Lorde Debuts New Song “What Was That” Live at Washington Square Park

Lorde debuted her forthcoming single “What Was That” this night (Tuesday, April 22) at New York’s Washington Sq. Park. The singer stood on a picket platform on the heart of the park’s now-dormant fountain and sang alongside to the monitor because it performed from a minimal speaker stack. Watch footage of the efficiency under.

Earlier at the moment, Lorde teased the pop-up look with a message shared by way of her fan textual content line: “Meet me within the park Tonight 7pm -xx.” When 7 p.m. rolled round, she adopted up with a put up to her Instagram story, informing attendees that the occasion had been shut down by park rangers and native police. “I’m actually Amazed by what number of of you confirmed up !!!” it learn, partially. “However they’re telling me you gotta disperse … I’m so sorry.”

Nonetheless, a lot of the group caught round for the following hour, till Blood Orange’s Dev Hynes—who’s alleged to have labored on Lorde’s subsequent album—arrived with a rolling speaker blasting “What Was That” and led them out of the park. Lorde lastly confirmed up after 9 p.m., pausing to thank the assembled followers earlier than launching into her tune. Newly revealed lyrics included the next: “I’m lacking you/And all of the issues we used to do/MDMA within the again backyard, blow our pupils up/We kissed for hours straight however child, what was that?/I keep in mind saying then/That is the perfect cigarette of my life/Nicely I would like you similar to that.”

Lorde first teased “What Was That” by way of a snippet posted to TikTok, accompanied by a video of her strutting round Washington Sq. Park. She just lately made an look at Charli XCX’s weekend one Coachella set and collaborated with New Zealand singer-songwriter Marlon Williams. Her newest studio album to this point is 2021’s Solar Power.

Examine Charli XCX’s “Girl, so confusing featuring lorde” at No. 9.on “The 100 Best Songs of 2024.”