Stephen Presents: Lorde (Extended)

Summary

The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert

Episode: Stephen Presents: Lorde (Extended)
Release Date: July 11, 2025

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Introduction

In this extended episode of The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert, hosts Stephen Colbert and Becca delve into a relaxed summer conversation before transitioning to an in-depth interview with the acclaimed New Zealand pop star, Lorde. The episode offers listeners an engaging mix of light-hearted banter and insightful discussions about Lorde's artistry, personal growth, and experiences with fame.

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Summer Break and Personal Updates

Stephen Colbert and Becca kick off the episode by sharing their summer plans and adventures, setting a casual and friendly tone for the conversation.

• Stephen (04:28): "Evie and I are with a couple other couples and some friends on a catamaran. Sailing, sailing. You know, my brother-in-law is a very big sailor..."

• Becca (04:35): "Oh, beautiful."

The hosts discuss their excitement about sailing, enjoying leisure time, and the anticipation of their upcoming summer break.

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Introducing Lorde

Transitioning from personal anecdotes, the hosts introduce Lorde as a special guest, highlighting their previous interactions and teasing the upcoming exclusive interview.

• Becca (06:43): "But tonight on the podcast, we have someone from the other side of the world who's coming on the show."

• Stephen (09:10): "My next guest tonight is a two-time Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter with chart-topping hits like 'Royals,' 'Green Light,' and 'Solar Power.' Please welcome back to The Late Show, Lorde."

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In-Depth Interview with Lorde

The core of the episode features a comprehensive interview with Lorde, covering various aspects of her career, personal growth, and creative process.

New Album: Virginia

Lorde discusses her highly anticipated fourth studio album, Virginia, exploring the introspective journey that led to its creation.

• Stephen (09:16): "What's up is you. Because your highly anticipated fourth studio album, Virginia, comes out on Friday."

• Lorde (10:48): "I think of the process of making an album as going out on a quest. It's a real journey... the album is a byproduct of that process."

She emphasizes the significance of self-discovery and how the album reflects her inner thoughts and experiences.

• Stephen (10:23): "What did you discover?"

• Lorde (10:48): "I discovered that every answer to anything in your life is contained within your own body. It's already in there. It's like in your cells."

Navigating Fame

Reflecting on her rise to fame at 16, Lorde shares insights into how her relationship with fame has evolved over the years.

• Stephen (11:13): "You shot the superstardom at 16. How has your relationship with fame changed over the last 12 years?"

• Lorde (11:23): "I wield it a bit more loosely now. When I was a teenager, I tried to control it to a crazy degree, but now I'm kind of like..."

She discusses the challenges of maintaining authenticity and mental well-being amidst global recognition.

Fan Interactions and Personal Experiences

Lorde recounts memorable interactions with fans, including surprising appearances and impromptu performances.

• Stephen (12:25): "You have a Lorde-themed nightclub in Sydney. What was that like for them and for you?"

• Lorde (12:54): "I was quite shy... but when they started dancing, it was super. It was insane."

Another highlight includes her spontaneous mini-concert in an Auckland bathroom, showcasing her comfort in unique performance settings.

• Stephen (13:20): "What was that like?"

• Lorde (13:37): "I was in a toilet cubicle, and they all came in... I popped out and performed."

Encounters with Authorities

Lorde shares a tense experience with the NYPD during a music video shoot, providing a glimpse into the logistics and pressures of her work.

• Stephen (14:07): "You had a brush with New York's Finest when shooting your music video. What was that?"

• Lorde (14:24): "The Anti-Terrorism Unit was very intense... I had to leave and come back later to complete the shoot."

Ultrasound World Tour

Discussing her upcoming Ultrasound World Tour, Lorde expresses enthusiasm despite the demanding nature of touring.

• Stephen (16:31): "Do you love being on tour? Do you enjoy the process?"

• Lorde (16:49): "I find the tour fabulous... it's like being a little show dog. Fabulous in its own way."

