Lorde’s New Topless Video Reignites Controversy About Her Gender

New Zealand singer Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor, aka Lorde, just posted a quick video  teaser on Instagram for the second single on her new album Virgin, which is slated for release in June. 

In the video, the singer appears to be looking at her breasts. We see her seated on a chair, wearing jeans, and nothing else. As she twirls around on the chair, and a slate appears saying Man Of The Year, Lorde, and the date 2025.05.29. In the comments she says: “M.O.T.Y. Tomorrow. late New York time. Written in blood.”

According to Billboard, Lorde announced that MOTY would be the second single from the new album. The first single, What Was That, dropped in April. 

The topless video teases the 2nd song on Lorde’s new album set for release in June

Lorde wearing headphones outdoors with intense expression, related to new topless video and gender controversy.

Image credits: Lorde

In another bit of promotion for the new album, Lorde is featured on the June cover of Rolling Stone. In the article she talks about many things, including how MOTY is about her own reflections on gender.

The article says “When Lorde wrote “Man of the Year,” she was sitting on the floor of her living room, trying to visualize a version of herself “that was fully representative of how [her] gender felt in that moment.”

Lorde in a new topless video, sparking renewed controversy about her gender identity and public image.

Image credits: lorde

She told RS that she envisioned herself wearing men’s jeans, with nothing else except her gold chains and duct tape on her chest. 

She said the tape had a feeling of rawness to it, “of it not being a permanent solution.” 

Lorde topless sitting on a swivel chair in a minimalistic room with large windows and scattered objects on the floor

Image credits: lorde

Coincidentially, or not, Lorde’s recent outfit at the 2025 Met Gala seemed to conjure duct tape, with the singer wearing a strip of strategically placed grayish material across her chest.

“Not a satisfying answer”: Lorde talks to Rolling Stone about new album, gender

Lorde wearing a sheer embellished top in a close-up portrait for a Rolling Stone cover photo shoot.

Image credits: rollingstone

In the Rolling Stone article she also talks about a discussion she had recently with pop singing colleague Chappell Roan.

Facebook comment from Kirk Michail expressing frustration with relevancy and mentioning making up false information.

Screenshot of a social media comment humorously discussing identity, related to controversy about Lorde's new topless video and gender.

When Roan asked if she is nonbinary, Lorde replied: ‘I’m a woman except for the days when I’m a man.’ I know that’s not a very satisfying answer, but there’s a part of me that is really resistant to boxing it up.”

“I don’t care what you identify as” netizens shame pop stars who engage in identity politics

Lorde wearing a gray strapless top and skirt, sparking controversy about her gender in recent video discussion.

Image credits: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

Lorde wearing a strapless top and skirt in a video sparking renewed controversy about her gender identity.

Image credits: lorde

Backlash to that specific comment has been stirring with some online saying she is gender baiting. 

“I don’t care what you identify as or your sexual orientation but using it to sell records is getting played out,” the Daily Mail quoted one person as saying.

Other comments were similar

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Lorde (@lorde)

“Lol American obsession with gender war instead of the economy” 🥴

And still others have been more conciliatory. 

“Rightwingers calling her woke and leftwingers calling her a queerbaiter is what i hate about this world. Everyone’s just hating for no reason,” one person said.

“Bro I feel like I’m not either sometimes and I feel like a lot of people have experiences like that but either shame themselves out of it and over correct or just don’t know that’s what they’re feeling. If that basic of a human experience is now associated with “the left” idk what to say,” said another.

Fashion, faux pas or freedom: people go topless for many reasons 

Close-up of a slim torso with duct tape used as a top, highlighting Lorde's new topless video and gender controversy.

Image credits: lorde

Going topless has long been a titillating way to grab attention, whether wanted or not. Beyoncé recently uploaded a photo of herself topless, resembling Apollonia Kotero, the actress who starred alongside Prince in the 1984 musical film.  The post prompted some to speculate on the style of her next album.

But other times, being topless is less than ideal. British supermodel Kate Moss has opened up about being asked to go topless for photo shoots when she was just 15. She recently talked about the incident on a podcast

“At a very young age, I started doing pictures topless, and I was very conscious and I hated it so much I would cry,” Moss said.

Lorde speaking in a casual cream shirt indoors, related to new topless video and gender controversy discussions.

Image credits: Rolling Stone

Lorde teases her second single with a short clip of herself wearing nothing but jeans

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Comment reading She can’t wear clothes with a profile picture of a person in a social media discussion about Lorde’s new topless video.

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