A Look Inside Lorde’s “What Was That” Lyrics

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Analyze the first single off of ‘Virgin’ (& read the rest of the tracklist)
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In the Year of Our Lorde 2025, the New Zealand-born pop artist triumphantly returned with “What Was That,” a synth-pop breakup anthem that also served as the lead single of her fourth studio album, Virgin. The song explores themes common in Lorde’s repertoire, including nostalgia, grief, memory, and a never-ending coming of age. Keep reading for a complete lyrical breakdown of “What Was That,” including insights from the “Royals” singer herself .

What do the lyrics of “What Was That” by Lorde mean?

Lorde’s “What Was That” describes a post-breakup period, including moments of depression (“I cover up all the mirrors…Make a meal I won’t eat”), reflective nostalgia (“I’m missing you / And all the things we used to do”), and wonder at everything that’s happened (“We wake from a dream / Well, baby, what was that?”).

Section 1 of 6:

“What Was That” Lyric Analysis

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  1. 1
    Verse 1 The first verse of the song paints a picture of a minimalistic space that the narrator is living in, along with their mundane daily tasks: “A place in the city / A chair and a bed.” They also describe moments where their mental health seems to plummet, like when they “cover up all the mirrors” and make meals that they “won’t eat.” In the final line of the verse, they “step out into the street” when “it” comes over them—“it” presumably being feelings of nostalgia, grief, and reflection. [1]
  2. 2
    Chorus Moving into the explosive, questioning, and fast-paced chorus of the song, the narrator sings about missing their ex and “all the things [they] used to do,” before diving into specific memories they shared together. However, while looking back on these memories, the narrator realizes that they didn’t know at the time that their ex-partner would “never be enough.” They then hint at their emotional removal from these special and romantic moments, claiming that they gave this person “everything” since they were seventeen years old and, now that they’ve stepped away from the relationship (“wake from a dream”), they’re left looking back with a mix of emotions as they try to process “what was that.” [2]
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  3. 3
    Verse 2 In the second verse, the narrator reenters the world, goes out with their friends, and even spends time at Baby’s All Right, a real music venue and club in Brooklyn, NY. These lyrics tell us more about how the narrator feels about their past relationship—their ex is “still with” them while they’re “out with their friends,” but they’re also aware that their partner wasn’t “feeling [their] heat,” a fact they can finally accept as they “face reality” in the “blue light” of the club. [3]
  4. 4
    Pre-Chorus In the second pre-chorus between Verse 2 and the second chorus, the narrator shares a conflicted state of pain and grief. They say that they “tried to let whatever has to pass” pass through them, presumably meaning that they wanted the emotional pain of their breakup to come and go quickly. However, they now realize that this feeling of loss might be “stayin’ a while” and may not ever truly leave them. [4]
  5. 5
    Outro In the final outro or post-chorus, the singer concludes with the lines: “What was that? / ‘Cause I want you just like that / When I’m in the blue light, I can make it alright / What was that?” While these concluding lyrics are up to interpretation, it’s safe to say that the narrator is getting closer to feeling “alright” after the ending of their relationship, although they still sometimes turn to the memories of the best (and worst) moments with their former love. [5]
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Section 2 of 6:

What is “What Was That” about?

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  1. “What Was That” is about someone who’s navigating the aftermath of a breakup. Overall, the song reflects on the post-breakup period, with the narrator describing intense emotional ups and downs (“Make a meal I won’t eat”) and reflecting on their memories with the ex (“I’m missing you / And all the things we used to do”), like doing “MDMA in the back garden” and kissing “for hours straight.” The narrator also shares their realization that the relationship wasn’t going to last, saying that they “didn’t know then,” in the midst of all these memories, “that [their ex would] never be enough.” [6]
    • Lorde also sings about the stage of the breakup in which she has to reenter the world and move on, despite the fact that she can still feel the memories of her ex:
      • “Do you know you're still with me / When I'm out with my friends? / I stare at their painted faces / They talk current affairs…When I'm in the blue light, down at Baby's All Right / I face reality.”
    • Marking the final stage of breakup grief, the lyrics describe the narrator trying “to let whatever has to pass through…pass through,” but also acknowledging that the pain might be “staying a while.”
Section 3 of 6:

What has Lorde said about “What Was That?”

