P.R Manager at KU, Nieko Strobel on the return of Gaga!
Three years since her last official pop release, ‘Perfect Illusion’, Lady Gaga’s first single of her up-coming – yet unnamed 5th album – has hit number 1 on itunes in over 60 countries, caused critical controversy, sees a complete change in vocal direction for her, and had her surprise the gays of East London’s Metropolis, with an actual appearance AND performance (I’m still killing myself for not being there, having decided to have an ‘early night’ – never again.) Basically, she’s back being the Gaga we love, and back with a vengeance.
Basically, me and Gaga (well, me and her songs) have quite the past. The ‘Just Dance’ era made my 17-year-old, theatrical student self feel like being dramatic and confident was acceptable. ‘Dance In The Dark’ and ‘Bad Romance’ taught me I could give in to that inner darkness, and made me accept there’s dark within us all; we just need to rock it. Then ‘Born This Way’… made me who I am. It’s literally tattooed on me. This album, with songs like “Marry The Night” and “Born This Way”, did one thing; tell everyone to be who the fuck they are. The lyrics of ‘Hair’ – ‘mum and dad why can’t I be who I wanna be? I just wanna be myself, why can’t you love me for who I am?’ – helped 18-year-old me leave home to join the gay scene.
Her music to me says, follow your dreams. Fuck social expectations. Fuck society’s norms. YOU are who you are. Gaga has helped me (and a whole lotta other people) come out, find confidence, be courageous, or simply find themselves.
‘Perfect Illusion’: a rock goddess talking about ecstasy. That is what this song is about: ‘The feeling of ecstasy’. On the surface; love. Beneath the surface; everything. We don’t know if the song was born from Gaga’s break-up with supposed-to-be beau Taylor Kinney, but it wrenches heart strings and connects with our feelings: of something we may have thought of as our EVERYTHING, but soon realised it was not – and feeling liberation through that ecstasy come-down.
Basically: ‘I fucked everything up, but I’m better for it’.
“Perfect Illusion” brings back the dance beat addictions of ‘Just Dance’, with the shower-singing of ‘Do What U Want’, and the 80’s heavy metal CHIC of the whole “Born This Way” album. It’s back to floor-filling and stadium cheering pop. It’s unlike anything we’ve heard from her, yet simultaneously, it’s like EVERYTHING we’ve heard from her.
Yup, she’s back. And why am I and all monsters so excited by ‘Perfect Illusion’? It’s not just about the single, it’s not just about having Gaga in the charts; it’s about having a global superstar with the values of encouraging self-confidence, bravery, recovery, love, and most of all… acceptance; using the power of their voice to help us all. Whether you like her or not – her music, her lyrics, her belief in humanity and her support of the LGBT community can do nothing but help make the world a better, and more understanding, place. Paws UP, EVERYONE, because we were ALL ‘Born This Way’, and Mother Monster is back to remind us of it.
• Perfect Illusion is out now
