Birthday Girl Lorde's Best Quotes on Fashion, Beauty, and Life

Happy birthday, Lorde! The New Zealand-born singer-songwriter (and member of the T.Swift BFF brigade) turns 18 today. There's no question that the Grammy winner is wise beyond her years, especially when considering her thought-provoking lyrics, her standout pipes, and her hauntingly unforgettable performances. In honor of Lorde's milestone birthday, we rounded up four of the star's memorable musings on style, body image, and life.

She Shakes Off the Negativity"I had a bit of a realization last year," Lorde reveals. "I was taking things people would say about me quite hard ... [So I decided] if something isn't making me happy or making me better, then it shouldn't be something that I'm thinking about. After that, everything was OK."

She Believes in Power Dressing"I love clothes and I love being able to wear something which makes people view you in a certain way," she says. "In particular, on stage, I think it's really powerful."

She Embraces Her Imperfections (and Wants Her Fans to Do the Same!)"As a young person who is obsessed with popular culture, fashion, and beauty, sometimes it can be a little overwhelming thinking about all your imperfections compared to these people who are flawless," she admits. "I think a lot of people believe that being famous makes you superhuman. I think the standards don’t have to be how they are. I just think about my girlfriends and how we all get acne. We feel terrible about it because we feel like it doesn't happen to anyone else. So I’m like, 'Look, it's OK.'"

She Stands Up for What She Believes In"I'm actually a super non-confrontational person, and I hate having to assert myself," she says. "I find it difficult and really awkward. But the way I see it is, it’s 15 or 20 seconds of discomfort, and then a product that you are truly happy with. Which is a lot better than being like, 'Dammit, why did I not speak up?' I just tell myself that the reward will be good, considering it’s usually just a small amount of stress."