Little sister of massive pop star is now making a name for herself
Indy made her festival debut at BottleRock Napa Valley over the weekend.
And if that wasn’t already cool enough, she was doing so on the very same stage where her sister was performing later that same day (May 22).
Now, you might not have heard of Indy — at least not yet. But you’ve definitely heard of her multiplatinum-selling sister — Lorde — who was one of the trio of mainstage headliners (alongside Foo Fighters and Backstreet Boys) at this year’s festival.
After performing her own winning set, kicking off BottleRock Day 1 right at noon, Indy (full name: India Rose Yelich-O'Connor) stuck around the grounds and could be seen dancing, with great enthusiasm, to Lorde’s set in the evening.
In between those two events, this rising pop star from New Zealand — boasting a sound that would definitely appeal to fans of Lorde — sat down with me for interview in the media room at BottleRock.
We chatted about the music from her two highly enjoyable — 2023’s “Threads” and 2025’s “Fame Is a Bedroom” — as well has her love for the New York Knicks, her upcoming move to California, etc. Yet, the first thing she wanted to talk about was the word that is inked across my left bicep.
Q: Hey, Indy. Thanks for making time for me during your busy …
A: I like your tattoo — Grace.
Q: Oh, thanks. Cool. Yeah, my daughter’s name is Grace
A: It’s one of my songs.
Q: I know — I just heard you perform it live, like an hour or so ago, as you performed your very first festival set. How did you feel heading into this big debut — as waited in anticipation of playing this gig? Because it’s a really big deal.
A: Yeah, it’s a big deal. Honestly, I was nervous for a while. But I arrived yesterday (to Wine Country) and I was just looking out the window and it just looked so beautiful and it kind or reminded me of New Zealand. So, I just felt this inner piece. I woke up at 6 a.m. and went to a coffee house in Sonoma. It’s a very welcoming festival. And a lot of my favorite acts are playing. I love Chaka Khan. I love LCD Soundsystem. I love Sombr. I love Slightly Stoopid.
Q: And how about that act who headlines the festival tonight? You like her?
A: Yeah, I like her a little. (Laughs) She’s good. I am really excited for tonight. I have seen her a few times.
Q: Did it feel extra special to make your festival debut on the same stage that, some eight hours later, your sister would be headlining?
A: It honestly did really feel special. I think you just can feel so nervous going on a big stage. But you can just really do the best with what you’ve got at the time. It does take a second sometimes. And I’ve never played that big of a stage — you have so much space.
Q: You mentioned that this area — Wine Country — reminds you of New Zealand. How so?
A: Well, there’s a lot of greenery, farmlands, a lot of trees. But I’ve yet to explore. So, me and my best friend have the whole weekend and we’re maybe going to go see a vineyard and have some little dinners.
Honestly, I’m just excited to be back in California in the sun. Because New York — I’m a little bit over it for the moment.
Q: You’ve been in New York for quite some time now. Did you move straight from New Zealand to New York?
A: I spent a year in L.A and then moved to New York. And I stayed there because I loved it and I loved the way it made me feel. But I think that, you know, I’m 27 — there’s always a transition in some sense. I’m actually moving to California in a few months.
Q: Oh, yeah? Are you gonna come live in Napa?
A: Well, I’ll come visit. But I’m gonna be in L.A.
Q: I love L.A. It’s one of the greatest cities in the world. So, let me be among hte first to welcome you back to being a Californian.
A: I know. I love it. It really feels good. All the citrus — I’m obsessed with all the citrus.
Q: You started writing at a very young age in New Zealand. How do you feel like being a New Yorker has crept into your lyrics and your poetry?
A: Aside from my love for the New York Knicks … I would say that it’s really quite an abrasive city. Everyone’s really bold. You really just have to learn fast about who you are. I sit at a bar with a journal and life unfolds and it’s like really exciting to see what happens.
I would say that New York made me who I am, for sure, and I’m ready to explore a new, happier, almost like brighter version of myself in California now.
Q: OK, but before you do so, let’s move back to the subject of the Knicks, who I’ve really been enjoying watching during this playoff run. Are you a big basketball fan?
A: Big, big fan. But I’ve been a fan for about four years. I know my (expletive). I really do. Yeah, you can quiz me.
Q: OK, well, do you think they can beat either the Spurs or OKC in the Finals?
A: Oh, they’d beat the Spurs. But I think OKC will be difficult because you’ve got iHeart (Isaiah Hartenstein), you’ve got SGA (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander), Jared McCain from the Sixers. They’re all young and really hungry.
Q: Were you an All-Blacks (New Zealand national rugby team) growing up?
A: Yeah, growing up. But way more basketball. It’s the only sport I like.
Q: Let’s talk about your song “Idol” — which is one of my faves from your songbook. It’s obviously about your sister and I just have to think it was very freeing for you to be able to express all those thoughts and feelings about Lorde in such a way. I mean, your sister is super famous, right? And you want to acknowledge that and own that, but also sort of have your own thing too.
A: It felt incredibly cathartic. It’s my way of articulating how it feels to me.
I really love that song, and it’s kind of empowering to be like, “This is how I feel about it — next.”
I don’t always perform it — just when I feel like it. Honestly, I’ll skip it out on a set sometimes.
Q: Would Lorde be your idol if she wasn’t a famous pop star?
A: Yeah, definitely. She’s my older sister. We’re Scorpios — she’s two years older than me. Your siblings will always be your idols, especially older siblings.
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This story was originally published May 29, 2026 at 9:47 AM.