Lord Surprised Glastonbury On Friday with a secret set to celebrate the release of her new album, “Virgin.”
After pop star Slyly confirmed via Instagram on Thursday that she would play at 11:30 on the Woodsies scene, hundreds of fans flocked to the area hours before to claim a place and hear the album live for the first time. Dressed in completely white and supported by a four-piece band played Lorde “Virgin” throughout, started with “Hammer” and then delivered an energetic “what was it.” Other highlights included “Shapeshifter”, during which she blinked a silver bra and “Man of the Year”, who saw her twisted around on the stage floor.
When her set reached the centerpiece, she took a moment to address the audience. “This is damn sick. Thank you so much for being here with us that day as” Virgin “was born. We decided to play the whole record for you from the back to the back. This could be a one-of-one, do you know?” she said. “This record took me a lot. I didn’t know if I would make a new record to be honest, but I’m back here for free. And I’m so grateful to you for waiting.”
After playing through the rest of the album, including the etheric “current issues” and emotional “David”, she then surprised the audience with two of her biggest hits: “Ribs” and “Green light.” Suitably, a green laser donated in the crowd when the participants turned from polite listeners to a rowing mosh pit and sang every word.
“Virgin” marks Lorde’s fourth studio album, and her first since she went acoustic with 2021’s “Solar Power.” By doing much of “Virgin” in collaboration with Caroline Polachek and Charli XCX producer Jim-E Stack, the album is a return to the electronic landscapes in her first two records, “Melodrama” and “Pure Heroine.” Other collaborators include Grammy Producer of the Year Dan Nigro (Chappell Roan/ Olivia Rodrigo), Blood Orange’s Devonté Hynes, Fabiana Palladino, Andrew Aged and Buddy Ross.
The 11-track record contains singles “What was it”, “Hammer” and “Man of the Year”, in addition to songs entitled “Current questions”, “GRWM” and “David.” Lorde released “What was that” with a surprise performance in New York City’s Washington Square Park, which was eventually closed by NYPD due to overpopulation.
Lorde last performed at Glastonbury 2022, with her first set at UK Fest as 2017. Later this year, she will go into Ultrasound’s world tour, which begins in September in Austin, Texas and on her way across Europe before ending in Brooklyn, NY