Lorde has emerged triumphant at the 2026 Aotearoa Music Awards.
Lorde won the special Tohu Tutuki o te Ao | International Achievement award, in recognition of her global pop superstar status.
She also won Best Pop Artist, despite facing strong competition from BENEE and Borderline.
Lorde wasn’t in Auckland for tonight’s ceremony, but she did send a touching video message for her Best Pop Artist win.
“This was one of my most challenging and most rewarding years so far, and it felt like it all culminated there at Spark Arena with you,” she said in the video message.
“I want to dedicate this to everyone who came to that show, you gave me such an unforgettable night,” she continued.
“I miss you so much, I love you, I’ll see you really soon.”
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In a separate acceptance speech for International Achievement, she discussed her family as well as her connection with her home country.
Lorde returned home earlier this year for her ANZ tour, where she enjoyed a special hometown show at Auckland’s Spark Arena in February.
“Auckland, you have fucked me up tonight,” she told the crowd on the night. “Thank you for loving me for 12 years.”
We gave Lorde’s Auckland show a rare 5/5 review.
“This was a homecoming — not just for a superstar, but for the thousands who’ve grown up alongside her. Lorde has soundtracked our coming-of-age,” our review read. “On Wednesday night in Auckland, she proved she’s not done evolving. And neither are we.”
She followed that up by announcing her departure from Universal Music Group (UMG).
“The truth is that a 12-year-old girl pre-sold her creative output before she knew what it would be like and before she knew what she was signing away,” she shared in a statement at the time. “I’m sure I’ll have a deal again, could well be with Universal, but I knew that I needed to take a second to have nothing being bought or sold that comes from me.
“When I see an opportunity for a clean slate, I try to take it,” she continued. “It does feel different. It sounds like it wouldn’t but that it really does. A feeling of openness and possibility and inspired, of course. I’m working and all this stuff but it just feels exciting to have I don’t know remove the container for a second.
“So yeah, newness is kind of a theme, a clean slate to open this newness. I don’t know if you saw my phone background that says ‘I have no master.’ But I’m trying to feel what that feels like.”
Away from awards season, Lorde is touring extensively across the world between now and October, including appearances at All Things Go Toronto, Mad Cool Festival in Madrid, Osheaga Festival in Montreal, and London’s All Point East. Check out her upcoming tour dates here.
