Lorde’s new single, “Man of the Year,” is about as a raw as a pop song can get. It starts out spare and lean, the instrumentation kept at a withdrawn minimum to emphasize Lorde’s lithe, emotive vocals and she sings lyrics that roar with the empowerment of self-discovery: “Take my knife and I cut the cord/ My babe can’t believe I’ve become someone else/ Someone more like myself.” Before the track is over, the music catches up with the words. It’s cacophonous and riveting, recalling the triumphs of Anna Calvi’s tremendous 2019 album, Savage.

Lorde has been candid about her recent experience coming to a deeper understanding of her gender identity. Even without that answer key spread across the music press, “Man of the Year” speaks to that journey with clarity and power. Gender is a construct. Here’s the wrecking ball to bring it down.

Virgin, the new album from Lorde, is scheduled for release in June.