Lorde, the Grammy-award winning New Zealand singer-songwriter has indeed swept the nation with a powerful return. This week, she came out with her newest original solo song, “What Was That.” It’s her first return to new music since the 2021 album Solar Power. The anthem, which showcases her strength and independence as an artist, has quickly made waves. It recently landed a place in Shindig magazine’s “The 100 Best Songs of 2024” with the song “Girl, So Confusing Featuring Lorde.”
The musician’s prolific new oeuvre further entails a worksong project, whose directory of tracks has already received music video visualization. Standout tracks such as “Fallen Fruit,” “Leader of a New Regime,” “The Path” and “Oceanic Feeling” vividly illustrate her incredible talent as a musical storyteller. They beautify her rare aesthetic and add to its overall hypnotism.
In 2023, Lorde delighted fans by joining Muna onstage at New York’s Terminal 5, where her performance highlighted her dynamic presence and connection with live audiences. She proved her range and reverence for the music that came before her when she dropped a version of the seminal “Take Me to The River.” It was featured on a tribute album to Talking Heads.
There’s no question that Lorde has always gone the extra mile with her fan-engagement and surprise tactics. Most recently, she challenged her followers to join her at their local parks. She blasted the announcement to her supporters via her fan text line to get the word out. Unfortunately, the event had to be cancelled because of a riotously huge crowd, a testament to her popularity.
Musically, Lorde has done right by herself in working with some highly creative artists and producers. Jim-E Stack played a significant role in her latest work, providing drums, keyboards, piano, synthesizer, and engineering for her music. Daniel Nigro fueled the musical chords with bass, electric guitar, piano, and synthesizer. At the same time, Andrew Aged displayed his virtuosity as an electric guitarist on one of the songs.
Lorde co-wrote and co-produced “What Was That” with Stack and Nigro. Through its performance at the Washington Square Park in New York City, the song had the live debut. There, she harmonized with her admirers in an inviting and intimate setting.
“Meet me in the park Tonight 7pm – x x” – Lorde
Further showcasing her collaborative spirit, Lorde performed alongside Charli XCX during both Charli’s concert at Madison Square Garden and Coachella’s weekend one set. These live performances have cemented her role as an omnipresent force in today’s music scene.