New Zealand based songstress Lorde has revealed that young people are a lot smarter than they're given credit for because they're so exposed to the world through technology. 

Speaking to Canada's Fashion magazine, the 17-year-old superstar explained that teenagers are always online learning things or absorbing pop culture, which makes them more switched on and up-to-date:

"I think young people have changed the way we view pop culture… we now have this discerning power. We all have Tumblrs, we curate imagery every day. We can sniff out bulls--t faster.”

She also opened up about the women she admires in the music and entertainment industries, adding that she has always gravitated to ballsy characters: "I’m drawn to women who aren’t painted in history as sweet figures."

"Patti Smith was prickly. She was frustrated. She didn’t take people’s s--t. There’s no better music idol for young women, because there is a lot of pressure for us to be really positive all the time. Every photo shoot I do, I get asked for big smiles, and I shouldn’t have to be that way.”

Watch Lorde's GRAMMYs performance here: