After building anticipation for several days, Lorde has officially released her latest single and music video, “What Was That.” The track was co-produced by Lorde herself along with Jim-E Stack (known for his work with Bon Iver) and Dan Nigro, the Grammy-winning producer behind hits from Chappell Roan and Olivia Rodrigo.
The music video shows Lorde biking and walking through the streets of New York City. It also includes clips from a spontaneous performance she planned in Washington Square Park earlier this week — a teaser she shared on social media. However, the event didn’t go as expected. As massive crowds filled the park, she canceled the performance at the last minute due to safety concerns. Still, she made a surprise appearance two hours later and was caught on camera dancing to a playback of the new track.
“What Was That” marks Lorde’s first major release since 2021’s “Solar Power.” Despite the gap, she’s stayed in the spotlight recently — particularly through her musical team-up with Charli xcx on the introspective and emotional “Girl, So Confusing.” The two performed the song together at Madison Square Garden last fall and again at Coachella earlier this month.
The buzz around Lorde’s park appearance started Tuesday when she texted her fans: “Meet me in the park Tonight 7pm -xx.” The message prompted a massive turnout — thousands of fans filled the park, some even climbing trees for a better view. But by 7 p.m., Lorde shared an update on her Instagram story: “OMG @thepark the cops are shutting us down. I am truly Amazed by how many of you showed up !!!” She added, “But they’re telling me you gotta disperse … I’m so sorry.”
Though many fans left, others stayed — and were rewarded. Blood Orange’s Dev Hynes, who’s rumored to be involved in Lorde’s upcoming album, showed up with a speaker playing the song. At around 9 p.m., Lorde herself appeared, greeted the fans who waited, and played the new track.
“What Was That” might be the title of the song, but after this unforgettable rollout, fans definitely know what that was.
