Lorde Talks Being a Famous Teen in Elle's October 2014 Issue

Lorde gives a fierce look on the cover of Elle magazine’s October 2014 issue, on newsstands September 23.

Here’s what the 17-year-old singer had to share with the mag:

On standing up for herself: “A lot of times when people meet me, they’ll definitely try to make me feel young or inexperienced. Like, ‘It’s all taken care of’. Teenagers are such a discerning group of people. They’ll immediately sniff out anything that feels contrived. I’m, like, constantly scanning myself to see if I’m some corporate executive version of a teenager. I’ve developed something of a fearsome reputation. People know that if you talk down to me, I will roll my eyes or whatever.”

On expressing her opinions: “People have told me that I’ve helped them feel confident, like they can say things they want to say. They can talk about feminism in class without people calling them a lesbian. That’s so amazing that I can make someone feel like that.”

On figuring out how to be a famous teen: “It’s very specific. I have definitely learned how to be flexible. Before, I would just be like, ‘F*ck it.’ I have such a strong idea of what is cool and great for me. If I think something is sh*t, I express that. But now the circle of people I work with all the time is huge and spans continents, and you have to be quite conscientious. So it’s, like, learning not to hurt people’s feelings. Obviously, I am hanging out with more people now who are not teenage; I’m in different circles. But I am a teenager. My brain is, like, a certain age. Everyone is talking about you. You have to learn not to care as much.”

For more from Lorde, visit Elle.com.

Also pictured inside: Lorde leaving her hotel in NYC on Tuesday (September 9) before taking the stage at the LAVA Lucky 13 Party At TAO Downtown.