Lorde has confirmed she has been working on her next album.

The 23-year-old star - whose real name is Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor - previously delayed her upcoming third record back in October after the death of her beloved dog Pearl, but this week she revealed to her fans that new music is on the way.

In a newsletter to her loyal fans, she said: ''I started going back to the studio in December just for something to do, and to my surprise, good things came out.

''Happy, playful things. I felt my melodic muscles flexing and strengthening.''

Despite the current coronavirus pandemic, the 'Royals' hitmaker has still been working remotely with Jack Antonoff of the highly anticipated follow-up to 2017's 'Melodrama'.

However, she warned the new material ''will take a little longer'' to come out into the world as she wants to create an album which will stand the test of time.

She continued: ''Waiting, the thing that felt so pointless and annoying when I was young, is now this kind of delicious activity.

''In my opinion, the greatest treat I can give you is work that will last ten, twenty, thirty years. And that kind of work takes time.

''So if you can, I'd like for you to try tuning in to the time spent waiting for something of the highest quality to arrive.

''Enjoy the sensation as it builds. When the moment comes, our wave will crest super f**king high.''

And the 'Royals' hitmaker - who teased that her new songs are ''so f***ing good'' - revealed she is excited to be back on the road after needing time away from touring due to ''brutal stage right and having no fixed home''.

She explained: ''I want to be playing festivals again -- hearing my intro music, watching the band walk onstage. I want to devastate.

''I want to see a huge line of you outside my hotel. I want to hug you all, and hold your hands. I want to do interviews, talk about the record over and over until I know it inside out.

''I want to do photoshoots, make videos. I want to eat summer foods in beautiful countries -- ice cream and tomatoes and anchovies.''