Lorde has unveiled her latest musical offering, "What Was That," marking the premier single from her highly anticipated fourth studio album. The New Zealand-born singer-songwriter first whetted fans' appetites by sharing a snippet of the track via her debut TikTok post on April 9th. In the clip, she captivated viewers with footage of herself wandering and sprinting through the bustling streets of New York City, while the haunting lyrics echoed in the background. She crooned, "Since I was 17, I gave you everything / Now we wake from a baby, well baby, what was that?" Moments later, the double Grammy Award-winner officially revealed the song's title, "What Was That."
Earlier this week, Lorde staged an exhilarating live debut of "What Was That" in front of an eager crowd gathered in Washington Square Park. She danced atop a wooden platform as the song reverberated through speakers beside her, much to the delight of the hundreds of fans present. Initially, Lorde had instructed her fans to converge on the park at 7 p.m., but unfortunately, the spontaneous event was shut down by police due to the lack of a permit. Undeterred, the fans persevered, and Lorde emerged later that evening to showcase her latest creation.
In addition, Lorde prepared her loyal followers for this new chapter with a heartfelt voice memo. She expressed her gratitude for their "patience" and teased that "these are truly the final moments where it's just us, which feels both surreal and incredibly fitting." She wrote with a sense of anticipation, "I'm so ready. I never thought I'd be able to say that, but here I am. I'm deeply thankful for your patience. I've felt your love, your unwavering support. This is going to be incredible; you have no idea."
This announcement marks the end of a nearly four-year hiatus for Lorde, whose last album, Solar Power, made its debut in August 2021. Despite the absence of solo releases during this period, she notably collaborated with Charli XCX on the viral "Girl, so confusing" remix. The track garnered immense popularity, prompting Charli to invite Lorde to join her during her 2025 Coachella performance and her September 23rd stop in New York City as part of the Sweat tour.
