Lorde’s Mum Calls George FM’s Impromptu House Visit ‘Invasive and Upsetting’

Lorde’s mum slammed George FM’s Thane Kirby for showing up uninvited to their home for an ambush interview. Sonja Yelich took to Instagram to berate the radio host for filming her for his live breakfast show.

Sonja told her Instagram followers how Thirby invaded her family’s privacy with his attempt to film her famous daughter for his radio show on Tuesday. According to her, Thirby showed up at her front door while recording her for the show. Another man was videotaping her while he was recording the event on his mobile phone. She called the incident “invasive and upsetting.”

“He could see that I was upset and yet he STILL broadcast me live on his programme. It was his intention to film Ella,” she wrote, referring to her daughter Lorde’s real name, Ella Yelich-O’Connor. “This is an invasion of our family’s privacy and it is a pity that @georgefmnz has allowed itself to be part of and endorsed @thanekirby’s idiocy.”

George FM acknowledged that what happened was wrong, though it denied it was meant to upset the family. The station released a statement to apologise to Lorde’s mother.

“Knocking on Lorde’s door was an off-the-cuff moment of live radio intended to be light hearted and fun. There was no malicious intent, but George recognises the moment was inappropriate and ill-advised,” the statement obtained by the Herald reads. “Apologies were made to Sonja Yelich and her family yesterday, both on air and in a formal letter.”

This isn’t the first time the station has done a similar trick to interview Lorde. In 2013, it got hold of the 18-year-old superstar’s phone number and called her for an “impromptu interview.”

Lorde appeared to have no choice but to talk with the show live on air. “This is weird that you called me, by the way,” she said. Unfortunately for the station, the same trick doesn’t fly with Lorde’s mum.