Lorde Returns With New Single, ‘What Was That’

After a pop-up event yesterday (April 23) in New York’s Washington Square Park, Lorde has released her new single and video, “What Was That,” which includes footage from the impromptu gathering as well as the artist walking the streets of the city.

The song was co-produced by Lorde in tandem with in-demand hitmakers Jim-E Stack and Daniel Nigro. It’s the first taste of music from the follow-up to 2021’s Solar Power, which topped the Billboard Alternative chart and debuted at No. 5 on the overall Billboard 200.

More from Spin:

• Broken Social Scene Look Forward, Back With Tribute LP, Documentary
• Riot Fest Rocks With blink-182, Weezer, Green Day
• Sex, Synths, and Cinema

Atop percolating synths and an electronic beat, “What Was That” finds Lorde working through the ups and downs of a now-defunct real or imagined relationship, during which she and her partner did “MDMA in the back garden” and “kissed for hours straight.” “I didn’t know then, but you’d never be enough,” she sings.

The artist has slowly re-emerged over the past year via contributions to the Talking Heads tribute album Everyone’s Getting Involved, a guest turn with fellow New Zealand musician Marlon Williams on his song “Kāhore He Manu E” and a surprise appearance at Coachella earlier this month with Charli xcx.

Further details about the upcoming album have yet to be announced.

To see our running list of the top 100 greatest rock stars of all time, click here.