What Was That

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. 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. The song was subsequently labeled "WWT", an acronym for "What Was That". At the same time, the singer blanked her official website and her Instagram feed while changing her profile picture to a water bottle. Lorde announced the song on 16 April 2025 through her social media. She simultaneously shared the artwork on her Instagram that depicts herself in a bright red T-shirt staring at the camera while water drips from her face. The aesthetic of the picture, taken by American photographer Talia Chetrit, drew comparisons to Marina Abramović's 2010 performance The Artist Is Present. 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. 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. The next day, Lorde announced that "What Was That" would be released at midnight. 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." Lorde debuted "What Was That" at the Glastonbury Festival as part of an unannounced set on 27 June, the same day Virgin was released. She went on to include it on the set of her ongoing Ultrasound World Tour (2025–26). == Production and composition ==

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. "What Was That" is 3 minutes and 29 seconds long and is primarily structured around two verses and two choruses. synth-pop, and dance track, with a midtempo Lorde's vocals are accompanied by an electronic beat, a minimalist bassline, light percussion, and subtle, syncopated synths that gradually build up. The drum instrumentation of "What Was That" was inspired by the drums on Radiohead's 2007 song "Reckoner". According to MusicRadar's Ben Rogerson, the drums were possibly created directly on Radiohead's original track, which was made available for download by fans so that they could create their own remixes. 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. 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?"). NME Surej Singh thought that the song recalled the "hazy narrative" of Melodrama in both its themes and melodies. Rhian Daly from the same magazine commented that unlike Melodrama 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 lead single, "Green Light", but thought that it displayed less intense emotional and sonic peaks. ==Critical reception==

"What Was That" received critical acclaim upon release. 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. 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." NME writer Rhian Daly gave "What Was That" four out of five stars, writing that the track lacks a "killer punch", but Lorde shines in her emotive, electric style, effectively recreating a "dance-in-the-dark" atmosphere. 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". 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 is less riveting than the singer's past works such as "Green Light" and "Hard Feelings/Loveless". Accolades ==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 East Side of Manhattan, dressed in a white button 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. ==Credits and personnel==

Credits are adapted from Qobuz. • 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 ==Charts==

Weekly charts Monthly charts Year-end charts ==Certifications==