Lorde’s Ultrasound Tour was a rollercoaster of emotions for fans – jumping for joy one song and trying to hold back tears the next at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panther Arena on Oct. 10.
The 28-year-old singer songwriter from New Zealand opened the show with “Hammer,” the opening track on her June 2025 album “Virgin.” While it may not be her most popular track from the album, it still set the tone for an immersive night to come.
After a reminiscent rendition of “Royals,” Lorde began the mystifying experience that was “Broken Glass.” The dance performance from both Lorde and her backup dancers was incredible. One dancer sat and ate an apple slowly, moving her body to the beat while Lorde thrashed around behind her, slowly removing her belt throughout the song. At the climax, she threw the belt away, signaling the start to a more vulnerable section of the show.
Lorde smoothly transitioned into “Buzzcut Season” amid flashing lights, a semi-viral song on TikTok and created an introspective trend matching the lyrics, “and I’ll never go home again… I live in a hologram with you.” Lorde referenced not feeling herself at home and in her real life, saying she lives in a “hologram,” or a fake world to escape reality, while singing into a large fan almost blowing her away.
“Current Affairs” came soon after. Throughout this song, Lorde slowly kicked her pants to the ground, revealing only her Calvin Klein boxers. By removing yet another piece of clothing, she shed her privacy and invited the crowd into her life and music.
Fan-favorite “Supercut” came next. Lorde sang the first half of the song laying down at the edge of the stage, which suspended her a few feet into the air. Behind her, a backup dancer slowly increased the speed on a treadmill until she broke into a run, which Lorde took over for the second half of the song, impressively not missing a beat of the song.
Lorde got even more up close and personal during “No Better,” a song accompanied by close-up shots of her stomach on the big screen. It felt almost sensual, as though the audience was interrupting something intimate and personal.
After a few more songs, Lorde lit a torch on fire and held it up to the crowd while sitting on a platform high above the stage. With this almost ceremonial act, she began singing “Favorite Daughter” and her pants went back on. This symbolic covering up signaled the end of the most vulnerable part of the show.
Before performing “Liability,” Lorde thanked the crowd. “You give me faith in humanity in these fucked up times,” she said to the arena.
Experiencing “Ribs” as the encore and final song of the night was life-changing. Lorde wore a jacket covered in lights and walked through the crowd while performing — no barriers required. Every single person in the arena was singing their hearts out, jumping and dancing with no end in sight.
“Ribs” is a song about friendship, so being able to stand next to my two best friends on one of their birthdays and sing “you're the only friend I need, sharing beds like little kids. And laughing 'til our ribs get tough, but that will never be enough” felt like a spiritual experience. “Ribs” was the perfect end to the show. It is a feel-good song that every fan would know, and it would be hard to believe there was a single dry eye in the house.
