Lorde’s surprise show in New York shut down by police
New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde took to her social media to encourage fans to gather in a cryptic location to hear her unreleased comeback single, ‘What Was That’. However, due to overcrowding, police shut the event down before it began.
Earlier on April 22nd, the ‘Liability‘ singer texted fans to meet her “in the park Tonight [at] 7pm.” Those in on the clue headed to New York’s Washington Square Park in large clusters. Soon, thousands had gathered around the fountain, with some climbing trees for a better vantage point.
At around 7pm CET, Lorde posted on her Instagram story highlighting the logistical crisis: “Omg The Park the cops are shutting us down,” she wrote. “I am truly Amazed by how many of you showed up !!!” The singer-songwriter added: “But they’re telling me you gotta disperse … I’m so sorry.”
A DCPI Spokesperson said that “officers were alerted of an unscheduled event inside the park” at around 6:47pm on April 22nd. “A sound and parks permit is required to have a concert in a New York City Park,” the statement continued. “This individual did not possess either. Organizers of the event were informed they could not perform and they left the location.”
However, loyal fans stayed in the area for the best part of two hours to finally witness Lorde singing along to the unreleased song, which blasted on a portable speaker.
According to Pitchfork, lyrics include: “I’m missing you/ And all the things we used to do/ MDMA in the back garden, blow our pupils up/ We kissed for hours straight but baby, what was that?/ I remember saying then/ This is the best cigarette of my life/ Well I want you just like that.”
Lorde’s pending album would be her fourth studio offering. Her last release was the 2021 album Solar Power, which followed on from Melodrama in 2017 and her debut Pure Heroine in 2013.
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