Four years after her last major release, “Solar Power,” Grammy award-winning artist Lorde has reemerged with “What Was That,” the lead single from her upcoming fourth album “Virgin,” which is set to drop on June 27. The single carries all the hallmarks of classic Lorde — her signature husky vocals layered over an electropop and synth-pop soundscape, driven by crisp percussion and introspective lyrics.
The song offers a glimpse into her personal evolution while capturing the dreamlike haze of post-heartbreak relationships. With this release, Lorde continues to peel back the layers of Hollywood artifice, embracing raw vulnerability and reestablishing a deep, honest connection with her fans.
More than just the release of a new single, her return is tapping into the cultural momentum of the “girl’s girl” era — an ethos of female solidarity, vulnerability and mutual recognition spearheaded by Charli XCX’s “Brat.” On April 12, Lorde took to the Coachella Main Stage as Charli’s surprise guest during a performance of “Girl, so confusing.” Their appearance together rejected spectacle in favor of stripped-down authenticity, with the duo commanding the stage through their raw presence and magnetic chemistry rather than flashy visuals or choreography.
Lorde, who was dressed in a simple full gray outfit, reminded me that what keeps me drawn to her isn't merely her lyrical depth, but her incredible talent to infuse her emotions into live performances. In the video, she stands on stage with unforgiving conviction and a confidence that her voice will deliver the true immensity of her prose.
On April 22, two days before the release of “What Was That”, Lorde debuted the single in New York City’s Washington Square Park, standing on a wooden platform in the center of the park. She had teased her impromptu appearance at 7 p.m. earlier that day, but had to follow up with an Instagram story later that read, “I am truly Amazed by how you showed up !!! But they’re telling me you gotta disperse. I’m so sorry.” Her surprise arrival finally occurred at 9 p.m., when she finally launched into her new song.
As a native New Yorker, missing this spontaneous gathering felt like skipping out on one of the city’s most meaningful cultural moments lately. But more than that, watching the pop-up performance blow up on social media helped me reconnect with what music means to me. Music isn’t meant to just top global charts or become the next viral TikTok sound — it’s about sharing something for regular people to relate to, struggle with, dance to and simply experience on an ordinary Tuesday night.
This impromptu performance — no security, no promotions, no ticket sales—was a quiet but powerful reminder that she still sees herself as a part of the crowd. There was no spectacle, just an artist choosing proximity over pedestal, collapsing the distance between performer and listener. It’s this same commitment to emotional transparency that animates her new single, a track that feels less like a statement and more like a gesture: intimate, searching and unmistakably human.
“What Was That” begins by disarming the listener, inviting them to experience the intimacy of struggle. Lorde has never hidden her struggles with self-image and disordered eating, take her verses in “Girl, so confusing” for example: , “Cause for the last couple years / I’ve been at war in my body / I tried to starve myself thinner / And then I gained all the weight back.” The opening verse of the song doesn’t shy away from these portrayals either, and, instead, vividly creates the image for listeners of a place where Lorde “Cover[s] up all the mirrors” and will “Make a meal I won’t eat.”
Lorde’s signature evocative and descriptive lyricism is on full display in this track. As she steps into the street, she sings, “Alone in a sea / It comes over me.” Nostalgia washes over the lyrics. Paired with the driving percussion and her breathless delivery (spilling the line in one quick exhale) it creates a sense of urgency, like she’s racing to hold onto the memory before the dream slips away.
Lorde frequently taps into dream logic throughout her discographies, and “What Was That” is certainly no exception. The use of dream spaces infuses a deliberately hazy atmosphere and a sense of liminality, a state that has seemingly become part of her natural artist dispositions. The lyric “Now we wake up from a dream, what was that?” serves as a reality check, punctuating the track with a haunting sense of emptiness. All the described events were only a dream, and the self-referential moment within the lyrics lands devastatingly. But the confusion can only linger briefly as pop beats continue to roll through the lyrics.
Critical reception to the track has been decidedly mixed. Paolo Ragusa of “Consequence” notes, “While it’s not the most adventurous new offering from the singer, it does teem with maturity and wisdom.” It’s a fair assessment. “What Was That” locks into a polished, synth-forward groove, punctuated by crisp snares that give it a sense of direction. But for all its composure, it ultimately lacks the singular sonic identity Lorde has proven capable of in past work, most notably the rich, emotionally charged textures of “Melodrama.” This is Lorde in control, but perhaps a little too much so.
Still, the track remains unmistakably Lorde; it is steeped in angst, sadness and a raw emotional charge. With its release came an update to her website, where she shared a note tracing the song’s origins to a turbulent period in 2023: “Every meal a battle. Flashbacks and waves. Feeling grief's vortex and letting it take me. Opening my mouth and recording what fell out.” This update is a stark, unfiltered glimpse into the emotional backdrop of the single. Heartbreak, as Lorde presents it, is both disorienting and transformative — and she doesn’t just narrate that journey, she invites us into its depths.