She likens the routine of touring to being pampered and emphasizes the importance of a strong support team.

Overcoming Stage Fright with MDMA Therapy

One of the most personal topics covered is Lorde's battle with stage fright and her unconventional method of overcoming it through MDMA-assisted therapy.

• Stephen (17:32): "When you were younger, you had real stage fright. How did you get over that?"

• Lorde (17:45): "It's MDMA therapy. It truly changed the game on stage fright."

She explains how this therapy allowed her to bypass deep-seated fears and approach performances with newfound confidence.

• Stephen (18:04): "Do you then talk it out or just have an experience?"

• Lorde (18:55): "I'm a very quiet journeyer. You lay on a bed, you've got an eye mask... There's some talking, but it's mostly the experience."

Lorde underscores the transformative impact of this therapy on her public persona and mental health.

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Conclusion

The episode wraps up with hosts Stephen and Becca expressing gratitude to Lorde for her candid insights and sharing their excitement for her album release and upcoming tour.

• Stephen (19:42): "Well, it was lovely to see you. Thank you so much for being here, Lord."

• Lorde (19:53): "Thank you so much."

Listeners are left with a deeper understanding of Lorde's artistic journey, personal growth, and the experiences that shape her music and public presence.

---

Key Quotes

• Lorde on Album Creation: "Making this album is a period of so much discovery for me." (10:48)

• On Fame: "I'd wield fame a bit more loosely now... I was trying to control it to a crazy degree as a teenager." (11:33)

• Overcoming Stage Fright: "MDMA therapy... I woke up the next day and I was like, oh, it's over." (17:54)

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This episode offers an intimate peek into Lorde's life beyond the stage, highlighting her thoughtful approach to music, fame, and personal well-being. Stephen Colbert and Becca's engaging conversation styles ensure that listeners are both entertained and informed, making this episode a must-listen for fans of late-night podcasts and contemporary music.

Transcript

[Stephen Colbert]

Hey, everybody. Stephen Colbert here about to read the copy for our sponsor. This is from our friends at Wonderful Pistachios. And I was the wonderful pistachio spokesman for years. Yeah, I have a real close association with nut meat. Okay. You know what they say when they reach for a snack? Don't hold back. And that's exactly the approach with Wonderful Pistachios. The don't hold back snack. These little wonders are so tasty, it feels like getting away with something. But surprise. Each serving has 6 grams of protein and 0 grams of regret. That's right. No guilt. Just glory, glory in our nuts. Whether it's a satisfying crack of in shell pistachios, and that's capitalized in shell, or the smooth, instant gratification of no shells. No judgment. That's just it. Just eat. No judgment. I take issue with one thing. It's instant gratification. It's super tasty smooth.

[Becca]

It's a hard nut smooth.

[Stephen Colbert]

Exactly. I mean, even out of the shell, it's still a nut.

[Becca]

We can't disparage the nuts.

[Lorde]

You.

[Stephen Colbert]

I'm not disparaging the nut. I'm describing the nut.

[Becca]

Don't disparage any flavors.

[Stephen Colbert]

I'm not. I am celebrating the pistachio right now. I'm on board. I love pistachios. I love. I love crushed pistachio. Like a pistachio crusted trout. Oh, unbelievable. Instead of a trout amandine, a trout pistachio. Fantastic. Enough butter? Who cares?

[Becca]

Very good.

[Stephen Colbert]

And I love pistachio ice cream.

[Becca]

Have you had the sea salt and vinegar? Wonderful pistachio. It's delicious. I get em.

[Stephen Colbert]

I didn't even know I get them.

[Becca]

Before the softball games.

[Stephen Colbert]

But that's. You see, it's been a while since I've been the spokesman for wonderful pistachios. I didn't realize we'd achieved new pistachio technology.

[Becca]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

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[Becca]

That was a wonderful.

