A couple days ago, some fans got an early taste of Lorde’s new song, “What Was That,” when she performed it at a New York City pop-up event. Now, it’s the rest of the world’s turn, as today (April 24), Lorde has officially released the song.
Lorde sings on the chorus, “MDMA in the back garden, blow our pupils up / We kissed for hours straight, well, baby, what was that? / I remember saying then, ‘This is the best cigarette of my life’ / Well, I want you just like that / Indio haze, we’re in a sandstorm, and it knocks me out / I didn’t know then that you’d never be enough for… / Since I was seventeen, I gave you everything / Now, we wake from a dream / Well, baby, what was that?”
Lorde hasn’t announced an album yet, but a press release says the song “signals the dawn of a striking new era for Lorde.”
This comes shortly after Lorde said in an audio message shared with fans, “I just wanted to say hi because everything is about to change and these are really the last moments where it’s just us, which is crazy [laughs]. But so right, I’m so ready. I didn’t know if I’d ever be able to say that, but I am. I’m so thankful for your patience. I’ve felt your love, I’ve felt you right there. And yeah, this is gonna be crazy. You have no idea [laughs]. OK, I love you so much. I’ll talk to you soon.”
Watch the “What Was That” video above.