Renowned artist Lorde has recently shared her transformative journey regarding how MDMA therapy played a crucial role in alleviating her intense stage fright. She acknowledges that this innovative treatment has completely revolutionized her approach to live performances, allowing her to embrace her artistry with newfound confidence and ease.

In a revealing segment on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Lorde opened up about her long-standing battle with severe stage fright, a struggle that has its roots in her early days of performing in community theatre. When host Stephen Colbert inquired about her methods for overcoming this fear, Lorde candidly stated, “Well, it’s MDMA therapy,” emphasizing that this revolutionary approach significantly altered her experience of performing live.

Lorde elaborated on the effectiveness of MDMA therapy, highlighting how this treatment provided her with breakthroughs where traditional methods had failed. She remarked, “Some of these issues reside deeply within the body, holding on to emotional responses.” This insight underscores the complexity of emotional healing and the importance of addressing issues at their core.

The artist continued, “You hold on to a response like stage fright for reasons that no amount of talk therapy or cognitive strategies could reach. However, when you engage the body directly, a profound shift occurs. And that’s precisely what happened for me.” This emphasizes the holistic nature of healing and the necessity of tackling emotional challenges from multiple angles.

After exploring numerous avenues to cope with her performance anxiety, Lorde described the pivotal moment following her MDMA therapy session. She recounted waking up the next day and feeling an immediate difference: “I was like, oh, it’s over. I know it’s over.” This powerful statement reflects her newfound freedom and confidence in her ability to perform.

This revelation comes at a significant time as Lorde prepares to launch her upcoming album, Virgin, scheduled for release on June 27 through Republic Records. Just prior to this, she unveiled her final pre-release single titled “Hammer” on June 20. The song, characterized by its euphoric sound, was co-produced by Jim-E Stack and has been likened to Lady Gaga’s iconic hit “Poker Face” due to its catchy, electro-pop style.

Lorde describes “Hammer” as “an ode to city life and horniness, to be honest,” and has expressed that Virgin will delve into various themes including rebirth, gender, spiritual transformation, and bodily autonomy. The album boasts contributions from notable producers, including Fabiana Palladino, Dan Nigro, Buddy Ross, and Dev Hynes of Blood Orange, showcasing a rich and diverse sound palette.

In her journey of self-discovery and artistic expression, Lorde has been candid about how significant life changes have influenced the creative process behind the record. She addresses personal experiences such as discontinuing birth control, navigating disordered eating, and ending a long-term relationship. The rawness of these experiences is mirrored in the album’s visual aesthetics, which she describes as “clear,” evoking imagery of bathwater, windows, ice, and spit. This choice symbolizes her commitment to transparency and authenticity.

The eagerly anticipated album, Virgin, will be released on Friday, June 27, accompanied by a video for “Hammer” directed by Renell Medrano, which will debut on the same day, further enhancing the excitement surrounding her latest musical offerings.