[Stephen Colbert]

I wonder what more there is to learn. We just told them so much. We just told them so much about pistachios. But evidently there's a whole other world. There's an unexplored vista.

[Becca]

They got a bunch of flavors. They got dill pickle, jalapeno lime, as we learned, smoky barbecue. There's a lot of different flavors.

[Stephen Colbert]

Wow. And I would not disparage any of them.

[Becca]

No, no, no.

[Stephen Colbert]

Bring it on.

[Becca]

Nothing bad to say.

[Stephen Colbert]

Nut me, nut. Nut me with nut meat.

[Becca]

We're nut.

[Stephen Colbert]

No, we got nothing but nut. Nutty, nutty, nutty, nutty. Talk about, talk about, talk about, talk about nutty. Good.

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[Becca]

Becca, Steven.

[Stephen Colbert]

Happy Thursday, Pod.

[Becca]

Happy Thursday, Pod. Happy July.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah, I hope your July's going well. We're recording this before our summer break.

[Becca]

Yes. This is something we do.

[Stephen Colbert]

This is the big summer break.

[Becca]

This is the big summer break. So we're here on the podcast because he can't be with you on the network television show this week.

[Stephen Colbert]

Two weeks. Two weeks. We're off. Where are you right now in the world? Do you know?

[Becca]

I think I'm in New York City. I'm back where I am unless I'm amazing person whisks me off my feet and takes me away. But I'm pretty happy to have some time off in my garden.

[Stephen Colbert]

Evie and I are with a couple other couples and some friends on a catamaran.

[Becca]

Oh, beautiful.

[Stephen Colbert]

Sailing, sailing. You know, my brother in law is a very big sailor and he's always wanted to get on a catamaran with us and like do like a little vacation. So we're doing that this summer. We're doing it one week. You know, basically going from locale to locale or just like swimming on the boat, like swimming off the Back of the boat.

[Becca]

Oh, my God. Awesome.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah. I'm very excited about it.

[Becca]

Yeah. Get some sea time.

[Stephen Colbert]

I've done some. Yep. I'm sea captain.

[Becca]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

Before. I've done some. Some big sailing before, but I've never done just pleasure sailing.

[Becca]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

I've done races, which I don't recommend.

[Becca]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

But I've never just done. Done this for pleasure.

[Becca]

Cool. Leisure.

[Stephen Colbert]

Leisurely sailing kind of sailing. I've done before. Like, liquor was not allowed. Oh, wow. Because it would be too dangerous.

[Becca]

Yeah. Because you're sailing and you're, like, catching fast winds. That's the point of racing.

[Stephen Colbert]

Or it's just, like, you're whatever wind you can.

[Becca]

Okay. Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

You know, and. And you're sailing 24 hours a day, and you can't turn prop. You only have to use, you know, you're navigating and sailing. And you. You know, you're working all night long.

[Becca]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

And you're only sleeping three hours at a pop.

[Becca]

Oh, wow.

[Stephen Colbert]

And you just for safety's sake, nobody can drink.

[Becca]

Wow.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah.

[Becca]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

No. Also, you can't come on deck within half an hour of sunset without a life preserver on.

[Becca]

Oh, whoa.

[Stephen Colbert]

In case somebody falls over. Yeah.

[Becca]

Okay. But this time we're chilling. We're having, like, a mudslide on deck. Is that the vibe or something?

[Stephen Colbert]

God, I hope so.

[Becca]

Yeah. Well, let's all hope. We got all the.

[Stephen Colbert]

I think this summer. I think this summer it's going to be tequila, fresh lime juice shaken over ice. I think that's what it is. Trying to be healthier.

[Becca]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

And someone told me that was a healthy choice.

[Becca]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

That's a person I know who looks pretty healthy, told me that's a healthy choice. And it may not be. It's my understanding that any amount of alcohol is just a death sentence.

[Becca]

Yeah. At least there's not a ton of sugar or something, you know? That's true.

[Stephen Colbert]

Exactly. My glucose isn't spiking.

