Lorde has shared “What Was That,” her first authentic solo observe since releasing Solar Power in 2021. The one was teased via a collection of cryptic social media posts, voice notes, and audio snippets, and Talia Chetrit shot the duvet artwork. Watch the brand new track’s video under.
“What Was That” received its live debut on Tuesday when Lorde sang alongside to the observe at New York’s Washington Sq. Park whereas enjoying the track on a small speaker. Hours earlier, the New Zealand pop star despatched a mass message by way of her fan textual content line that she would seem there: “Meet me within the park Tonight 7pm – x x.” Native police and park rangers rapidly shut down the occasion, nevertheless, as a result of an unmanageable crowd dimension. Footage from the occasion is featured within the new video.
Lorde co-wrote “What Was That” with Jim-E Stack, and she or he co-produced it with Jim-E Stack and Daniel Nigro. Jim-E Stack additionally offered drums, keyboards, piano, synthesizer, and engineering, whereas Nigro contributed bass and electrical guitar, piano, synthesizer, and engineering. One other notable electrical guitarist on the observe is Inc. No World’s Andrew Aged.
Photo voltaic Energy, the extremely anticipated follow-up to Lorde’s 2018 album Melodrama, was led by the singles “Solar Power,” “Stoned at the Nail Salon,” and “Mood Ring.” A majority of songs from the document ultimately obtained music movies, together with “Fallen Fruit,” “Leader of a New Regime,” “Secrets From a Girl (Who’s Seen It All),” “The Path,” and “Oceanic Feeling.”
Lorde stayed quiet over the subsequent couple of years, popping as much as join Muna onstage at New York’s Terminal 5 in 2023 and contribute a cover of “Take Me to The River” to A24’s Talking Heads tribute album in 2024. Then, final summer time, she was tapped by Charli XCX for a remix of the Brat observe “Woman, So Complicated,” all however confirming her because the track’s authentic topic. They’ve since carried out “Girl, So Confusing Featuring Lorde” collectively at Charli XCX’s Madison Square Garden concert and, earlier this month, her Coachella weekend one set.
Examine Lorde in “The 200 Most Important Artists of Pitchfork’s First 25 Years,” and revisit “The 100 Best Songs of 2024,” that includes “Woman, So Complicated That includes Lorde” at No. 9.
