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What Was That
2025 single by Lorde From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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"What Was That" is a song by New Zealand singer and songwriter Lorde. It was released on 24 April 2025 through Universal Music New Zealand as the lead single from her upcoming fourth studio album Virgin. The song marks her first single release from a studio album in nearly four years. "What Was That" marks a return to the synth-pop style that dominated Melodrama (2017).[1]
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Accompanying the release, Lorde unveiled a music video filmed in New York City. The video features the artist wandering through the city before culminating in a spontaneous dance performance at Washington Square Park, where she was surrounded by fans recording the moment. The song was originally scheduled for release on 25 April 2025, but was moved up following the unexpected public response to her park appearance.[2] It became Lorde's first US Spotify #1 single in almost 12 years, and second overall alongside "Royals", when it raised to the summit of the daily chart on April 25.[3] Later it landed at the top 40 on Billboard Hot 100, becoming the better debut of her career so far and reaching the top 3 at the alternative components charts.[4] Internationally, it has since charted at number one in New Zealand as well as the top 10 in Australia and Ireland, while peaking inside the top 20 in both Austria and the United Kingdom. In the latter it debuted at number 11, her highest position in the region since "Royals" 12 years earlier.[5]
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Background and promotion
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Following the release of her third studio album, Solar Power (2021), Lorde only gave sporadic updates and hints of being in the recording studio. In February 2023, she confirmed to Ensemble Magazine that she had started working on her fourth studio album, admitting that it would take her a long time to return.[6] In July 2024, Lorde shared a brief clip of new music on her Instagram stories. The next month, it was confirmed that she teamed up with American musician Jim-E Stack for the album.[7]
On 9 April 2025, Lorde first shared a snippet of an unreleased track to her TikTok account. The clip shows the singer walking through Washington Square Park in New York City.[8] The song was subsequently labeled "WWT", an acronym for "What Was That".[9] At the same time, the singer blanked her official website and her Instagram feed while changing her profile picture to a water bottle.[6] Lorde announced the song on 16 April 2025 through her social media.[10] She simultaneously shared the artwork on her Instagram that depicts the singer in a bright red t-shirt staring at a camera while water drips from her face.[11] The aesthetic of the picture, taken by American photographer Talia Chetrit,[12] drew comparisons to Marina Abramović's 2010 performance The Artist Is Present.[13]
On 22 April, Lorde posted an Instagram story and sent a text message telling fans to go to Washington Square Park in New York City at 19:00 Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (UTC−04:00) that night.[14] Following the attendance of a large number of fans, the event was shut down shortly before it was scheduled to begin. A spokesperson from the New York City Police Department told Vulture they were alerted to an "unscheduled event" in the park, as well as stating that Lorde "did not possess either [of the permits required]" to host the event. Lorde's collaborator Dev Hynes played the track on a portable speaker to fans, before her arrival at the park around 21:30 EDT.[15] The next day, Lorde announced that "What Was That" would be released at midnight.[16]
Upon the song's release, Lorde's website was updated with a candid note, detailing the origins of the track. In the note, Lorde revealed that the song was conceived during a tumultuous period in late 2023. She described experiencing a "deep breakup" and the emotional upheaval that followed, writing: "Every meal a battle. Flashbacks and waves. Feeling grief's vortex and letting it take me. Opening my mouth and recording what fell out."[17]
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Production and composition
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Lorde co-wrote "What Was That" with Jim-E Stack and co-produced it alongside Stack and Daniel Nigro. Stack played piano, drums, keyboards, and synthesisers, while Nigro played piano, synthesisers, bass guitar, and electric guitar. The track was engineered by Stack, Nigro, and Jack Manning; mixed by Chris Gehringer and Spike Stent; and mastered by Will Quinnell. Nigro additionally provided drum programming, while Koby Berman worked as an additional engineer. "What Was That" also features electric guitar work by Andrew Aged of Inc. No World.[18][19]
"What Was That" is 3 minutes and 29 seconds long and is primarily structured around two verses and two choruses.[20][21] It is an electropop[21] and synth-pop[1] track with an upbeat arrangement and reflective lyrics about a past relationship, nostalgia, and personal growth.[22][23] Lorde's vocals are accompanied by an electronic beat, a minimalist bassline, light percussion, and subtle, syncopated synths that gradually build up.[24][25][26]
Lyrically, the song's narrator reflects on times spent with her partner taking "MDMA in the back garden" and kissing "for hours straight". Although she has moved on, she expresses pain and regret, stating that she covered "up all the mirrors" because she could not "see myself yet" in the aftermath of the relationship.[27] Towards the end of the track, the narrator gradually reconciles with the idea of moving on ("When I'm in the blue light, I can make it alright / What was that?").[25]
Several music journalists drew parallels between "What Was That" and Lorde's second studio album, Melodrama (2017).[1][22][28][29] NME's Surej Singh thought that the song recalled the "hazy narrative" of Melodrama in both its themes and melodies.[25] Rhian Daly from the same magazine commented that unlike Melodrama's attempt to move past pain, the narrator in "What Was That" accepted the idea of "memories [...] haunting her". Daly also compared "What Was That" to Melodrama's lead single, "Green Light", but thought that it displayed less intense emotional and sonic peaks.[27]
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Critical reception
Robin Murray of Clash gave the song a 9/10 and noted that she is reclaiming center stage with the multi-faceted pop ambition of "Green Light", while refusing to re-tread old ground.[30] In a positive review, Mark Beaumont of The Independent noted that Lorde "returns to what she does best: crafting melancholic, minimal yet monumental tracks for heartbroken souls."[31] NME writer Rhian Daly gave "What Was That" four out of five stars, writing that the track lacks a "killer punch", Lorde shines in her emotive, electric style, effectively recreating a "dance-in-the-dark" atmosphere.[27]
In mixed reviews of the song, Paolo Ragusa of Consequence wrote that "while it's not the most adventurous new offering from the singer, it does teem with maturity and wisdom" finding it "authentic and refreshing", but in its production "feels a lot like a step sideways than a leap in any direction".[32] Walden Green from Pitchfork stated that while Lorde's "writing is as evocative and rich as ever", the track production is "bloodless", noting that it's less riveting than the singer's past works such as "Green Light" and "Hard Feelings/Loveless".[33]
Music video
The music video for "What Was That" was filmed across various locations in New York City. In the video, Lorde is seen walking and biking alone around the city, dressed in a white shirt and jeans, complemented with silver accessories and a keychain. At times, the shirt is left open, revealing a black bikini top. She then emerges through a manhole and arrives at Washington Square Park, where she dances as fans record her with their phones.[1][34]
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Credits and personnel
Credits are adapted from Qobuz.[18]
- Lorde – vocals, songwriter, producer
- Jim-E Stack – songwriter, producer, engineer, piano, synthesisers, keyboards, drums, drum programmer
- Daniel Nigro – producer, engineer, piano, synthesisers, bass guitar, electric guitar
- Chris Gehringer – mixing engineer
- Spike Stent – mixing engineer
- Will Quinnell – mastering engineer
- Jack Manning – engineer
- Koby Berman – additional engineer
- Andrew Aged – electric guitar
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Charts
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Release history
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References
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