Lorde Reveals She’s Now an Independent Artist After Her Contract With Universal Music Group Expired Last Year

After more than a decade within the major label system, Lorde has confirmed she is now operating as an independent artist.

The New Zealand singer-songwriter revealed that her contract with Universal Music Group quietly expired last year, marking the end of the label partnership that began when she first broke onto the global stage as a teenager.

That deal helped launch one of the most distinctive pop careers of the last decade. With the release of Pure Heroine in 2013, Lorde quickly became one of the most talked-about new artists in music, redefining minimalist pop production and youth-driven songwriting. The album’s breakout success was followed by Melodrama and Solar Power, projects that continued to push her sound and artistic identity forward.

Now, for the first time since her debut, Lorde is no longer tied to a major label contract.

The shift places her among a growing number of high-profile artists exploring independence after building their careers inside the traditional label system. For established musicians with global audiences, going independent can offer greater control over release schedules, creative direction, and ownership of their work.

Lorde has not yet announced whether she plans to partner with a distributor, sign a new deal, or remain fully independent moving forward. But the expiration of her long-standing agreement with Universal signals the start of a new chapter in her career.

For artists across the industry, especially those watching from the independent side, the move is another sign that even globally recognized names are reconsidering the traditional label path.