Singer-songwriter Lorde has chosen not to renew her record contract with Universal Music Group, she’s confirmed. In a voice note sent to fans, she said that she sees it as an opportunity for a “clean slate” that has her feeling “inspired”.
The announcement comes just as Royals, Lorde’s 2013 debut single, joins YouTube’s Billion Views Club.
Explaining her decision not to re-sign with UMG, Lorde suggested that, while there’s no bad blood between the two parties, she felt that the timing was right.
Article continues below"I have been in that contract for a very, very long time, in some form of that contract since I was 12 years old, when I signed my first development deal with Universal," she explained. "And I adore them. They're incredible people and I had an amazing experience with them. But the truth is that a 12-year-old girl pre-sold her creative output before she knew what it would be like, and before she knew what she was signing away."
Now 29, Lorde released five albums under her previous deal: Pure Heroine, Melodrama, Solar Power and its companion album Te Ao Mārama, and Virgin, her most recent record.
Where she goes from here remains to be seen, but Lorde seems ready to embrace the idea of being an independent artist.
"I knew that I needed to take a second to have nothing being bought or sold that comes from me,” she told fans. “When I see an opportunity for a clean slate, I try to take it. And it does feel different. It sounds like it wouldn't, but it really does. I feel a feeling of openness and possibility and I'm inspired."
That said, Lorde hasn’t ruled out signing another major label deal in the future, possibly even with Universal.
Her work slate isn’t exactly ‘clean’ at the moment, either – she still has seven shows left on her Ultrasound world tour, and is also booked in for multiple festival appearances over the summer.
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