Lorde Premieres “What Was That” For Fans In NYC Despite Cops Shutdown, Releases Song At Midnight

Fans flooded Washington Square Park in New York City on Tuesday (April 22) after Lorde texted them, “Meet me in the park. Tonight 7 p.m.” The Grammy-winning singer was planning to debut her brand new single in front of the thousands of fans who gathered there to witness the event, but cops shut down the impromptu gathering before it started due to Lorde lacking the proper permits. The crowd still made the most of the moment, joining together on a spirited a-cappella rendition of Lorde’s 2013 Pure Heroine track, “Ribs.” The New Zealand pop superstar wasn’t deterred by the police intervention either, as she returned a few hours later and danced and sang along to her dynamic new single in front of her adoring fans. On Wednesday (April 23), Lorde posted a short teaser video on Instagram featuring a close up of her breathing heavily into the camera, followed by a release announcement for the highly-anticipated new single, “What Was That out Midnight ET,” signalling the official launch of new material from her upcoming fourth album. (Rolling Stone)