What Was That Lyrics Meaning
Before exploring the meaning of English song “What Was That” by “Lorde”, it’s important to understand the creative background that shaped it. Written by “Lorde & Jim-E Stack” and produced by “Jim-E Stack, Lorde & Dan Nigro”, the song reflects their signature blend of “Pop”. This song was released on April 24, 2025.
Read: What Was That Lyrics
[Verse 1]
Lorde describes a lonely scene where she’s trying to settle into a new space in the city, but she’s clearly emotionally unsettled. She avoids mirrors, suggesting she can’t bear to confront herself or her current emotional state. She’s going through the motions—making food she doesn’t eat, stepping outside—but it’s all empty. The “smoke like a wedding veil” implies she’s hiding or numbing herself, possibly from grief or longing. As she walks the streets, the crowd around her only intensifies her feeling of isolation. She’s overwhelmed with missing someone she shared her life with—someone she did everyday things with—and that absence haunts her.
[Chorus]
The chorus jumps back to a vivid memory: a night when they took MDMA in a backyard, their senses heightened, and they kissed for what felt like forever. In that moment, everything felt magical, even a cigarette felt like the best one she ever had. She longs for that moment and for her partner just as they were then—wild, close, euphoric. The “Indio haze” and “sandstorm” might refer to a music festival (like Coachella in Indio, California), where everything was chaotic but beautiful. But now, in hindsight, she realizes that even then, no matter how intense the experience, this person was never going to be enough for her. She’s given her heart since she was 17, but now she’s waking up from what felt like a dream. She’s asking herself: was it all real, or just a high?
[Post-Chorus]
She keeps repeating the question: “What was that?” It’s like she’s still trying to understand what the relationship meant. Was it love? Was it just a moment? Was it a fantasy? The repetition emphasizes her confusion and emotional disorientation.
[Verse 2]
Even when she’s out socializing, the ghost of this person lingers. Conversations with others feel dull or meaningless in comparison to what she had. She’s numb and detached, watching people talk about normal things while she’s stuck in her head. She suspects the breakup—or the emotional distance—didn’t happen overnight. Her partner had likely stopped feeling the connection before she realized it. Now, in dim party lighting (like at Baby’s All Right, a real NYC venue), she’s trying to face reality. She says she *tried* to let the pain pass, to heal and move on—but the emotional weight won’t leave. It’s staying, and she’s afraid it may never go away.
[Chorus (repeated)]
The second chorus brings back the same memory, this time with even more yearning and bitterness. The magic of that moment is now a source of pain. She once thought she had everything with that person—but now, she’s realizing that what they had may have only been fleeting or one-sided. Even though she gave everything, she still woke up alone. The memories feel both beautiful and crushing.
[Post-Chorus (repeated)]
She circles back again to the question: “What was that?” She wants to return to that feeling—those electric moments when it all felt perfect—but she knows deep down it wasn’t sustainable. Her internal voice tries to reassure her (“When I’m in the blue light, I can make it alright”), but she’s not fully convinced. The longing and confusion remain.
Overall Meaning & Themes:
Lorde’s “What Was That” explores the disorienting aftermath of a deep, romantic connection that felt larger-than-life but ultimately fell apart. The song moves between vivid memories of euphoric highs—where everything felt magical—and the cold, isolating reality of the present, where nothing seems to fill the void. It’s about the longing to relive something beautiful, the pain of recognizing it might have meant more to you than to the other person, and the struggle of letting go when a feeling still lingers so strongly.
She touches on themes of nostalgia, emotional addiction, grief, and self-discovery. The imagery of parties, drugs, city nights, and emotional distance paints a portrait of someone spiraling through the highs and lows of love lost. The repeated question—“What was that?”—is a powerful reflection of her disbelief and emotional limbo. She’s still trying to make sense of something that once felt so real but now feels like smoke.