Lorde thinks combating climate change will be the “fight that defines [her] life”.

The 24-year-old singer declined to release her new album ‘Solar Power’ on CD as part of her commitment to saving the planet and hopes the move will encourage others to think differently.

She told Variety’s Power of Women issue: “The fight to keep carbon dioxide below a certain level in our atmosphere, to keep our planet livable, is going to be the fight that defines my life.

“[I hope I can help] people think differently about the act of buying something [and] the act of disposing of something.

“I try to question the systems that are in place in my job.”

Lorde recalled how her last tour made her realize the environmental impact of her job.

She said: “I would see mountains of wasted food or plastic cups after the show.”

And the ‘Green Light’ singer discovered a “newfound appreciation” for nature in her New Zealand homeland when she came off the road.

She said: “The purity of being outside was really magical to me. It felt like all the answers were out there, like I could be healed by the natural world.”

For her new album, Lorde envisioned a utopia called the Island that would allow for escapism.

She said: “Our society is asking more and more of people in a way that is driving them to the brink.

“I wanted to create a zone where that wasn’t the case.

“Nothing about the record was a conscious choice. I was in a state of mind that required a different sonic palette.”

Meanwhile, the ‘Royals’ hitmaker prides herself on being a “really good producer” and things education on the technical aspects would empower more young women in the music industry.

She said: “So much could come of teaching women how to produce and how to use technical equipment.

“Women need to be valued for not just the emotional nuance they bring to songwriting, but also technical skills.”