Lorde's announced her first live show in years and a new album feels imminent

Barcelona festival Primavera Sound announced their lineup for 2022, and while stacked to the brim with an array of stunning artists, one name sticks out in particular: Lorde. Warning: this is not a drill.

Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor, a.k.a. Lorde, a.k.a. nostalgia’s pop idol, has kept to herself over the last couple of years. Her last performance was in 2018, when her Melodrama World Tour wrapped up. Since then, she’s taken a trip to Antartica, processed the death of her dog Pearl, and has been quietly working on her next album with music collaborator Jack Antonoff. The 23-year-old’s popped her head out to send delicate newsletters to her fans about the ongoings of her life and new work, without too many details. However, with a headline festival slot on the horizon, a new album feels looming. Come on girl, you have to give us enough time to know the lyrics by heart. At this point, even a crumb, a voice memo, will do.

Other Primavera Sound headliners include Pavement, Tame Impala, The Strokes, Megan Thee Stallion, Dua Lipa, Gorillaz, Beck, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Tyler, The Creator, Massive Attack, and more. Spanning over two weekends at outdoor and indoor venues with over 500 shows, other acts such as Charli XCX, Clairo, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Sky Ferreira, M.I.A., Kacey Musgraves, and 100 Gecs will be in attendance. The festival decided to skip 2021 due to coronavirus concerns even as many other festivals resume, but that just gives fans more time to get vaccinated and save up for that plane ticket.