Lorde Scores The Second-Biggest Hit Of Her Career With New Single

Lorde began teasing that another chapter was about to begin this spring several weeks ago, and thankfully, she didn’t make fans wait long before unveiling new music. The singer-songwriter recently dropped her latest single “What Was That,” and there’s a great deal of excitement surrounding the cut.

The synth-pop tune earns a lofty debut on several rankings in the United Kingdom this week, where Lorde remains hugely popular — even though her last era wasn’t met with the same enthusiasm as some of her previous ones. “What Was That” has become not just another hit, but one of the biggest of her career right out of the gate.

“What Was That” Just Misses the Top 10

“What Was That” narrowly misses becoming a top 10 smash on the Official Singles chart, debuting at No. 11 in its first frame on the U.K.’s ranking of the most popular tracks. Impressively, it is already Lorde’s second-highest-charting hit ever.

She has only reached the top 10 once before, with “Royals,” her breakout smash that turned her into a global sensation more than a decade ago. That tune reached No. 1 on the tally.

Follow-up tracks like “Tennis Court,” “Team,” “Green Light,” and “Solar Power” — the lead single from her previous album — all peaked not far behind the top 10, though none managed to break into that uppermost region.

Pure Purchases Lorde’s Latest Single

Pure purchases are largely to thank for the immediate success of “What Was That.” The track only appears on the Official Singles Sales chart this frame – in addition to the all-encompassing list – as it didn’t stream well enough to appear on the ranking dedicated solely to that form of consumption. Lorde’s latest offering starts at No. 31 on the Official Singles Sales chart.

Throughout her career, Lorde has sent nine different tunes to that roster. Once again, “What Was That” becomes her second-biggest win on the specific ranking. She only climbed higher in 2017 with “Green Light,” which missed the top 10 by just two spaces during its 20-week run on the list. That track remains far and away her most successful in terms of pure purchases.

Lorde Prepares Her New Album Virgin

“What Was That” is the first single from Lorde’s upcoming album, Virgin. The full-length, which will be her fourth, is expected to drop in late June. If the lead cut is any indication of what’s to come, it appears that Lorde is shifting her sonic style slightly, returning to the artistically-driven synth-pop that made her a superstar in the first place. She abandoned that sound with Solar Power in 2021, which saw her embrace folk, indie, and psychedelic pop to mixed results.