[Becca]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

My brain is just dying.

[Becca]

We gotta be able to enjoy ourselves sometimes. Well, I'm excited. My dad's coming to town. He's gonna take me to Coney island, where he grew up.

[Stephen Colbert]

Fantastic. You guys go on the Cyclone?

[Becca]

Yeah, I think so. And, like, take me on a tour of, like, his old neighborhood.

[Stephen Colbert]

Oh, the old haunts. That's great.

[Becca]

That'll be fun.

[Stephen Colbert]

That's nice.

[Becca]

But tonight on the podcast, we have someone from the other side of the world who's coming on the show.

[Stephen Colbert]

Jacinda, almost.

[Becca]

That's the right locale. But this is A pop star.

[Stephen Colbert]

Lorde.

[Becca]

Yes, this is Lorde.

[Stephen Colbert]

Did I interview Lorde?

[Becca]

You are next week.

[Stephen Colbert]

Oh, that's right. Oh, I see.

[Becca]

This is a little far in advance.

[Stephen Colbert]

We've had her on before, but I didn't realize. I'm interviewing her next week.

[Lorde]

That's great.

[Becca]

Yes. She has a new album coming out. But she came on the show to chat with you.

[Stephen Colbert]

Chit chat.

[Becca]

Because you guys went to like a.

[Stephen Colbert]

Barbecue together at Jacinda Ardran's house. Like you do.

[Becca]

Yeah, like you do.

[Stephen Colbert]

That celebrity lifestyle. You're always eating sausages with lord over at Jacinda Ardorin's house. Yeah. Her husband, Jacinda's husband Clark Gayford did a grill up at their house. And there it's just buttered white bread with sausage on it. Like that's classic.

[Becca]

Yeah. Delicious.

[Stephen Colbert]

It was great. And I feel bad. I felt bad because we. I don't. I don't know. Oh. Because there's no poisonous snakes in New Zealand. There's no snakes at all, I don't think. And so we had that, you know, the peanut brittle jar with the springing snakes out of it. So it was just dumb. I was just trying to get somebody in New Zealand to open a jar of peanut brittle that had actually spring loaded snakes in it.

[Becca]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

And the only person I could fool into doing it was lord. And I still feel bad.

[Becca]

No, it was fun.

[Stephen Colbert]

It's good that she's coming on and talking to me because I feel like it's redemption or I have an opportunity to redeem myself in lord's eyes.

[Becca]

Okay, great. Okay, great. And we hope it went well. And we hope it went well. And it goes well. And is now going to be delicious for your ears.

[Stephen Colbert]

It will have gone well. Yes, it will have gone well. I love. And I love a kiwi accent. Yeah.

[Becca]

Who doesn't? Oh, my gosh.

[Stephen Colbert]

I love. I like how they say the word. Like an example I like to give is the word. The girl's name. Beth. They would say Beth.

[Becca]

How do they say it?

[Stephen Colbert]

Beth. I love it.

[Becca]

Yeah. Yeah. I can't do New Zealand. I always try to do New Zealand.

[Stephen Colbert]

Just say beef.

[Lorde]

Beeth.

[Stephen Colbert]

Beeth. That's right. Beeth.

[Becca]

Beeth. Yeah. It's so good. Yeah. All right. Well, this is lorde on the late show pocho. Thanks so much for tuning in the last two weeks.

[Stephen Colbert]

Enjoy everybody. We'll see you on Monday, friends and neighbors. My next guest tonight is a two time grammy award winning singer and songwriter with chart topping hits like royals, green light and solar power. Please welcome back to the late show. Lorde, good to see you again. Didn't they? Pretty great?

[Lorde]

They're very good.

[Stephen Colbert]

So lovely. Hey, nice to see you again.

[Lorde]

Nice to see you.

[Becca]

What's up?

[Stephen Colbert]

What's up is you. Because your highly anticipated fourth studio album, Virginia, comes out on Friday. This Friday. This Friday.

