Indie-pop singer and songwriter Indy Yelich is preparing to share a side of herself few have heard before. Her forthcoming EP, Fame Is a Bedroom, set for release on August 1, captures deeply personal stories of identity, relationships and growing up in the long shadow of fame.
Yelich, known as Lorde’s younger sister, took Gayety by the hand this week to reflect on what inspired this candid collection of songs. In an exclusive interview, she revealed that she composed much of the EP in real time, documenting experiences as they were unfolding.
“This is my most personal record yet,” Yelich said. “I wrote these tracks while living them. It feels like a sonic goodbye to big relationships and past parts of myself. Releasing it now just feels right.”
Sail Away: A Song of Queer Friendship and Lost Love
One of the most compelling tracks, “Sail Away,” delves into the complexity of a queer relationship that blurred the line between friendship and romance. Yelich says she drew on her own experiences—sharing beds, heartfelt conversations and an unspoken longing.
“It’s about someone I was very close to, maybe even in love with, and those feelings were never mutual,” she explained. “Queer friendships like that can be haunting. You lose a friend, a lover and a confidante all at once.”
Inspired partly by Chappell Roan’s Good Luck Babe, “Sail Away” explores the uncharted emotional terrain of female intimacy and same-sex longing. Through its haunting melody and reflective lyrics, the song captures the push and pull of bonds that are difficult to define.
A Bedroom Full of Memories
The EP’s title, Fame Is a Bedroom, echoes its intimate tone. Yelich describes the bedroom as her creative cocoon – a space for writing, crying, healing and self-reflection.
“My bedroom is where I do everything—rest, dream, talk on the phone. It’s private, messy and sacred all at once,” she said. “These songs are conversations I’ve had behind closed doors.”
Each song unpacks a piece of her story, from her first move to New York at 18 to coming to terms with her queer identity and navigating emotional entanglements.
Influences That Shaped the Sound
Musically, Fame Is a Bedroom features lush, atmospheric production guided by influences like Mk.gee, Holly Humberstone, Ethel Cain, Bon Iver, Billie Marten, Gigi Perez and Chappell Roan. Yelich aimed for songs that breathed – where lyrics and arrangement had room to evoke mood and memory.
“These artists inspired me to make space in my music for vulnerability,” she said. “I wanted the EP to feel moody, emotional and human.”
Queer Voice Center Stage
Fame Is a Bedroom speaks to queer audiences through its exploration of female friendship, longing and the evolving understanding of sexuality. Yelich, who came out at age 19, says her identity is inseparable from her creative expression.
“These songs are rooted in women’s lives—my own, my sisters’ and friends’. I often write to figure things out,” she said.
She hopes listeners will find resonance in the silences, the questions and the spaces between words—moments where identity forms and fractures.
Lessons Learned Through Heartbreak
Yelich says emotional honesty and self-awareness were essential to writing this EP. She credits painful breakups and friendships for prompting personal growth.
“Loss demands introspection. I had to own my part in letting go. Working on attachment and setting boundaries has helped me develop stronger relationships.”
On emotional boundaries, she admits it’s a work in progress. Communication and self-care, she says, are ongoing practices.
Growing Up as Lorde’s Sister
The shadow of fame has shaped Yelich’s life from a young age. As Lorde’s sister, she faced inevitable public scrutiny—search engines knew her address and her family biography.
“It’s weird to be a teenager with your life already cataloged online,” she recalled. “You learn to develop thick skin early. Fame opened doors for my music, and I’m grateful. Still, this EP was about being heard for myself.”
She acknowledges the challenge of carving a creative identity that stands apart from her famous sibling.
“I come from a family of writers. Music was always in me. Trusting my own voice—without comparison—became my North Star.”
A Farewell and a Beginning
Fame Is a Bedroom wraps up a chapter in Yelich’s life, offering a space to process and let go. At the same time, it serves as a bold announcement of her artistic independence and personal evolution.
With songs about codependency, heartbreak and sisterhood, Yelich has created a collection that is vulnerable, relatable and emotionally rich. Her voice, both lyrical and literal, asserts itself with quiet power.
The EP will be available August 1 across all streaming platforms. For queer pop and intimate storytelling that resonates with real lived experience, Fame Is a Bedroom is poised to be a landmark moment.
