Last week, Lady Gaga released her new album 'Joanne,' and she went in. The album is steeped in emotion and is such a journey through Gaga's life. "And then you realize that it will never be the way that it was before." This is a woman who has been through it and blown up in the world of music. But, with all of the success of her past work, she continues to explore new and exciting material. Her music is truly exploratory and transformative. I love what she's done in the past because the music holds a lot of nostalgia for me; I listened to it a lot during high school with amazing people that I love during a time when I found out a lot about myself, and what I thought about the world. I identify a lot with this album because it's about looking for a great time but not being at a place that you can do that because there's some stuff that you've gotta get through and things that you need to face. It's about not ignoring the pain that's there, but still trying to enjoy the thing. Life is messy and some have said that the album feels disjointed, but I don't think that that's honest. I think it fits so well together because it's a healthy piece of art. It's real. It's authentic experience put into music. It's unforgettable, and I love it. Let me tell you about my favorite tracks.
Diamond Heart
This song. Ugh. "Young, wild American. Head full of Jameson." This song is about surviving--getting after it. It's so good, and for the first track on the album it sets it off. What a great start. It says "I know I'm not perfect, I know I don't have it all together. But, I know I've got a diamond heart. I'm in it for the long haul."
A-YO
This song is a freakin' party. I SCREAM this song in my car. It's about chasing pleasure and getting into trouble. Her vocals on this track are phenomenal, and, as always, she's doing something different from everyone. This is more of her "I'm what's happening" attitude, and she slays.
Perfect Illusion
I heard this song first when I saw the trailer for the new season of 'American Horror Story,' and I thought that maybe it was just for the show, but I'm so glad that I was wrong. This song is about confusion. Have you ever reached the end of something only to have things not turn out the way you expected, and you think to yourself, "Did I miss something? Was any of it even real?" Or was it just a "perfect illusion."
Million Reasons
I put this one on repeat for a while. It's soulful. "I've got a hundred million reasons to walk away... but baby, I just need one good one to stay." These lyrics are so meaningful. You want to stay so badly--more than anything. But, there's nothing but reasons to leave it all behind. It's painful to think about, but you can't ignore it. This song is so good; it's magical.
I could go on and on about this album because it's just so good, but you should just listen for yourself. Lady Gaga continues to do what no one else in pop music is doing, and she's like no one else. So thankful for your art Gaga. Can't wait to see what you do next.