[Lorde]

This Friday.

[Stephen Colbert]

Okay, let's take a look at the COVID Here we go. What? Lord, what are we seeing here?

[Lorde]

You're looking at my pelvis, my jeans, my belt.

[Stephen Colbert]

So this is an X ray of you.

[Lorde]

This is an X ray.

[Stephen Colbert]

X ray of you.

[Lorde]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

And there's the zipper. And that is. What is that?

[Lorde]

That's a belt.

[Stephen Colbert]

That's a belt buckle. I thought you had maybe swallowed an ipod. I wasn't sure. I'm sorry. What was that?

[Lorde]

That's my iud, babe, right there.

[Stephen Colbert]

I would you. Right there. This is the most revealing and least erotic photo I've ever seen. The bones seem healthy. The bones seem healthy. Congratulations about that. Thank you. Now, fourth, you said fourth studio album. Every album must take, you know, a lot. I've never done an album, but, like, I assume you must. As an artist, you must learn a lot about yourself when you make the album. What did you learn about yourself doing this?

[Lorde]

You learn so much. Honestly, I think of the process of making an album as going out on a quest. You have this kind of. Yeah, you're sort of. It's this real journey. You sort of pick up these questions along the way. You're trying to really get somewhere. And for me, the album is sort of a byproduct of that process. Like, I make the album because it's a period of so much discovery for me.

[Stephen Colbert]

What'd you discover?

[Lorde]

What did I discover? Honestly? I discovered making this album that this is kind of deep, guys. Get ready. That the. I believe every answer to anything in your life is contained within your own body. It's already in there. It's like in your cells. That's what I learned.

[Stephen Colbert]

Wow.

[Lorde]

It's all there.

[Stephen Colbert]

Every question. Every question comes with its own answer.

[Lorde]

Yeah, it's all in there.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah.

[Lorde]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

You shot the superstardom at 16. How has your relationship with fame changed over the last 12 years?

[Lorde]

Well, definitely an awkward little age to get famous.

[Stephen Colbert]

Sure. Did you enjoy being famous at 16?

[Lorde]

Like, a little bit.

[Stephen Colbert]

Sure.

[Lorde]

I could have enjoyed it more, I think, but I think now I wield it a bit more loosely. I'm not trying to. I think I was trying to control it to a crazy degree as a teenager, and now I'M kind of like.

[Stephen Colbert]

How do you control fame? Like, you don't engage with it or something.

[Lorde]

Just like. I don't know if you're tight. This is my experience. I don't know if you. If you're tight about something.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah.

[Lorde]

That insecurity will just keep being shown to you until you submit as a famous person. Do you know what I mean? You have one thing and it just. You're gonna keep seeing that everywhere. If you don't let go of feeling stressed about that.

[Stephen Colbert]

Sure. And you're famous on a level that I've never been famous. Because you're famous all over the world.

[Lorde]

No, no.

[Stephen Colbert]

You're famous all over the world. I'm famous, but I'm famous. If you go a country like, where they speak English, but you're famous no matter what the language is. Right, Right.

[Lorde]

Wow. I don't know.

[Stephen Colbert]

Kinda like.

[Becca]

I don't know.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah, kinda. I love. I love some of the stuff that you've done with your fans. I love this. There was a. There was a Lord themed nightclub in Sydney.

[Lorde]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

So sick. And you showed up to the party and they were quite surprised to see you there. What was that like for them and for you?

[Lorde]

Well, I was quite shy. I sort of just stood there. I was like, is this right that I'm here? I kind of felt awkward, but when they cut tree, it was super. This is insane. Like, no one has ever had a better time in her life. Look at me.

[Stephen Colbert]

There you are. You're just.

[Lorde]

That's crazy.

[Stephen Colbert]

Just. Absolutely. And I see. What, were you afraid they wouldn't recognize you or something?

