What if Lorde Was One of Us? - ELLE 

Tank and leggings by Gucci. Bra by Carine Gilson. Shorts by Grlfrnd Denim. Necklace by Cartier. Rings by David Yurman. Ring by Tiffany & Co.

After four long years, pop savior Lorde has soared back onto the charts with a new adult perspective, an experimental sound, and a sophomore effort guaranteed to put all one-album-wonder doubts to rest, once and for all.

For ELLE\'s June Women in Music issue, on stands now, Lorde talks breakdowns, her new sound, and exactly what she\'ll be doing for the next two years.

of the cover story photographed by Mark Seliger, styled by Samira Nasr, and written by Lizzy Goodman.

"Everyone\'s making music in L.A. now—which is great if you aren\'t the shyest, most introverted nerd. I found it a little too social. I made my first record in New Zealand with very little discourse—I was just my own unit. In L.A., it\'s very, \'Oh, what project are you working on?\' I was like, \'I need to be out of this.\'"

How she balances her celebrity status and personal creative process:

"New Zealand. That\'s why I am so passionate about going home. Most of my friends are people I knew before I was famous. I\'m very thankful that I never feel like the smartest person in the room, or the coolest person in the room, or the funniest. When I\'m there, I\'m just there. People forget that I\'ve done anything. They say, \'Ella\'s this weird old dowager with a nice house.\'"

Photos by Mark Seliger. Styled by Samira Nasr.

Have thoughts on this story? Email elleletters@hearst.com.

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