Lorde, Lydia Ko top Time magazine's teen list

Golfer Lydia Ko and singer-songwriter Lorde. Photos / Sarah Ivey/Charles Howells

Two New Zealanders - singer-songwriter Lorde and golfer Lydia Ko - have topped Time magazine's most influential teenagers in the world list.

Lorde, whose real name is Ella Yelich-O'Connor, made the number one spot out of 16 teenagers from around the world, followed by Ko in second place.

Seventeen-year-old Lorde rocketed to international fame this year with the release of her first album, Pure Heroine.

Time magazine said the proof of Lorde's success came when New York City Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio won the election and walked on stage to Lorde's defiant Royals.

Time said Lorde was "forging her own path", turning down an opportunity to join Katy Perry on tour because it "didn't feel right" at the time.

She is already fifth in the women's world rankings after just 23 tournaments and is the youngest person ever to win a professional golf tour event including an LPGA.

The list of 16 teenagers includes Malala Yousafzai, the 16-year-old Pakistani activist who was shot in the head for promoting girls' education under Taliban rule; American singer Justin Bieber, 19, and Malia Obama, 15, the daughter of United States President Barack Obama.