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Lorde just released her first original solo single in four years last month, but “What Was That” wasn’t the only one of her songs to debut on the Billboard Hot 100 after its release. Her Pure Heroine track “Ribs,” which has become a fan favorite over the years, debuted at Number 99, nearly 12 years after it came out.
“It’s crazy that it works on people still,” Lorde told Rolling Stone, during her interview sessions for the magazine’s May cover story. “It’s a mystery to me.”
Even before the song charted for the first time ever, Lorde took notice of her fans’ love for “Ribs” after her Washington Square Park event in April. She had announced an appearance in the park on April 22nd, but due to the immense size of the crowd, fans were ordered to disperse by the NYPD. In lieu of Lorde’s appearance, the lingering audience sung and danced to “Ribs,” among other songs of hers, in the park. She would post videos of the “Ribs” moments in particular on her Instagram page. (Those fans who waited would be rewarded when Dev Hynes would plug in his phone to someone’s speakers to play “What Was That” and then again when Lorde would finally join them a couple hours later.)
“I’m now seeing that Virgin has this connection to Pure Heroine, and to this young, brave part of myself. I’m seeing that all these albums have connective tissue,” she said. “Having ‘Ribs’ bubble up next to songs I’ve written when I was 28. I can’t wait to see what continues to bubble up when more of this album is out. What are the connections going to be?”
Lorde’s new album Virgin comes out in June.
