New York, New York - Lorde kicked off her new era in dramatic style on Tuesday as she sparked a fan frenzy with the announcement of a last-minute music event in New York City.

It all began when the 28-year-old pop star posted a cryptic Instagram story featuring a snap of Washington Square Park with the caption, "Tonight 7 pm – xx."

Fans immediately flocked to the park, filling up the area with an hour to go before the mysterious event.

But shortly before 7 PM, Lorde returned to her Instagram story to reveal that the police were "shutting down" the event.

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"I am truly Amazed by how many of you showed up !!! But they're telling me you gotta disperse … I'm so sorry," she wrote.

Per People, law enforcement confirmed that Lorde and her team did not obtain any of the necessary permits to host such an event, which led the NYPD to put a stop to it.

But plenty of fans stuck around anyway, and the Ribs singer's producer and collaborator, Blood Orange, emerged at around 8 PM to play Lorde's new song – What Was That – on a loudspeaker.

An hour and a half later, Lorde herself then hit the scene!

The New Zealand native gushed over the crowd before she debuted the song on another speaker set, dancing along as it played.

Despite all the chaos, it seems the trouble was worth it in the end for many fans, as they secured an early listen of the long-awaited single that officially drops on Friday.

What Was That marks Lorde's first song in four years and follows 2021's psychedelic folk pop album Solar Power.