[Lorde]

Yeah. All of a sudden I was like, is this, you know, Are you gonna. Are you gonna cock me? I'm just standing here so quickly.

[Stephen Colbert]

I understand you also did like a mini concert in a bathroom in Auckland.

[Lorde]

I did.

[Stephen Colbert]

What was that like? Where were you sitting?

[Lorde]

I actually was. I was in a toilet cubicle and they all came in and then I.

[Stephen Colbert]

Into the cubicle.

[Lorde]

They were in the sort of general restroom and then they popped out and.

[Stephen Colbert]

Did they know you were in there?

[Lorde]

I think they may have suspected, but they didn't know.

[Stephen Colbert]

All right.

[Lorde]

But no, I like this thing of getting into these weird spaces. I think every space brings out a different emotion.

[Stephen Colbert]

All of us. And the acoustics in the bathroom must be fantastic.

[Lorde]

Sagacastic.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah. You had a brush with New York's Finest or the NYPD when you were shooting your music video. What was that?

[Lorde]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

Okay. And as part of it, you teased fans like, you posted, like, hey, I'M gonna be in Washington Square park, you know, later. And such a mob showed up that the cops shut it down.

[Lorde]

Yeah. We had the Anti Terrorism Unit.

[Stephen Colbert]

Wow.

[Lorde]

Being very intense and. Yeah. Telling me if I stepped onto the premises, I would be arrested for riot incitement.

[Stephen Colbert]

Riot incitement.

[Lorde]

Oh, yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

So you left.

[Lorde]

I couldn't show up for many hours.

[Stephen Colbert]

Oh, and so you came back later?

[Lorde]

I came back later. They said, you can go out. You have one shot at it. So if people don't. Yeah. Maybe know this. We were launching my first song for this album, but we were also shooting the music video, which would come out 24 hours later. So there was an edit that had to be gotten to very quickly.

[Stephen Colbert]

Sure. Not a lot of room for.

[Lorde]

A lot of dominoes had to fall. Right. For this to work. And the NYPD was definitely a spanner in the works. Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

There you go. And this is the actual performance right there. That is. Do you enjoy the New York City public spaces?

[Lorde]

Absolutely. I feel like that's why you live here, you know, And I really. When I moved here, I was a little shy about walking through. Cause this is the park by my house. I'm in this park.

[Stephen Colbert]

Washington Square Park.

[Lorde]

Yeah. Yeah. And I had a friend say, no, you know, it's about the public spaces. And the more you use them, the more chill it will feel.

[Stephen Colbert]

Do you get recognized everywhere you go?

[Lorde]

No, because I. I look like a rodent when I go out in the garden, so it's like.

[Stephen Colbert]

You look like a rodent.

[Lorde]

Yeah, I'm rodent mode, you know?

[Stephen Colbert]

Sure, sure.

[Lorde]

You know, rodent mode.

[Stephen Colbert]

Oh, yeah.

[Lorde]

You've got a rodent.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I feel like a possum sometimes. Yeah.

[Lorde]

But I.

[Stephen Colbert]

So hat and glasses and kind of hair, feeling a little ratty.

[Lorde]

Yeah, exactly. But I. I did make one sort of, like, fatal judgment flaw once, which was trying to do therapy in Washington Square Park. Like, on one of the beaches.

[Stephen Colbert]

Like therapy? Like talk therapy?

[Lorde]

Like therapy. Yeah. Like my therapist.

[Stephen Colbert]

Oh, on your phone. Oh, there you go. Yeah.

[Lorde]

Not a great place to do therapy if you're me, like, fully weeping, tears falling in the park. People like tapping me on the shoulder. Not a great. Haven't done that again.

[Stephen Colbert]

Tapping on the shoulder because you're Lord. Or tapping on the shoulder because they were worried about the woman openly weeping in public.

[Lorde]

Just a crazy combo, you know?

[Stephen Colbert]

So you're embarking on the Ultrasound World Tour in September. You do world tour? That's Amazon. That's a lot of work. I mean, do you Love being on tour. Do you enjoy the process? Cause it's a lot of work.

