Perfect Illusion Meaning Deciphered - "Modern Ecstasy"

[SMILE2NE1 3,566]

So I'm beginning to take a few quotes from Gaga's description of the song and piecing together what I might think it may be about. 

Three key points interlinked. 

1. Perfect Illusion 
2. Modern Ecstasy (iHeartRadio)
3. Heartbreak Anthem (iHeartRadio)

Putting it all together

What is one of the biggest illusions we can create in our modern society today, that everyone is addicted to, that gives everyone such desire to chase and delivers such strong satisfaction, but can also create a huge sense of heartbreak? An image, now being able to be portrayed so easily and broadly through the scope of social media, the internet and media. Whether it's an image you create for yourself online, and then take to real life, one celebrities take to the tabloids and then to their intimate relationship, this is a modern type of "recognition" that we all want through an illusion with the potential to cause harm. 

Some potential central themes:
-Gaga's image in the media blended with her heartbreak with Taylor
-The perfect illusion that social media creates and how everyone chases it
-The heartbreak it can cause when we all treat people as less because everyone's so out there now - isn't everyone saying now because we can always get something new, we never fix things and so things are shallow?
-There's the perfect illusion we have everything, but we actually have nothing

I also think this is the perfect blend of personal story, with a relateable heartbreak story with social commentary on living in today's society

What do you guys think? Would you like this?

What do you want the theme of the song to be?

[Dorothy Gale 7,575]

I'm pretty sure the song is about her relationship with Taylor, and how life can play tricks on you. 

[Hexxx 2,244]

If this is about heartbreak and Taylor, then she must have recently wrote this song

[SMILE2NE1 3,566]

Just now, AntiPotCrusader said:

I'm pretty sure the song is about her relationship with Taylor, and how life can play tricks on you. 

I think that will be the main theme - potentially the illusion within the relationship itself if it was to be really simple.

[andy232000 12,213]

I think its going to be about how happiness is a double blade weapon on both ends. we all want happiness because at its glance its everything we always wanted. it gives us pleasure and life - but at the same time, if you loose your happiness it destroys you. people think only hate can kill, but love kills farther more because when we loose love we get crushed into nothing. love and happiness is a perfect illusion of something amazing and beautiful, when in reality, if you can´t and don´t know how to play the game you´ll be tangled in the most painful **** you´ll ever be in. yes, hate causes pain far more frequently, but Love unlike hate, will annihilate your existence if you **** up.  

[SMILE2NE1 3,566]

Just now, andy232000 said:

I think its going to be about how happiness is a double blade weapon on both ends. we all want happiness because at its glance its everything we always wanted. it gives us pleasure and life - but at the same time, if you loose your happiness it destroys you. people thing only hate can kill, but love kills farther more because when we loose love we get crushed into nothing. love and happiness is a perfect illusion of something amazing and beautiful, when in reality, if you can´t and don´t know how to play the game you´ll be tangled in the most painful **** you´ll ever be in

I love this - it seems like a theme that it both complex but relateable to the GP

Good to get everyone's perspective.

[Katsuki Bakugo 9,788]

3 minutes ago, AntiPotCrusader said:

I'm pretty sure the song is about her relationship with Taylor, and how life can play tricks on you. 

Probably as a base, but what @SMILE2NE1 is saying does sound like it could be interpreted that way, haven't heard the song yet though. So let's not go crazy!

[Katsuki Bakugo 9,788]

3 minutes ago, Hexxx said:

If this is about heartbreak and Taylor, then she must have recently wrote this song

 Illusion, posted in May. it is recent. 

[Petrichor 4,640]

4 minutes ago, AntiPotCrusader said:

I'm pretty sure the song is about her relationship with Taylor, and how life can play tricks on you. 

This is what I was thinking. Obviously there's some element about the charade in love.

[SMILE2NE1 3,566]

2 minutes ago, Melisandre said:

Probably as a base, but what @SMILE2NE1 is saying does sound like it could be interpreted that way, haven't heard the song yet though. So let's not go crazy!

Now's the right time to go crazy, after all the insiders were debuked and we have solid things to try to interpret! The fun part gwurlllll

[Katsuki Bakugo 9,788]

Just now, SMILE2NE1 said:

Now's the right time to go crazy, after all the insiders were debuked and we have solid things to try to interpret! The fun part gwurlllll

Oh I mean like crazy in attacking each other, your hot gay ass can remain crazy as phuck!

[SMILE2NE1 3,566]

1 minute ago, Melisandre said:

Oh I mean like crazy in attacking each other, your hot gay ass can remain crazy as phuck!

[Zaza 873]

 

[13VictorC 1,102]

This is my favorite part! Deciphering the meaning behind Gaga's work!

I think it touches on the idea that "being on top" (G.U.Y.) is a Perfect Illusion we willingly or not choose to see. Gaga may likely will sing from a mindful perspective aware that the Illusion obstructs Reality.

I also believe the video will showcase the contrasting "Imperfect Reality" behind it all. Did you notice that the line for "Illusion" is the only one that turns black and white when you hover over it? It possibly hints at the duality in the song. This brings us back to a two-sided theme common for Gaga.