Music

Lorde drops new single ‘What Was That’ and fans are gagged: ‘Sounds like a f***ing rebirth’

Lorde

Lorde has released her first single in four years with “What Was That”. (Marc Piasecki/WireImage)

Lorde has released her first single in four years with "What Was That". (Marc Piasecki/WireImage)

Lorde has released her new single and music video for “What Was That”, and fans have dubbed the song the singer’s “f***ing rebirth”. 

If you haven’t caught up on the status of Lorde summer 2025 (as declared by Charli XCX at Coachella), the New Zealand singer surprised fans by releasing her first solo single in four years, titled “What Was That”. 

“MDMA in the back garden, blow our pupils up,” the star sings in the chorus. “We kissed for hours straight, well, baby, what was that?”

“Since I was 17, I gave you everything,” she continues. “Now we wake from a dream. Well, baby, what was that?”

And it wasn’t long before the synth-pop banger garnered reactions from fans online.

“Sounds like a f***ing rebirth,” one fan penned on X. “I love it. The Lorde is upon us. Wish it was a Friday release though.”

“Lorde really is coming back to save the music industry once again,” wrote another. “Leaving the Brat tour to immediately cry in the backseat of my best friend’s car to ‘What Was That’ is exactly what Lorde would want,” another added.

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Of course, others couldn’t overlook that we exist in a world where Lorde crawled through the underground sewage system, all in the name of her art. 

“Who let Lorde into the New York sewage system,” one fan asked with a series of side-splitting screenshots from the music video. 

Another quipped: “If y’all streamed Solar Power,” Lorde’s 2021 release, “Lorde wouldn’t be living in the sewers.”

A third likened the moment to a “modern day ‘Tennis Court’ music video.

Anticipation has been building for Lorde’s return to music following her hugely successful team-up with Charli on the 2024 remix of “Girl, So Confusing”. 

Given the buzz created at her shut-down impromptu performance in New York’s Washington Square on Wednesday night (23 April), fans are bracing themselves for even more Lorde music coming their way.

You can stream Lorde’s new single, “What Was That”, now.

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

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