelming demand in North America and Europe. From Madison Square Garden to London’s O2 Arena, Lorde’s return is commanding attention—but “Man of the Year” suggests that what’s happening beneath the surface may be just as compelling.