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  1. 1
    Lorde initially described the record as the “sound of [her] rebirth.” On the date of “What Was That”’s release, Lorde shared the credits on her website, alongside a stream-of-consciousness-esque note that described how the song came to be and what it meant to her. You can read the entire note below: [7]
    • “LATE 2023. BACK IN NEW YORK. DEEP BREAKUP. STOPPING BIRTH CONTROL. EVERY MEAL A BATTLE. FLASHBACKS AND WAVES. FEELING GRIEF’S VORTEX AND LETTING IT TAKE ME. OPENING MY MOUTH AND RECORDING WHAT FELL OUT. JIMMY SHOUTING IN THE BACKGROUND. A THOUSAND HOURS OF AUDIO EMBROIDERY. DAN TELLING US WHERE THE MOOG BASS SHOULD GO. ANDREW GIVING IT TEETH. THE NIGHT WE FINALLY GOT THE DRUMS RIGHT. THE SOUND OF MY REBIRTH.”
  2. 2
    Lorde said the phrase “what was that” was on her mind during a tough time. Discussing the inspiration behind “What Was That” in an interview with Document Journal, Lorde shared: [8]
    • “I had just come back from London to New York after this period of great turbulence in my personal life. Becoming single, but also really facing my body stuff head-on, and starting to feel my gender broadening a little bit. Just being back in my house and feeling this big wave of grief. I just kept thinking, ‘What was all of that?’

      Whether it was my seven-year relationship or a pandemic, or sacrificing my body to my career since I was 16 or 17. This feeling of, ‘Oh, my God, so much has moved through me. And there’s so much mystery and pain.’

      I just held the mic and sort of walked around the room and said it all. I didn’t write anything down, which was cool."
  3. 3
    “What Was That” was also the first song to give the album a clear direction. In a BBC Radio 1 interview , host and interviewer Jack Saunders asked Lorde why she chose “What Was That” as the first single for her new era and her new Virgin album. In response, Lorde shared the following insights: [9]
    • “‘What Was That’ was the first song that I wrote for this album that I felt like, ‘Okay, I see now where to go with all this.’ I did go back and forth on it being the first song because it is very recognizably me. I was describing it as ‘Lorde canon,' and it’s funny to be 12 years into your career and be lucky enough to have people have an understanding of your tropes and the things that you do.

      But I was like, you know what, I’m secure enough in myself that I can recognize something for just being something amazing that’s gonna make a whole lot of people feel something and bring them into this world in the way that’s right for them to be brought in.

      Coming out of Solar Power , which was a very different flavor for me, I just wanted to lock people right back in, because this album is asking a lot of them, and [starting with ‘What Was That’] is part of a very careful plan.”
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Section 4 of 6:

The Production, Release & Reception of “What Was That”

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  1. 1
    “What Was That” was written and produced by Lorde, Jim-E Stack, and Dan Nigro. Lorde and Jim-E Stack co-wrote the track and brought on Dan Nigro (who’s notably worked with Olivia Rodrigo and Chappell Roan) to produce the final version. [10] The song’s production is synth-heavy and most sonically similar to the urban feel of Melodrama (2017), although it’s arguably more electric and amplified. On the other hand, the song’s sound is starkly different from Lorde’s previous studio album, Solar Power (2021), which is characterized by a hazy, relaxed, and bright vibe. [11]
  2. 2
    “What Was That” was released on April 24, 2025, after a performance in NYC. Lorde first teased a snippet of the track on April 9th, 2025, with a video of her walking through Washington Square Park in New York City. On April 16th, Lorde officially announced the song’s upcoming release alongside the cover art, which depicts the singer in a bright red top and braids with water dripping down her face. On April 22nd, Lorde sent a text blast out to fans and posted an invite on social media to meet her “in the park” at 7 pm. Unsurprisingly, hordes of fans flocked to Manhattan’s Washington Square Park with hopes of seeing the singer perform live. [12]
    • However, before Lorde even got the chance to show up, the New York City police shut down the event due to the massive size of the crowd and the event’s lack of permits. At around 7 pm, Lorde posted an apology to her Instagram story, saying that “the cops are shutting [it] down” and sharing her amazement at “how many [fans] showed up.”
    • Later in the night, Lorde did end up making an appearance after much of the crowd had dispersed. She played the yet-to-be-released “What Was That” from a speaker as she danced along.
    • The next day, on April 23rd, Lorde posted a video of her teeth and the text “‘What Was That’ out Midnight ET.”
    • True to her word, Lorde released the track the next day, along with a frenetic and DIY-esque music video of her walking around New York City, including clips of her appearance in Washington Square Park. [13]
  3. 3
    “What Was That” has been mostly well-received after debuting at #36. “What Was That” marks Lorde’s highest ever debut on the Billboard Hot 100 at #36. [14] Critics and fans alike have celebrated Lorde’s return to her trademark melancholic and minimalistic sound, as well as the track’s evocative and emotional lyrics. [15] However, others have expressed disappointment, describing the song as underwhelming or less than groundbreaking in terms of production or lyrical revelations. [16]
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Section 5 of 6:

Virgin Album & Tracklist

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  1. Lorde’s fourth studio album "Virgin" was released on June 27, 2025. After four years without any major releases, Lorde announced her fourth studio album— Virgin —on April 30th, 2025. The album cover depicts a blue-tinted X-ray of a woman’s pelvis, along with her spine, hip bones, IUD, belt buckle, and zipper. Fans got a preview of the album’s overall sound with the first single, “What Was That,” an explosive synth-pop dance track, and the reflective second single, “Man of the Year,” was dropped just after Lorde released the entire Virgin tracklist on an X-ray image of a woman’s rib cage: [17]
    • 1. “Hammer”
    • 2. “What Was That”
    • 3. “Shapeshifter”
    • 4. “Man of the Year”
    • 5. “Favourite Daughter”
    • 6. “Current Affairs”
    • 7. “Clearblue”
    • 8. “GRWM”
    • 9. “Broken Glass”
    • 10. “If She Could See Me Now”
    • 11. “David”
Section 6 of 6:

Interesting Facts About Lorde

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  1. 1
    Lorde is a pop singer-songwriter from New Zealand. Born Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor in Takapuna, New Zealand, Lorde first emerged onto the mainstream pop scene in 2012 with her song “Royals,” which quickly became a global smash hit. Prior to the release of “Royals,” Lorde had been discovered at a middle-school talent show by an agent from Universal Music Group, who signed her to a development contract at age 12. At that point, Lorde chose to adopt her stage name, which was inspired by a lifelong fascination with aristocracy but feminized with the addition of “e” to the end of the word “Lord.” [18]
    • Lorde is best known for writing alternative- and synth-pop music with frequent themes of nostalgia, adolescence, and a jaded perspective on modern life.
    • As of June 2025, Lorde is just 28 years old and has released four studio albums.
  2. 2
    Lorde’s biggest hit to date is “Royals.” Released when the singer was just 16 years old, “Royals” peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a number one single in the U.S. It went on to sell over 10 million copies worldwide and won two Grammy Awards: “Song of the Year” and “Best Pop Solo Performance.” [19]
    • Other Lorde songs with similar levels of success include “Team,” “Green Light,” “Ribs,” and “Supercut.”
  3. 3
    Lorde was 16 years old when she wrote the fan favorite “Ribs.” The then-teenage singer-songwriter reportedly wrote the song while reflecting on a house party she threw while her parents were away. The lyrics detail the bittersweet and nostalgic emotions that come with growing into adulthood and leaving simpler times behind (“And I've never felt more alone / It feels so scary getting old”). [20] While “Ribs” was never a single, it’s long been a fan favorite, and it even saw its first debut on the Billboard Hot 100 in May 2025—more than 12 years after its initial release. [21]
  4. 4
    Lorde has a neurological condition called chromesthesia. Also known as sound-to-color synesthesia, chromesthesia is a condition that makes a person see specific colors when certain musical notes are played. Those colors and notes are tied together in their minds, which, in the case of musical artists like Lorde, allows for more depth and experimentation to make its way into finished tracks, as they can see connections that others don’t. In some cases, the condition may even deter an artist from taking a certain route in their music. [22]
    • For example, Lorde once shared that “if a song’s colors are too oppressive or ugly, [she] won’t want to work on it. When we first started ‘Tennis Court,’ it was the worst textured tan color, really dated, and it made me feel sick. Then we figured out that pre-chorus and I started the lyrics, and the song changed to all these incredible greens overnight.”
    • Chromesthesia and other types of synesthesia are actually super common among successful musicians, despite the fact that only 1 in every 2,000 people has the condition. Artists like Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Pharrell, Charli XCX, Finneas, Billie Eilish, and Maggie Rogers have all spoken out about their experiences with synesthesia.
  5. 5
    Lorde once ran an Instagram account where she reviewed onion rings. The once-secret @onionringsworldwide featured first-hand reviews of onion rings from different eateries around the world—but no one knew who ran the account. On June 12th, 2017, a New Zealand publication posted an article that posited a theory that Lorde was behind the account. [23] A few days later, Lorde appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and confirmed that she did run the onion ring account, saying that it was only meant to be “a funny thing with [her] friends on tour.” [24]
    • The most recent review was posted on October 3, 2021, so the account appears to be inactive.
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      References

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      9. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lorde
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      13. ↑ https://www.teenvogue.com/story/lorde-opens-up-about-synesthesia-hit-music
      14. ↑ https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-40272364
      15. ↑ https://youtu.be/4SHZB6VObvw?t=253

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