Lorde gave New York fans a night to remember with a surprise pop-up show in Washington Square Park on Tuesday—but not without a few plot twists.
Earlier in the day, the “Royals” singer posted on Instagram, inviting fans to meet her at the park at 7 PM. By 6:47 PM, a massive crowd had already gathered, buzzing to hear her first new single since 2021, What Was That.
But before the music could start, NYPD officers shut the event down due to a lack of permits. Lorde took to Instagram again, apologizing: “Omg @thepark the cops are shutting us down… I’m so sorry.”
Still, the show went on. Around 9:30 PM, after a sneak preview from Dev Hynes, Lorde returned for an impromptu acoustic performance atop a platform in the fountain—oversized jeans, wallet chains, and all. Fans cheered, some climbing trees to catch a glimpse of the magic.