Lorde Debuts New Song at Intimate Washington Square Park Performance 2 Hours After NYPD Shut Down Pop-Up Show

Lorde didn't disappoint fans who attended her Washington Square Park pop-up despite the event being initially dispersed by the New York Police Department.

via: EW

The New York City Police Department shut down a surprise performance by pop star Lorde, which would've promoted the New Zealand singer-songwriter's new song "What Was That" for fans who gathered in droves inside the city's Washington Square Park.

Video circulated online Tuesday showing fans gathered at the park — where they climbed trees, danced to music, and sang along to the 28-year-old singer's past hits like "Ribs" — with other footage showing police attempting to disperse attendees.

When reached for comment, a Deputy Commissioner of Public Information representative for the NYPD tells Entertainment Weekly that officers were alerted "of an unscheduled event inside the park" at around 6:47 p.m. local time.

"A sound and parks permit is required to have a concert in a New York City park," the representative continues. "This individual did not possess either. Organizers of the event were informed they could not perform and they left the location."

Screenshots of a reported Instagram Story post by Lorde indicates that the performer warned fans that "the cops are shutting us down," though EW could not verify the authenticity of the image.

EW has reached out to representatives for Lorde and the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation for more information.

Though the event didn't take place at its initially intended time, additional video shared online showed Lorde eventually showing up to the location to lip-sync along to the new song, with Dev Hynes of Blood Orange also in attendance.

"What Was That" is set for a formal release on Friday, as the lead single from Lorde's upcoming fourth studio album — the title for which has yet to be announced.

A snippet of the song released to social media teases a more pop-oriented, electronic sound that contrasts with the more grounded sonic vibe of the entertainer's last album, Solar Power, which dropped in 2021.

After Solar Power's singles underperformed on the global charts, the artist made headlines in 2024 after settling her private feud with Charli XCX, with the two joining forces for a remix of Brat album track "Girl, So Confusing." On the song, the two worked out their differences, and have since performed the song both on Charli's Sweat tour and at the 2025 Coachella music festival.