Meet Lorde’s talented little sister Indy Yelich, who’s also a singer: she followed the ‘Royals’ songstress from New Zealand to NYC and has also published 2 books of poetry
Yelich grew up in a musical household, playing piano and clarinet; openly bisexual, her songs often touch on relationships and powerful emotional subjects
Earlier this year, Yelich unveiled the poignant single “Savior”, a raw and honest reflection on a turbulent past relationship marked by a painful power imbalance. Written on a rainy day with friends, the track captures the emotional unravelling she experienced when her partner, more a guardian and father figure than a lover, ended their relationship abruptly on Valentine’s Day as she was about to fly home to release her debut EP.
Born in New Zealand and now based in New York City, Yelich continues to carve out her own distinct voice separate from her famous sister. Here’s everything you need to know about the confident and charismatic musician.
Her life inspires her writing
Yelich told Vogue Australia in September 2022 that the words are always her starting point, which makes the music “very much my real life”. Apart from “Savior”, Yelich’s single “East Coast”, which was released last year, is inspired by a road trip along the Pacific Coast Highway with her friends. The song reflects her real-life journey of leaving a rocky long-distance relationship and reclaiming her sense of self.
“When I wrote it, I was going back and forth from east to west very consistently on a plane. Like, for probably about six months I had all my belongings in a little carry-on,” she told The New Zealand Herald in June 2024. “The desire to be young and free was just not what the reality of my life was and it was quite cathartic to write it.”
“I would rather go to space than end up cold in your arms,” she coos at the start of her debut EP Threads, singing about a love interest that once was. A louder and more intense song on the album, “Killer”, describes her embrace of anxiety.