After two years, Lady Gaga has finally released a new song, and supposed fans aren't too enthused by it.
Since the "ARTPOP" era, Gaga has been off the pop music scene as she dabbles in other spectrums of entertainment and music. She has been featured in the critically acclaimed FX original series, 'American Horror Story', and has also released a collaborative jazz album Cheek to Cheek with American jazz singer Tony Bennett in 2014.
She has continued to exhibit her raw talent through various large scale media platforms such as her tribute to the Sound of Music at the 87th Academy Awards in February 2015. She also did this in her powerful 2016 Oscars performance of a song titled Til It Happens to You, which she co-wrote with Diane Warren for the documentary The Hunting Ground.
In 2016, she went on to win a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Miniseries or Television Film for her work in American Horror Story: Hotel. Truly, Gaga has been at the top of her game, continuing to shock the public with her talent and abilities as both an actress and artist. With all this excitement came the build up of rumors of her releasing new music at the end of this year. Of course, Lady Gaga fans all across the world went absolutely nuts.
On September 9, Gaga released the single 'Perfect Illusion' which debuted at number one in France. 'Perfect Illusion' is a disco-rock song that has been said to be similar to that of the music of Bruce Springsteen, and in some aspects alludes to music from both Gaga's 'Born This Way' and 'ARTPOP' eras. She later announced on Twitter that she would be releasing her fifth studio album titled 'Joanne' on October 21.
With the initial release of 'Perfect Illusion' came many mixed reviews among fans. Many criticized Gaga for releasing an underwhelming single that hinted that her upcoming album wouldn't be another pop inspired piece. Fans had been hoping that Gaga would be going back to her pop roots; however, they were disappointed with a new version of the Gaga that they once thought they knew.
Fans have expressed their concern with Gaga's lack of promotion for both her new single and upcoming album. This has raised concerns that her album will not do well in the charts as many wish it would. However, many fail to understand that Gaga has evolved into the artistic person she has wanted to be since she first started off in the music industry. For once in her career, she has the ability to create music that she truly loves without the restrictions of a controlling record label.
The image she has successfully withheld since her first studio album, The Fame, was a facade her record label created for her to ensure their own financial success. With restraints on artistic thought, Gaga has been unable to truly express her true artistry as a singer and songwriter.
Record labels have so much control on an artist and their publicity— they start becoming an essence of themselves that they really aren't. In the mist of an artist's career, the artists becomes a puppet of the industry, and they undoubtedly become so wrapped up that they can never escape it. JoJo is a perfect example of an artist who was controlled by her record label, and as a result was unable to release new music for over nine years.
The general public should be more understanding with an artist's evolution-- especially given the fact that they are trying to find themselves just like everyone else. It brings me great joy to see Ms. Germanotta in this new light. As an outsider, it seems like she is truly happy with the direction she is going in, and with that I will always support her in her artistic creations.
