"Perfect Illusion" in relation to Gaga's career

[nativenewyorker 1,190]

I've been thinking about the significance of her releasing Perfect Illusion as her reintroduction to the music scene. I know Interscope supposedly chose it, but Gaga had to know when she included the song on the album that it was an obvious single choice because it's apparently one of the most "pop" songs on the album. 

Flashback to the Cheek to Cheek era and also the Emotion Revolution: Gaga speaks about how she felt like a train that crashed. She was overworked, exploited, being used to make people money, and felt like she was living a hollow, shallow existence. The pressure from Troy and probably Interscope to keep pumping out more crazy Gaga antics made her feel like she lost who she really was. It's clear that this wasn't what she signed up for when she began her quest for fame and notoriety in the music industry. She wanted to entertain and connect people through her music, not be some larger than life alien character in crazy outfits for people to get a selfie with. 

Let's look at the Perfect Illusion lyrics:

"Trying to get control, pressure's taking its toll. Stuck in the middle zone, I just want you alone." 

"Caught up in your show, at least now I know it wasn't love. It was a perfect illusion." 

"Now that I'm waking up, I still feel the blow but at least now I know."

They relate perfectly to Gaga realizing she was being turned into a soulless money-making machine, rebelling against that, and returning to the things that mattered most: her family and her music, being a real person. 

To me, Perfect Illusion is a great choice to start the new era of Lady Gaga. She's over "the show," the shameless, inauthentic, money-making endeavors and now is concerned with finding the truth in herself and her music. She wants to connect to the person she would have been had she not got caught up in the illusion of fame in the first place. It can be an anthem of celebrating her freedom from all the money hungry businessmen like Troy that she showed in the G.U.Y. video. The rawness of the PI video, her performing in denim shorts and a t-shirt to a crowd with no cell phones, enjoying the present moment, is very indicative of where she's at in her life. Getting back to what matters, her self expression through music and entertainment.

Whether or not it was her intention, it fits so well. Sorry if something like this is AP, I was just thinking about it. 

[Dramatica 13,690]

 

3 minutes ago, nativenewyorker said:

To me, Perfect Illusion is a great choice to start the new era of Lady Gaga. She's over "the show,".

She's never said that she was "over the show" as you guys seem to think OMG!

She's all about the show! Heck she did everything to get the NFL Halftime show.

IT'S SHOWWWWTIIIIIME

Spoiler

[nativenewyorker 1,190]

1 minute ago, Gaga of Time said:

 

She's never said that she was "over the show" as you guys seem to think OMG!

She's all about the show! Heck she did everything to get the NFL Halftime show.

IT'S SHOWWWWTIIIIIME

Did you even read my post? The "show" I'm talking about is the shallow money-making antics like perfume, being used for her image, not being a real person, trying to perpetuate an "alien pop goddess" persona. 

[Quartz 12,524]

I just now noticed that the audience did not have phones. Thanks for pointing that out! Joanne is not the hit era we wanted but I am so excited for the art and the music. I was honestly disappointed with ARTPOP because it was a slight step down from BTW in all respects but I think Joanne will be her most successful effort in growing as an artist. We just weren't ready hence the meltdowns

[memomemome 1,478]

http://www.switchedonpop.com/45-lady-gaga-is-a-perfect-illusion/

This is a great podcast. Take time to listen if u have time