[Lorde]

It's a lot of work. But honestly, Stephen, I find tour to be so fabulous. Because here's the thing.

[Stephen Colbert]

You.

[Lorde]

I liken it to being like a little show dog. You. You get in your. You get in your car, you show up, jump out, they brush your hair, they give you this delicious little meal.

[Stephen Colbert]

Go out.

[Lorde]

You just have to do your little routine. They pop you back in the cart, you go. You know, it's wow.

[Stephen Colbert]

Like, you got a good team. That's what you've got. That's true. Not everybody gets a team.

[Lorde]

You don't have to do that.

[Stephen Colbert]

But I understand that when you were younger, you say, like, when you were 16, when you were first beginning to tour, you had real stage fright.

[Lorde]

I had truly the most horrific stage fright, really, since I was, like, five.

[Stephen Colbert]

Wow.

[Lorde]

Doing community theater.

[Stephen Colbert]

How did you get over that? Because that can cripple some people's careers.

[Lorde]

Totally. I'm like, can I talk about it?

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah. Can you?

[Lorde]

Well, it's MDMA therapy.

[Stephen Colbert]

MDMA therapy?

[Lorde]

Yeah. Yeah. Truly, like, changed the game on stage fright. Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

That's the chemical.

[Lorde]

I didn't know if you could say MDMA on Stephen.

[Stephen Colbert]

I don't. I mean, it's an actual, like, prescribed therapy under a therapist and everything.

[Lorde]

Totally.

[Stephen Colbert]

What has your experience been with that?

[Lorde]

Well, from what I have heard, some of these things live very deep in the body, and you hold onto it.

[Stephen Colbert]

The source of that fear.

[Lorde]

Yeah. You hold onto a response like stage fright for reasons that, like, no amount of kind of talk therapy or brain use could get at. But when you, like, bypass that and get to the body, something shifts. And that totally happened for me. I tried everything for my stage fright. I did this therapy, and then literally, I woke up the next day and I was like, oh, it's over. I know it's over. So.

[Stephen Colbert]

Wow. So are you sort of a different public person after having done this?

[Lorde]

Totally. Totally.

[Stephen Colbert]

Like, would this be as comfortable like, before you did the therapy? Cause you are super chill right now. Would you have been this chill before?

[Lorde]

No, no, no, I would. My spit would have been, like, wow, really thick.

[Stephen Colbert]

And so you take the MDMA and then. Do you then talk it out or you just have an experience?

[Lorde]

Well, I am a very quiet journeyer. I've been told.

[Stephen Colbert]

A quiet journeyer. Okay.

[Lorde]

You just, like, lay on a bed, you've got an eye ma.

[Stephen Colbert]

And how long does that last? Six hours. And the therapist is there for the whole six hours.

[Lorde]

The whole time.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah. Wow.

[Lorde]

There's some talking, but okay. Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

And at any point you go, I want to go for a run or something like that.

[Lorde]

Well, the funny thing about it is, you know, you do this therapy and it's very focused and you're kind of like really on task and then sort of get to the end and you leave the room and you are extremely high, you know, in a way that feels you're like, what am I supposed to do with this?

[Stephen Colbert]

Right? It's kind of, shall I build a boat?

[Lorde]

You've just been like, that's sick.

[Stephen Colbert]

You could probably. Right.

[Lorde]

Do a Molly vibe. Boat building.

[Stephen Colbert]

What?

[Lorde]

What?

[Stephen Colbert]

I have never built a boat on Molly, but I bet it would make it easier, you know? Yeah. Go with the flow. Well, it was lovely to see you. Thank you so much for being here, Lord.

[Becca]

Thank you so much.

[Stephen Colbert]

Thank you for listening to the late show pod show with Stephen Colbert. Just one more thing. If you want to of me, come to The Late Show YouTube channel for more clips and exclusives.

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