What Was That is Lorde’s first single in four years, a heartfelt song about her past relationship: let’s explore the lyrics and meaning.
Lorde is back. After four years of waiting, the New Zealand singer has finally released a new single, What Was That, which previews her fourth album, set to arrive this year. The song has, of course, sparked joy and curiosity among fans, especially because the lyrics seem to carry a particularly deep meaning: it talks about a heartbreak, and it’s important to understand what happened. Let’s find out everything in this article — you’ll also find the full lyrics and the official video below.
What Was That: the song lyrics & their meaning
What Was That is a song about a long love story that ends and leaves you feeling confused and disoriented: in the lyrics, Lorde reflects on her life today and on the meaning of that years-long relationship. “What Was That?” is the question repeated in the chorus: what was the point of all that intensity, if the story was destined to end anyway?
We’re talking about someone who was extremely important to Lorde. The lyrics of What Was That explain that the two have known each other since she was 17, and that she gave him everything. There’s even a reference to a possible marriage — one that ultimately never happened:
Since l was seventeen, I gave you everything
Now, we wake from a dream
Well, baby, what was that?
I cover up all the mirrors, I can’t see myself yet
I wear smoke like a wedding veil
The person Lorde is referring to is probably music promoter Justin Warren. The two actually met in 2009 and began a steady relationship around 2015. In 2019, Lorde was seen wearing a ring on her finger — a sign that she and Justin might have been planning to get married soon. However, in 2023, Lorde began telling her fans that she had just ended a long-term romantic relationship. What Was That is in fact the first single she has released since then, so it makes perfect sense that it reflects the intense emotions she’s experienced over the past few years.
Oh, I’m missing you
Yeah, I’m missing you
And all the things we used to do
The song retraces the unforgettable experiences Lorde shared with her ex-boyfriend. Kissing for hours, taking MDMA together and letting the sensations take over (the singer has previously admitted to using ecstasy), going to concerts side by side… Lorde truly shared her life with him. And now that he’s gone, what remains is that familiar sense of emptiness that’s hard to fill. It takes time — sometimes a lot of time. And Lorde is afraid that this sadness might never go away.
MDMA in the back garden, blow our pupils up
We kissed for hours straight, well, baby, what was that?
When I’m in the blue light, down at Baby’s All Right
I face reality
I tried (I tried) to let (To let)
Whatever has to pass through me, pass through
But this is staying a while, I know
It might not let me go
Time passes for everyone, and it heals all wounds, they say. But Lorde might not have reached the end of her journey through heartbreak just yet — and that’s exactly the deeper meaning behind What Was That and its lyrics: I shared so much of my life with you, the most intense experiences I’ve ever had, and now that you’re gone, I’m left with an emptiness that clouds my clarity. Now, we wait for the release of the new album and the other songs to see whether Lorde has gained any new insights since then. We’ll keep you updated.
Read other popular song lyrics and their meaning on Auralcrave
The complete lyrics and the official video
A place in the city, a chair and a bed
I cover up all the mirrors, I can’t see myself yet
I wear smoke like a wedding veil
Make a meal I won’t eat
Step out into the street, alone in a sea
It comes over me
Oh, I’m missing you
Yeah, 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, well, baby, what was that?
I remember saying then, “This is the best cigarette of my life”
Well, I want you just like that
Indio haze, we’re in a sandstorm, and it knocks me out
I didn’t know then that you’d never be enough for—
Since l was seventeen, I gave you everything
Now, we wake from a dream
Well, baby, what was that?
What was that?
Baby, what was that?
Do you know you’re still with me, when I’m out with my friends?
I stare at the painted faces that talk current affairs
You had to know this was happening, you weren’t feeling my heat
When I’m in the blue light, down at Baby’s All Right
I face reality
I tried (I tried) to let (To let)
Whatever has to pass through me, pass through
But this is staying a while, I know
It might not let me go
MDMA in the back garden, blow our pupils up
We kissed for hours straight, well, baby, what was that?
I remember saying then, “This is the best cigarette of my life”
Well, I want you just like that
Indio haze, we’re in a sandstorm, and it knocks me out
I didn’t know then, but you’d never be enough for—
Since l was seventeen, I gave you everything
Now, we wake from a dream
Well, baby, what was that?
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?
(When I’m in the blue light, I can make it alright)
Baby, what was that?
