Oh, Lorde! Lava Records — home to the 18-year-old “Royals” sensation — had been seeking a new partner to buy a $100 million stake in the company after its deal with Universal Music Group expired.

But it failed to sell because if Lava, headed by Jason Flom, had left Universal, it couldn’t bring Lorde along, and rival labels didn’t bite.

Colorful Flom, one-time CEO of Atlantic Records, was hoping to sell Lava to billionaire Len Blavatnik’s Warner Music Group late last year. But the deal was “held up at Warner because Lorde would not come with it.” She was first signed by Universal New Zealand and remains with the label.

Despite Flom’s fantastical asking price, the source said, “Lava is worth way less without Lorde,” and though Lava’s also home to Jessie J, “she’s not going to be worth what Lorde is to Lava’s future.”

Flom boasted to Billboard in December, “I set a price for my half of the company, and [Universal has] the option to either buy my half . . . or sell me their half . . . Someone from outside the company might think it’s worth more, Warner or Sony being the obvious ones.”

But Sony didn’t bid, despite being headed by Flom’s mentor Doug Morris, and Warner and Flom were “way apart on price.” Another insider said: “Jason was overreaching. The deal he was asking for might have worked in 1999. He’s looking for $100 million, it won’t happen in 2015. Blavatnik didn’t get rich by being stupid. Universal/Republic won’t give Jason what he wants either, but they’d certainly give him a new deal.”

Flom’s also in a bitter divorce with his wife of 20-plus years, Wendy Flom. Insiders muse that she could be entitled to even more of his millions if his new deal closes before their divorce settles.

Indicating that Lava will stay with Universal, Flom said, “Lava is proud of what we have accomplished with [Universal and Republic Records] . . . We look forward to even greater success with [them]. . . . I remain focused on making great music, my family and my charitable endeavors.”