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Lorde called her friends Charli XCX, Chappell Roan, and Gracie Abrams live on the radio – and managed to catch one of them mid-hangover.
While appearing on BBC Radio 1, the singer played a game of ‘Sitting or Standing’, where she had to call friends and guess if they were on their feet or sitting down at the time of answering.
Lorde called up Abrams first, who was confused upon picking up. “I’m standing, should I sit?” Abrams answered in a perplexed tone after Lorde guessed she would be sitting.
Roan was the next to be surprised with a phone call, and Lorde guessed incorrectly again. “I’m so sorry, I’m on Radio 1, I’m doing this horrible show where they make me ask this ridiculous question,” the New Zealand musician said. “Wait, so is this on the radio?” Roan asked.
Last to get phoned was Charli XCX, who responded: “What is happening? I’m lying down.”
Charli XCX then admitted to being hungover, as Lorde laughs along with her: “I’m so hungover. Oh, hi, everyone. I can’t believe I’m on the radio like this.”
Last year, Lorde and Charli XCX squashed their beef and reignited their friendship in the ‘Girl, so confusing’ remix, which came out as part of Charli XCX’s ‘Brat’ remix album. The reworked song first came around when Charli admitted Lorde served as partial inspiration for the original lyrics, saying she was “super jealous” of her song ‘Royals’ and its success.
This jealousy is what inspired the song’s pre-chorus: “People say we’re alike / They say we’ve got the same hair / We talk about making music / But I don’t know if it’s honest”.
A few weeks after the release of ‘Brat’, Charli unveiled a new version of the track, this time featuring Lorde. The track would feature a memorable verse from Lorde, who opened with: “Well, honestly, I was speechless / When I woke up to your voice note / You told me how you’d been feeling / Let’s work it out on the remix”.
Charli then said the remix was actually Lorde’s idea, recalling: “The day before the record came out, I left her a voice note. [Lorde] replied straight away and was like, ‘Oh, my God, I had no idea you felt this way. I’m so sorry.’ And then was like, ‘You know, maybe I should be on a version of the song.’ I didn’t even ask her. She brought it up.
“So much of this rollout was planned, but sometimes it was not,” she concluded. “Lorde’s remix of ‘Girl, so confusing’ is a perfect example. That wasn’t planned. It took three days total.”
In response, Lorde called working with Charli “such a huge honour”, adding: “I love that we truly did work it out on the remix. There’s something very brat about that, something very meta and modern. Only Charli could make that happen.”
Lorde is set to embark on her UK, European and North American ‘Ultrasound’ tour later this year. She recently promised fans that the forthcoming gigs “could be our masterpiece”.
Special guests on the tour will include The Japanese House, Nilüfer Yanya, Chanel Beads, Empress Of and Oklou, as well as Blood Orange – with Devonte Hynes featuring on the album – and co-producer Jim-E Stack. Visit here for North American tickets and more information, and here for any remaining tickets and details for UK and European dates.
Gary Glitter entered not guilty pleas on Wednesday to eight allegations involving sexual offences from decades ago.
The Rock and Roll performer, whose legal name is Paul Gadd, joined proceedings at London's Southwark Crown Court by video from prison and denied every allegation.
The charges include four allegations of indecent assault, two of indecency involving a child and two of sexual intercourse with a girl younger than 13.
BBC News reported that the 82 year old declared he was "absolutely not guilty" when answering two allegations before responding "not guilty" to the other six.
Judge Tony Baumgartner set the case to begin on 22 November 2027, with proceedings anticipated to continue for approximately three weeks.
Each allegation concerns the same person and relates to events said to have occurred at Gadd's residence in London's Kensington area from 12 March 1978 through 31 December 1981. She was reportedly between eight and 11 years old during that period.
The Crown Prosecution Service, also known as the CPS, confirmed the charges involving the former glam rock musician in July.
The claims were initially brought to the Metropolitan Police in January 2025. Gadd later faced questioning connected to the investigation in July of the same year.
The I'm the Leader of the Gang (I Am) vocalist, who became widely known during the 1970s, remained in custody following the court appearance.
