NEWS
Lorde returned to Governor’s Ball for the first time in nine years and gave fans a unique take on her collaboration with Charli XCX, ‘Girl, So Confusing’.
The New Zealand singer made her long awaited comeback to the New York festival on Friday (June 5), where she headlined the opening night.
Speaking to the crowd about stepping back onto the Governor’s Ball stage after almost a decade away, Lorde admitted it was “the most nervous I’ve been for a show in a while”. She then treated fans to a string of beloved tracks including ‘Royals’, ‘What Was That’, and ‘Hammer’.
One of the standout highlights of the evening arrived near the end of her 21 song performance when she performed ‘Girl, So Confusing’, the track she later reworked alongside Charli XCX.
The song first appeared on Charli XCX’s hugely successful 2024 album ‘Brat’ without Lorde’s involvement, though it was inspired by her. In the lyrics, Charli reflected on the complicated feelings between the two artists and revealed she had once felt “super jealous” of the New Zealander’s achievements during her early career.
The pair later teamed up for a remix after Charli shared the song’s meaning with Lorde ahead of the release of ‘Brat’. Following that conversation, Lorde proposed creating a collaborative version together.
At Governor’s Ball, Lorde performed the remix adaptation during the closing section of her set and added her own personal touch to the track.
Charli was not present for the performance, leaving Lorde to deliver the song on her own. The moment stood out even more because the track had only appeared sparingly throughout Lorde’s recent ‘Ultrasound’ tour. More footage from the show can be seen below.
In addition to revisiting fan favourites and reimagining ‘Girl, So Confusing’, Lorde also surprised the audience with a preview of brand new material.
Early in the set, she introduced a portion of an unreleased song from the side of the stage. Standing behind a synthesizer setup, she sang: “Don’t look for me now that I’m gone/ Don’t look for me, I’m gone.”
Lorde’s festival appearances this summer follow her recent ‘Ultrasound’ tour, which was launched in support of her newest album, ‘Virgin’.
Released last June, the record earned a four star review from NME, which stated: “‘Virgin’ is a vibrant combination of Lorde’s best qualities, and then some.”
“With her newfound candour, the record combines the emotional whirlwind of ‘Melodrama’, the chilling minimalism of ‘Pure Heroine’ and the breezy freedom of ‘Solar Power’,” it added. “This might be called ‘Virgin’, but Lorde proves she’s not afraid to strip herself bare.”
While ‘Girl, So Confusing’ was not a regular feature during the ‘Ultrasound’ tour, Lorde did perform it at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles last October, where she surprised fans by bringing Charli XCX on stage.
Since releasing ‘Virgin’ and launching the accompanying tour, Lorde has contributed more than $200,000 from merchandise sales to Minnesota immigrant funds. She has also been announced as a headliner for All Points East 2026 in London, where PinkPantheress, Zara Larsson and additional artists are also set to appear.
Queens Of The Stone Age have secured the Number 1 spot on the Official Albums Chart, with their ninth studio album, Perfecth, making its debut at the top. The American rock band have now earned their second UK Number 1 album, following the success of their 2017 record Villains.
The band also came out on top in physical sales this week, claiming Number 1 on the Official Vinyl Albums Chart after selling more vinyl copies than any other release. Olivia Rodrigo follows at Number 2 with You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In, while Michael Jackson's The Essential remains at Number 3.
Scottish band The Snuts have taken Number 4 with Joy In Short Moments, marking their fourth album in a row to reach the Top 5. They also secured the Number 1 position on the Official Record Store Chart, recording the biggest sales across independent record shops during the past week. Fontaines D.C. complete the Top 5, with Dopamine Chamber falling three places to Number 5.
Elsewhere in the Top 10, Canadian rock band Nickelback have added another milestone to their career, as Everything Under The Sun enters at Number 6 to become their eighth Top 10 album. Birmingham group Editors have matched that achievement, with Surface, Echo & Sound arriving at Number 7. Following Halloween weekend, Michael Jackson's iconic album Thriller has also made a strong return, climbing 14 places to re-enter the Top 10 at Number 10.
American DJ and producer MK has made his first appearance on the Official Albums Chart at Number 20 with In The Night Again, his debut solo full-length album. Meanwhile, UK rapper Nines has secured his second Top 40 album of the year, with Young Nina opening at Number 30. This follows his earlier release Lost Tapes, which reached Number 14 earlier this autumn.
Completing this week's notable chart movements, The Who have returned to the Top 40 with their 1975 album The Who By Numbers, which has re-entered at Number 31 after the release of an extensive super deluxe edition.
