Lorde Performs Surprise Glastonbury Set on Day of Album Release: “I’m Back and Completely Free”

New Zealand musician Lorde had Glastonbury-goers racing to the Woodsies area on Friday as the singer made a surprise appearance at the U.K. music festival.

The two-time Grammy winner had initially said she was “pretty keen” to return to the fest, with some interpreting that to mean that she might pop up at some point over the weekend.

She thrilled attendees at Worthy Farm in Somerset when word spread that she was about to kick off a performance on Friday morning, the same day of the release of her album Virgin.

“This is fucking sick,” she said, playing most songs from her new album. “This is the release, I’m releasing it right now! After the show, then the album’s out, you know?”

She also added: “This record took me a lot, I didn’t know if I would make another record to be honest — but I’m back here and completely free. I’m so grateful to you for waiting.”

Lorde performed “What Was That,” “Man of the Year,” as well as 2017 hit “Green Light” to the delight of thousands waiting at the Woodsies tent. Glastonbury organizers were forced to close the area off ahead of her set as the area was getting too crowded.

“What Was That” marks her first single since her last album Solar Power came out in August 2021. However, she’s still been around — most notably on Charli XCX’s “Girl, so confusing” remix on Brat. The English singer is also set to perform at the festival Saturday evening.

Lorde had announced the title of her fourth studio album at the end of April via Instagram, alongside an image of the record’s cover art: a blue x-ray image showing a zipper going down a pelvis, a belt buckle and an IUD.

The Glastonbury Festival runs through Sunday, with The 1975, Neil Young and Olivia Rodrigo set to headline.