Lorde Breaks Her Silence With ‘What Was That’ Single & Video
The video from the Grammy-winning pop star’s first original solo track since 2021 features footage from her pop-up performance in Washington Square Park.
By Scott Bernstein Apr 24, 2025 • 9:24 am PDT
Photo by Thistle Brown
Lorde began a new era of her career by releasing the new single, “What Was That,” along with an accompanying video. The track marks the New Zealander’s first solo cut in four years.
Lorde penned “What Was That” with Jim-E Stack. The pair co-produced the track with Dan Nigro. Jim-E Stack also provided drums, keyboards, piano, synthesizer and engineering, while Nigro contributed bass and electric guitar, piano, synthesizer and engineering as pointed out by Pitchfork.
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The new single arrived without details of the long-awaited follow-up to Lorde’s fourth album and first since the release of 2021’s Solar Power. The Kiwi has been teasing “What Was That” on her social channels over the past three weeks.
Lorde shared a message about “What Was That” on her website, writing:
LATE 2023. BACK IN NEW YORK. DEEP BREAKUP. STOPPING BIRTH CONTROL. EVERY MEAL A BATTLE. FLASHBACKS AND WAVES. FEELING GRIEF’S VORTEX AND LETTING IT TAKE ME. OPENING MY MOUTH AND RECORDING WHAT FELL OUT. JIMMY SHOUTING IN THE BACKGROUND. A THOUSAND HOURS OF AUDIO EMBROIDERY. DAN TELLING US WHERE THE MOOG BASS SHOULD GO. ANDREW GIVING IT TEETH. THE NIGHT WE FINALLY GOT THE DRUMS RIGHT. THE SOUND OF MY REBIRTH.
Lorde danced and sang along to “What Was That” at New York City’s Washington Square Park on Tuesday. The pop-up performance, scheduled to start at 7 p.m., was shut down by police. Those who stuck around until 9:30 p.m. were treated to the “performance” from the singer. Footage from the appearance is featured in the single’s accompanying music video.
Watch Lorde’s “What Was That” video below:
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