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Lorde recently announced in an email to her newsletter subscribers that her unofficially announced upcoming album will be postponed because of the death of her dog, Pearl. She revealed that she had been working on new music in her home country of New Zealand, and that her adoption of Pearl in 2018 made her life “grow exponentially,” and he “brought an immeasurable amount of joy and purpose” into her world. He was also a muse for her — “he led me towards the ideas,” she lamented in the email. Unfortunately, Pearl suffered from various ailments in his life, and even with medication and help from specialists in October, he died after two cardiac arrests. Lorde called the loss of Pearl “indescribably painful,” saying that “a light that was turned on for [her] has gone out.” As she grieves Pearl, Lorde is asking her fans to understand that the release of her next album will be delayed.

Lorde’s statement has prompted many different responses on the Internet. Some of her fans empathize with her loss on Twitter and believe it will enhance her next album with more emotionally driven “sad songs.” Some find her reaction to the death of a pet overdramatic, and still other fans are unsympathetic because they want new music released as soon as possible. The majority of people, though, seem to be supportive and understanding of her grieving process, and many pet owners are especially empathetic, like one fan who said via Twitter, “my dog is an extremely bright spot in my life. I feel for her a lot and she deserves nothing but the best.”

Lorde’s open letter to her fans about Pearl is similar to her music in its honesty and emotional transparency. Lorde boldly bares her soul in this email, evocatively describing what her relationship with Pearl meant to her. While this honesty is partly what prompted some of the aforementioned negative reactions, it is also what makes her such a relatable and captivating artist. Without debilitating fear that her loss was insignificant compared to other losses, or that her fans would be disappointed by the album delay, she articulated her current heartbreak with commendable candor. She is ultimately helping to perpetuate a culture of empathy and emotional literacy in our society, especially among celebrities, whose lives are often viewed as perfect and transcendent of negative emotions.

“So I’m asking for your patience, as 2020 rolls around and you start to wonder where the next record is. I have lost my boy, and I need some time to see the good again, to finish making this for you,” she wrote at the end of her email. She continued by saying that she needs to let the loss “crystallize” inside of her. Considering her heartfelt description of the important role Pearl played in her personal and creative ventures, the delay of her next album is understandable. It’s safe to say that as long as Lorde remains her earnest and vulnerable self, it’s more than likely that her true fans will allow her all the time she needs to heal and create again.