Activity 1: New Zealand Royalty

facts about lorde

Her real name

Let’s start with the basics here. No, this talented lady’s real name is not Lorde. It’s actually the exotic and culturally eclectic sounding Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor – her mother is of Croatian descent whilst her father is of Irish stock.

Her parents

It’s no wonder that Lorde has risen the way she has with such brilliant parents behind her. Her father is a civil engineer who actually used to employ her during school breaks. Her mother, Sonja Yelich, is an award-winning poet who encouraged Lorde to read a ton during her childhood. Interestingly, in this modern age of smart gadgets, Lorde’s parents barely let her watch TV, and when she was allowed she watched old classics like Wonder Woman, The Partridge Family, and Little House on the Prairie.

The place she calls home

Lorde really is the epitome of your everyday Kiwi kid who took the world by storm. She was born in Takapuna and raised in Devonport, which is a sleepier suburb of Auckland that lies across the bay from the city proper. Since becoming a household name, she has bought her own house in the area and, when not on tour, still loves to potter around picking up free furniture and knick-knacks on hard-rubbish day. It’s a day in the year when people get rid of their old but still serviceable furniture and stuff they can’t fit in their houses anymore, but don’t want to just throw it away.