On Friday (June 26), Lorde celebrated the one-year anniversary of her album *Virgin* by doing what any reasonable person would do: dumping 49 demos, photos, notes, and artwork ideas onto her website under the delightfully medical-sounding page name "XRAYS." Because nothing says "I'm healing" like sharing the skeletal remains of your creative process with the internet.

In a lengthy newsletter to fans, Lorde explained that these raw tracks - which she calls "skeletons" of what became *Virgin* - are less about the polished final product and more about "the repetitions, the acne, the journey." She also revealed that the past year involved an eating disorder, a diagnosis of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), and a breakup. You know, just your standard pop star Tuesday.

Lorde wrote: "I concentrated on singing to myself the way I needed to be sung to. Gradually I put music and language to old stories I had been scared to tell. I purged them out of me and felt lighter." She also noted that making an album is "an absurd act" that makes you "tough to be around" - which is probably the most relatable thing she's ever said.

Other highlights from the newsletter include: wearing the same men's jeans and black zip hoodie every day, borrowing a bike, and discovering that her acne was apparently a "thick beard." She also name-dropped Charli XCX's *Brat* album, which she credits with restoring her faith in "music as a social technology." Because if anyone can make you feel like part of the human race, it's Charli.

The demos are available now on Lorde's website, with a promise to eventually upload them to a new platform called Lume. Because why stop at one platform when you can make your fans dig through multiple?