Just over two weeks since Lorde released a 15-second snippet of what appeared to be a new song, the singer dropped the full version on April 24 — her new single titled “What Was That.”
The music video for the track shows Lorde walking around New York City, culminating in clips filmed from her appearance in Washington Square Park on Tuesday evening.
Earlier on Tuesday, the singer had texted fans and posted on her Instagram story to meet her “in the park” at 7 p.m. Fans flocked to Washington Square Park in Manhattan, following clues from the snippet of the song she posted on April 9, which appeared to be filmed at the location.
But before Lorde could make an appearance, the event was shut down by police before it even began due to the massive crowd size and lack of permits.
Lorde posted an apology to her Instagram story around 7 p.m., writing in part, “Omg @thepark the cops are shutting us down.
“I am truly Amazed by how many of you showed up!!! But they’re telling me you gotta disperse … I’m so sorry,” she added.
The New Zealand singer did eventually make an appearance later in the night, dancing as her new song played from a speaker, which was included in the music video for the song.
The next day, Lorde posted a video of her teeth as she breathed loudly on Instagram, before the video cut to, “What Was That out Midnight ET.”
She also posted a photo on Instagram of the crowd gathered at the park before it was shut down, with the caption “Out Midnight,” sending fans into a frenzy in the comments.
“Lorde’s saving us,” one Instagrammer wrote in the comments.
“We are so ready to enter this new step, we love u ella,” another wrote.
“The FOURTH era to experience!!” another fan wrote, referencing Lorde’s past three studio albums. “We are so ready.”
“You called and NY answered,” wrote the account for Electric Lady Studios, where Lorde has been rumored to have worked on tracks for her upcoming record.
The song is the first single from Lorde, born Ella Yelich-O’Connor, since her 2021 studio album “Solar Power,” and is a return to the dark synth pop the singer was known for from her first two records, “Pure Heroine” and “Melodrama.”
While there has not been an official album announcement, fans and artists alike are awaiting what many are calling “Lorde summer” for 2025.
Even Charli XCX, the singer behind “brat summer,” made a reference to the moment during her performance at Weekend 2 of Coachella on April 19, flashing a “Lorde summer” image on the screen toward the end of her set. (During her Weekend 1 set, she brought out Lorde to perform the remix of her song “Girl, so confusing.”)
Lorde’s ‘What Was That’ lyrics
Read the full lyrics to Lorde’s “What Was That” below:
A place in the city, a chair and a bed
I cover up all the mirrors, I can’t see myself yet
I wear smoke like a wedding veil
Make a meal I won’t eat
Step out into the street, alone in a sea
It comes over me
Oh, I’m missing you
Yeah, I’m missing you
And all the things we used to do
MDMA in the back garden, blow our pupils up
We kissed for hours straight, well, baby, what was that?
I remember saying then, “This is the best cigarette of my life”
Well, I want you just like that
Indio haze, we’re in a sandstorm, and it knocks me out
I didn’t know then that you’d never be enough for —
Since l was 17, I gave you everything
Now, we wake from a dream
Well, baby, what was that?
What was that?
Baby, what was that?
Do you know you’re still with me, when I’m out with my friends?
I stare at the painted faces that talk current affairs
You had to know this was happening, you weren’t feeling my heat
When I’m in the blue light, down at Baby’s All Right
I face reality
I tried (I tried) to let (to let)
Whatever has to pass through me, pass through
But this is staying awhile, I know
It might not let me go
MDMA in the back garden, blow our pupils up
We kissed for hours straight, well, baby, what was that?
I remember saying then, “This is the best cigarette of my life”
Well, I want you just like that
Indio haze, we’re in a sandstorm, and it knocks me out
I didn’t know then that you’d never be enough for —
Since l was 17, I gave you everything
Now, we wake from a dream
Well, baby, what was that?
What was that?
‘Cause I want you just like that
(When I’m in the blue light, I can make it all right)
What was that?
(When I’m in the blue light, I can make it all right)
Baby, what was that?
