Over the years, Lady Gaga delivered some epic pop singles, released aesthetically-pleasing music videos, wore some jaw-dropping creations and put on one hell of a live show. However, on her new album “Joanne”, Lady Gaga wipes off the theatrics and bares her heart and soul in the most vulnerable way yet.
This, however, doesn’t mean that the singer has pushed her artistic side away on this release. In fact, Lady Gaga is so brilliant that she has even given her fans hints of what’s to expect on the album through the album’s cover. The star wears a naked face and a big pink cap which highlights both the simplistic nature of the album and the many country influences which pour through the tracks.
The album’s lead single, “Perfect Illusion”, is another way the star cleverly manipulated her audience. The song is the, uhm, perfect illusion to the content you can expect to hear on the album. The song is a powerful rock anthem which was inspired by her recent break up from fiancé Taylor Kinney and although the song makes sense commercially, the rest of “Joanne” shows a softer side of Lady Gaga as she croons over soft rock and country instrumentals.
On “Joanne,” Lady Gaga’s artistry shines brightly through the music. Vocally, the singer has never sounded better as she stretches her vocal range more than ever before. Songs like the title track reminds me so much of Dolly Parton in her prime while Gaga adds a pop flair on more upbeat tracks such as “Dancin’ In Circles”, “John Wayne” and “A-Yo”. But its tracks like “Million Reasons” where Gaga really shines – when the emotion pouring out of the star through her music is so evident.
This isn’t the Lady Gaga album you thought you were getting – and that’s not a bad thing. It’s brave when an artist steps so far out of their comfort zone and out of a genre which helped built their career. However, this isn’t the first time the star has done this either. The singer released the jazz-inspired “Cheek To Cheek” – a collaborative project with Tony Bennett back in 2014 which, again, showed her brilliance. The singer took a risk – and it paid off. This will be the album which solidifies Lady Gaga’s stature as one of the greatest musicians of our time.
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