Lorde responds to outrage over Instagram post of bathtub alongside Whitney Houston quote

'I hadn’t even put this together, I was just excited to take a bath'

(Getty Images)

Lorde has apologised after posting an image of a bathtub to Instagram alongside a reference to Whitney Houston.

The 21-year-old shared the photo of a filled bath captioned “And iiii will always love you,” the chorus from Houston’s song ‘I Will Always Love You’.

Houston died aged 48 from accidently drowning in a Lost Angeles bathtub in 2012. The singer’s daughter, Bobbi Kristina, was found unconscious under very similar circumstances three years later, eventually dying aged 22.

Social media users were quick to criticise Lorde on Instagram and Twitter, many calling the New Zealander “insensitive” for posting the photo.

“There’s no way Lorde doesn’t know what she’s posting,” wrote one, while another conversely wrote: “Poor girl didn't even realize she chose a bad caption, leave her alone!”

Responding to the controversy, she wrote: “Extremely extremely poorly chosen quote. I’m so sorry for offending anyone — I hadn’t even put this together, I was just excited to take a bath. I’m an idiot. Love Whitney forever and ever. Sorry again.”

Meanwhile, Lorde is currently on tour, having recently made headlines after covering St. Vincent.