From her early hits off the 2013 album Pure Heroine to her 2025 chart-topping album Virgin, New Zealand’s pop superstar Lorde has captured the hearts and minds of her over 30 million listeners on Spotify. Despite only having four studio albums spanning a nearly 20 year long career, Lorde has managed to sell out nearly every stadium on her recent Ultrasound World Tour, playing for adoring fans across the globe.
Lorde began her Ultrasound World Tour in Austin, Texas on Sept. 17, performing in 10 cities since, with 38 left spanning 19 countries. Most recently, Lorde sold out The Anthem in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 4 and Oct. 5, performing with openers Chanel Beads and The Japanese House.
Chanel Beads took the stage around 7 p.m., introducing The Anthem to its unique indie-rock sound. With around 600k listeners on Spotify, Chanel Beads was clearly working to expand his audience to the larger fanbase held by Lorde. There is not much to say about their performance, as a combination of the overwhelming heat of The Anthem and the incredibly intense feedback from the microphones and speakers during their set led to a less than ideal listening experience for the audience. From the parts audible, Chanel Beads seemed to fit into the overall vibe and sound of Lorde.
At 8:15 p.m., The Japanese House began her set. With around 2.3 million monthly listeners on Spotify, The Japanese House opened to a loud cheer from the audience. Any audio issues were solved by this point, allowing us to clearly hear her indie tunes. The excitement was now tangible in the audience, partly because Lorde was only 45 minutes away, but also because of the fun of The Japanese House. Her funky yet hypnotizing sound seemingly captured the ears of her pre-existing fans and those being introduced to her music for the first time.
Finally, at 9:05 p.m. the lights of The Anthem dimmed and the audience began to roar. Strobe lights appeared from the stage as Lorde seemed to materialize in front of everyone. She opened with “Hammer,” a hit song off of her 2025 album Virgin. Fans screamed their hearts out as she began the concert, while others sobbed with their friends as Lorde called out to the audience.
Lorde then continued to play some of her biggest hits, such as “Royals” and “Buzzcut Season” from Pure Heroine. The energy in the audience was palpable as Lorde effortlessly combined her intense lyricism and jaw-dropping physical performance. Notably, Lorde played on the vulnerability of her songs, as she would remove articles of clothing or look longingly into the audience as she sang of heartbreak, loneliness and despair. It was this authenticity that bonded the audience. It was the type of performance where you cried while holding hands with strangers you met an hour ago.
As the concert progressed, Lorde held the audience in the palm of her hand, feeding into our every emotion. As the temperature in the pit began to rise, Lorde stopped the show twice as concert-goers passed out, waiting for them to be brought to safety before resuming her show.
In the last six songs of her 24-song show, Lorde solidified her legacy as not just a singer, but as a performer able to bring together thousands of people. At the end of “Team,” the stage lit up with the colors of the Palestinian flag. The crowd cheered at this display, serving as a contrast from the D.C. outside The Anthem, where members of the National Guard were walking the perimeter of the venue.
Lorde then transitioned into her final section of the concert, playing her biggest hits, “What Was That” from Virgin and “Green Light” from Melodrama. While “Green Light” played, green strobe lights flashed vigorously as the crowd jumped up and down shouting along with the lyrics. It felt more like a communal bonding experience than just a concert. Lorde soon joined the audience in its celebration as she walked through the pit to perform “David.”
Lorde entered the audience, taking people’s hands and singing right to them as she made her way to the B stage to perform her encore. She performed “A World Alone” and “Ribs.” The audience yet again sobbed, jumped and sang along with every note.
As Lorde ended her show and fans filed out of The Anthem, the consensus, it seemed to me, was that this concert was one that was made of pure magic. Lorde had her audience singing, dancing, sobbing, screaming, jumping and laughing all within her two hours of performance.
Lorde committed every bit of herself to her show, reminding us all at the end that the reason she writes is for us and that her songs become ours over time. Every bit of that message was felt as she performed. The show she put on caused people to feel united, especially in a time where life can feel so polarizing. Lorde put on a show that was special for those attending with their friends of over 10 years as well as those attending with their new friends of just two months. If you see Lorde on tour, prepare to laugh, cry, and hold hands with the stranger next to you while jumping up and down.
