Overview

• Lorde invited fans to a surprise pop-up event at Washington Square Park via text message, drawing a large crowd on April 22.
• City authorities shut down the gathering due to the lack of required sound and park permits, instructing attendees to disperse.
• Producer Dev Hynes played the new single 'What Was That' on a portable speaker for fans who stayed, despite the police intervention.
• Lorde appeared later in the evening, performing the song live atop a wooden platform in the park’s fountain area.
• The single, set to release on April 25, marks the lead track from Lorde's upcoming fourth studio album, her first solo music since 2021.