Lorde plays ‘What Was That’ for fans in NYC after cops shut down earlier gathering
Police dispersed a massive crowd at a previous event at Washington Square Park
Lorde texted her fans to meet her “in the park” on Tuesday and those who figured it out headed to New York’s Washington Square Park in droves. The nearly 10-acre park in Lower Manhattan was swarmed with hoards of people as the star stood over the crowd and blasted her new single ‘What Was That’ from speakers.
Wearing jeans and a bikini under a white shirt, Lorde danced to the lyrics: “Since l was seventeen, I gave you everything/Now, we wake from a dream/Well, baby, what was that?” Fans cheered on the singer as they recorded the impromptu moment.
An earlier gathering was shut down by park rangers and local police, who reportedly told those gathered that the event was cancelled. Around that same time, Lorde took to Instagram stories to address the situation, writing: “Omg @thepark the cops are shutting us down I am truly Amazed by how many of you showed up !!!” The singer-songwriter added: “But they’re telling me you gotta disperse … I’m so sorry.”
In a statement, a DCPI Spokesperson, said that “officers were alerted of an unscheduled event inside of the park” at around 6:47 p.m. on Tuesday. “A sound and parks permit is required to have a concert in a New York City Park,” the statement continued. “This individual did not possess either. Organizers of the event were informed they could not perform and they left the location.” The DCPI did not identify the individual as the Grammy winner.
Earlier this month, Lorde teased “What Was That” with her first-ever TikTok video. In the video, she is seen walking through the same park, listening to a preview of the single. She has since announced that she’ll be releasing the debut single off her fourth album on April 25.
In lieu of her newsletter as a means of updating her fans, Lorde has been connecting with her followers via text. She released a voice memo after appearing at Coachella to perform ‘Girl, so confusing’ with Charli XCX. In it, she talked about the performance and previewed her new era a little more.
“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 but so right,” Lorde said. “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. This is gonna be crazy, you have no idea.”
The audio notes seem to be part of a quicker, off-the-cuff way Lorde wants to communicate new music to her audience. “I’m in the zone, not wanting to think too hard about how to communicate,” Lorde said. “I don’t want to be stressing about capturing the moment with the right language. What if it’s just about saying it, maybe getting it wrong, and that being okay?”
This article was updated on April 22 at 9:28 p.m. ET to include news of Lorde’s appearance at Washington Square Park in NYC.