Lorde surprised fans at Glastonbury on Friday with a secret performance to mark the release of her new album, Virgin.
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After teasing the set on Instagram the night before—confirming she’d hit the Woodsies Stage at 11:30 a.m.—hundreds of fans gathered early to catch the debut. Dressed in all white and joined by a four-piece band, Lorde performed the entire album live, kicking off with “Hammer” and following it up with a high-energy rendition of “What Was That.” Highlights included her flashing a silver bra during “Shapeshifter” and dramatically rolling on the stage during “Man of the Year.”
As the set reached its midpoint, Lorde paused to speak to the crowd. She expressed her excitement, saying,
This is fucking sick. Thank you so much for being here with us on the day that ‘Virgin’ is born. We decided to play the whole record for you from front to back. This may be a one-of-one, you know?
This record took me a lot. I didn’t know if I’d make another record to be honest, but I’m back here completely free. And I’m so grateful to you for waiting.
She went on to reflect on the album’s journey:
After performing the rest of the album—including the dreamy “Current Affairs” and the heartfelt “David”—Lorde surprised fans once more by launching into two of her biggest hits: “Ribs” and “Green Light.” As a green laser lit up the crowd, the vibe shifted from quiet appreciation to a full-blown mosh pit, with fans shouting every lyric.
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Virgin is Lorde’s fourth studio album and her first since 2021’s acoustic-leaning Solar Power. Created largely in collaboration with Caroline Polachek and Jim-E Stack (known for his work with Charli XCX), the record marks a return to the electronic sounds of her earlier albums Melodrama and Pure Heroine. Other contributors include Grammy-winning producer Dan Nigro (Chappell Roan, Olivia Rodrigo), Devonté Hynes of Blood Orange, Fabiana Palladino, Andrew Aged, and Buddy Ross.
Lorde last performed at Glastonbury in 2022, having made her debut at the iconic U.K. festival back in 2017. Later this year, she’ll kick off the Ultrasound World Tour, starting in September in Austin, Texas, before traveling through Europe and wrapping up in Brooklyn, New York.
Source: Variety