On April 9, 2025, Lorde, also known as Ella O’Connor, broke the internet, releasing a snippet of her untitled new song. Fans scrambled to uncover the song’s hidden meaning with only one line at their disposal. Just seven days later, Lorde took to Instagram with a rather cryptic and vague post, announcing “my new song What Was That. Out soon.” Although fans were left guessing its release date, they already went on to proclaim Summer 2025 as “Lorde Summer.”
The singer posted her first TikTok of her new hit at the beginning of April 2025. In the video, Lorde was walking around Washington Square Park in NYC, filming herself to the sound of the new song. She later posted on her Instagram story: “Meet me in the park. Tonight 7 pm,” causing fans from all over the tri-state area to migrate into the area. By 6 pm that night, hundreds of fans had gathered in anticipation of possibly hearing Lorde’s new song live.
Just before 7 pm, Lorde sent out an Instagram story claiming that because of how many supporters had shown up, the park cops were shutting the impromptu concert down. Little to no attendees moved, and at about 8:30 pm, despite the NYPD showing up, Lorde gave the people what they wanted. Not only did she play “What Was That,” but she also filmed the music video for the song at the meet-up, turning the spontaneous gathering into an iconic moment.
Although not directly at the event in NYC, junior Ella Schluep revealed that she was “initially super excited when she saw the snippet of the new song on TikTok.” Schluep has recently become a Lorde fan and found it “really cool” that Lorde was singing about being 17: a relatable age for many high schoolers.
On April 24, Lorde made her long-awaited music return official with when she released “What Was That.” On the surface, the song alludes to a heart-wrenching break-up that left Lorde needing to “cover up all the mirrors” and make the confession that she is “missing” her former partner. The chorus then goes on to recount a specific memory with her ex, ending by saying, “since I was seventeen, I gave you everything/Now we wake from a dream, well, baby, what was that?”
Such specific memories lead many to the conclusion that Lorde’s new single is about an old relationship of hers. However, a deeper look into the lyrics hints that it could actually be about the reception of her junior album, Solar Power. This album was a departure from her highly regarded sophomore album, Melodrama, which redefined pop music and cemented Lorde as one of the greatest pop artists of our generation. Because Solar Power had a more laid-back, raw, and acoustic sound, it was dismissed for being too different from Melodrama by both fans and critics.
Lorde started her musical career at sixteen with her first EP, which she may be alluding to when she remarks, “since I was seventeen, I gave you everything,” stressing that she has poured her soul into her music since she was a child. Yet, she sings, “I’m missing you/And all the things we used to do,” and “you weren’t feeling my heat,” possibly referring to missing when the public and her fans rejoiced at her music, and she could feel confident in her creative voice before Solar Power.
Even with such an ambiguous meaning, “What Was That” has struck the hearts and ears of many, debuting at number three on the U.S. Spotify chart.
On Wednesday, April 30, 2025, Lorde announced the debut of her new album titled Virgin. The album, expected to come out in late June, is said to be inspired by last summer’s hit album, Brat by Charlie XCX. In recent interviews, Lorde has described the album as a project that reflected her femininity, calling it “raw, primal, innocent, elegant, openhearted and spiritual.”
Fans quickly took to social media to express their excitement, with many speculating that the new album would be a new era for Lorde. Schluep is one of these fans, claiming that she will “definitely be listening to the new album when it comes out.”
