Okay, this whole thing was wild. So Lorde, who’s been pretty quiet since Solar Power, popped out in NYC with a surprise for fans, and things escalated quickly. On April 22 around 4:00 pm, fans who signed up for Lorde’s text alerts got a cryptic message saying, “Meet me in the park. Tonight 7 pm—x x.” She also shared it on her Instagram Story, and of course, word spread like wildfire. People rushed to Washington Square Park in New York City hoping to hear something from her long-awaited new album.
When people got there, it was packed. Like, full fountain takeover, fans climbing trees to see her kind of packed. Videos were being shared on Twitter, now X and around TikTok. Everyone was buzzing, they knew that they were about to witness something big. Lorde was set to debut her new track, “What Was That”, ahead of its official release on Thursday, April 24.
But just as 7 p.m. hit and excitement peaked… cue the shutdown. Apparently, Lorde didn’t have the proper permits to hold a concert in the park. A police spokesperson told Rolling Stone that events like this need both a sound and parks permit, which she didn’t have. So, they told her she couldn’t perform, and just like that, the impromptu concert was over. Lorde quickly took to Instagram to apologize, writing: “Omg @thepark the cops are shutting us down. I am truly Amazed by how many of you showed up !!! But they’re telling me you gotta disperse…I’m so sorry.”
Although the event didn’t happen at the originally planned time, Lorde did end up showing up later. Multiple TikTok users posted videos of her at the park, where she was seen lip-syncing to her unreleased track. Even though it wasn’t a full performance, the moment still gave lucky fans who stuck around a sneak peek, and clips of it quickly spread across social media. Even though the whole thing was cut short, it still felt like a special moment. A chaotic, slightly illegal, deeply unforgettable moment, and a pretty iconic way to tease her new era #lordesummer!!!
