Lorde, What Was That | Song Review

Grammy-winning alternative pop singer/songwriter Lorde makes a superb comeback with “What Was That,” the lead single from her fourth LP, Virgin.

“I cover up all the mirrors / Can’t see myself yet / I wear smoke like a wedding veil.” Grammy-winning alternative pop singer/songwriter Lorde (Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor) is in the aftermath of a breakup. There is no wedding veil, which might have been her expectation with her ex before they went their separate ways. The Kiwi musician shares her grief, introspection, and reflection beautifully on her highly anticipated comeback single, “What Was That”.  Lorde co-wrote the second track from her fourth studio album, Virgin (arriving June 27, 2025), with Jim-E Stack.  Yelich-O’Connor, Jim-E Stack, and Dan Nigro produced it.

Initially, “What Was That” is minimalist in sound.  The keys and synths catch the ear. Lorde wows with those signature, raspy vocals.  She thrives in her middle and lower registers. In the first pre-chorus, she shares her feelings regarding their end: “Oh, I’m missing you.” In the chorus, she recollects their relationship, which includes drug use (“MDMA in the back garden, blow our pupils up / We kissed for hours straight, well, baby, what was that?”).  During the chorus, “What Was That” begins to pick up more steam instrumentally. Likewise, Lorde brings it more by exploring a range of emotions regarding their now defunct relationship (“Since I was seventeen, I gave you everything / Now we wake from a dream, well, baby, what was that”). The second verse is more developed, featuring more instrumentation. Even so, it never sounds overdone. It is well-produced. Like the first, Yelich-O’Connor tries to process everything, informing him, “Don’t you know you’re still with me / When I’m out with my friends?” She acknowledges, “You weren’t feeling my heat.” Oh, snap! It’s giving unrequited love! One of the best lyrics from the fabulous “What Was That” is “When I’m in the blue light, I can make it alright.” If single number one is any indication, Virgin will be a much stronger album than Solar Power. This song earns my seal of approval!

Lorde // Virgin // Universal Music New Zealand Limited // 6.27.25

[: Universal Music New Zealand Limited]