Surprising her fans, New Zealand-born pop icon Lorde pulled off an impromptu performance in New York’s Washington Square Park, on Tuesday night. Earlier that day, she had asked her fans to meet at the park at 7 PM in an Instagram post. By 6:47 PM, a massive crowd gathered at the park, buzzing with anticipation for Lorde’s first new single since 2021, What Was That. But just as the excitement peaked, the police stepped in. According to an NYPD spokesperson speaking to PEOPLE, the gathering was halted because the organisers didn’t have the proper permits to perform in a public park. “Officers were alerted of an unscheduled event… Sound and park permits are required… and the individuals were not in possession of either.”
Lorde, always gracious, complied, without protest. She posted an update for her fans on her Instagram, saying: “Omg @thepark the cops are shutting us down,” and followed up with an apology: “I am truly amazed by how many of you showed up!!! But they’re telling me you gotta disperse… I’m so sorry.”
But the night wasn’t over.
In true Lorde fashion, the moment transformed into something even more unforgettable. About two hours later, her longtime collaborator Dev Hynes aka Blood Orange arrived with a speaker and played the unreleased track for a loyal group of fans who’d decided to stick around. Then, just before 9:30 PM, Lorde reappeared, climbing onto a wooden platform in the middle of the park’s fountain to give an acoustic, raw performance of What Was That.
Watch the video:
🚨 Lorde at Washington Square Park playing “What Was That”!!pic.twitter.com/SnH2XOsVSB
— Lorde Updates 🧬⛓️ (@LordeUpdatesBR) April 23, 2025
“You guys are so amazing,” she told the crowd. “I love you so much.”
Dressed in an oversized jeans with wallet chains and a loose white shirt, Lorde gave a candid, stripped-down show only she could pull off. Some fans even clambered up trees to get a better view, while others made videos, which quickly went viral.
The Internet lit up with reactions. A user wrote, “All of us who got there and waited for her and then left after being told by the cops and parks people that it was canceled and she wasn’t coming deserve priority on tickets when she tours.”
Another user wrote, “It is wonderful to see happy people. Bravo to the singer Lord.”
Many others posted photos and videos:
The moment Lorde gets to Washington Square Park in New York today!
“I love you SO much” 🥺🥺pic.twitter.com/QnuzoiL3pk
— Lorde Updates 🧬⛓️ (@LordeUpdatesBR) April 23, 2025
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Lorde, celebrated for her raw and introspective lyrics, carved out a distinct space in pop music during the 2010s with tracks like Royals, Team, and Yellow Flicker Beat, which also featured in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire soundtrack. After a long musical hiatus, her latest release, What Was That, marks a highly anticipated return.
