Lorde headlined Rolling Stone's roundup of the festival's best moments, delivering one of the most powerful festival performances in recent memory.
Nine years after her last Gov Ball appearance in 2017, Lorde returned to New York's Flushing Meadows Corona Park in perfect summer weather. She opened with a tech-inspired version of her 2013 breakthrough "Royals," the track that launched her career as a teenager.
Lorde moved through her entire discography. A fan-held banner reading "I don't belong to anyone" spanned the years 2013-2026. The production was precise, her vocals were clear, and she shared vulnerably with the crowd.
"Our world feels increasingly unjust, and it feels harder and harder to arrive at your own definitions of beauty and the truth," she told the audience. "To combat all of this, all these fucked-up forces in our world, I would say show yourself. If we show ourselves in all the broken bits, all the jagged edges, all the filth, I really believe we will start fucking going somewhere."
She closed with "Ribs," a rendition that held the crowd. The energy sustained throughout, even as A$AP Rocky and Stray Kids took their turns on stage.
Other standouts included Jennie, Katseye, Clipse, and Wet Leg. Lorde's headline slot was the night's centerpiece.
