Lorde's All Points East Headline Set

New Zealand popstar Lorde said it was "so crazy" to be headlining All Points East, having played at the first ever edition of the London festival in 2018. Midway through her set on what she called "the best line-up I've ever been part of," she expressed her admiration for the other artists.

"It's crazy, I went around this afternoon and watched people and I was really struck by what this group of artists are doing," Lorde said, adding, "I felt so honoured to be a part of it." She explained, "This group of artists that you've seen today, have been trying to imagine a new world, it's like I've been trying to find new ways to live, new ways to see, I really felt that."

The Performance

Dressed in an all-black waterproof outfit, Lorde opened her headline set with "Royals" from her self-titled 2013 debut album, before moving on to "What Was That," the lead single from her latest album, Virgin (2025). Her performance drew heavily from the record, which she released in June of last year—her first studio album in almost four years—and which topped the UK charts, making it her fourth number-one album.

At points during the evening, Lorde recalled personal memories tied to the festival's venue. She mentioned coming to Victoria Park with someone she had a crush on, which was "almost agony," and added, "and it didn't stop, he's here tonight."

The show also included visual touchstones. During "Liability," footage of Lorde's early career was projected onto her shirt, and during "David," a banner reading "I don't belong to anyone 2013" was passed through the crowd. She finished with "Ribs," one of her earliest tracks, performing on a small stage in the middle of the VIP section, where fans jumped along with her.

Earlier in the day, All Points East had featured performances from acts including PinkPantheress, Zara Larsson, and Oklou.

Background

Lorde, born Ella Yelich-O'Connor, has been a fixture in pop music since her debut. Her previous albums—Pure Heroine (2013), Melodrama (2017), and Solar Power (2021)—all reached the top 10 in the UK albums chart. She is known for hits like "Green Light," "Solar Power," and "Royals," the latter reaching number one in the UK singles chart in 2013.

At the time Virgin was released, Lorde surprised fans with a secret set at Glastonbury Festival, performing the entire album at a live show.

Perspectives

  • Lorde's View: She expressed pride in being part of the All Points East lineup, sharing her appreciation for the artists performing alongside her and describing the collective creative effort as aiming to "imagine a new world."
  • Festival Context: The festival celebrated its lineup diversity, with earlier performances by PinkPantheress, Zara Larsson, and Oklou, highlighting the range of artists Lorde was pleased to join.