Gaga's X Factor UK Performance Review / Experience

[OMonster 14,675]

Last night, I was the luckiest monster to be able to watch Gaga’s pre-record of her X Factor performance. This was her first, prolific UK performance of the Joanne era so far, and she totally did not let us down. This was her best performance of Million Reasons yet, and I wanted to make a post about my experience… * spoilers * 

Spoiler

When I walked into the studio at about 6.45pm (the show went live at 8pm), I saw that the stage was set with a huge, cube platform. The background graphics were also set as a night, pink sky; not dissimilar to what we saw at the AMAs, actually. As I work for the production company that make The X Factor, I had already been told that Gaga was pre-recording her performance for Sunday (hence why I went to the studio), and I immediately knew this was her set.

For those of you who don’t know, Brian Friedman (US pop dance choreographer) is the creative director of The X Factor. As I was sat quite near to him at the front, I saw that he was wearing a Joanne style country hat – it was blue and sparkly with crystals. Considering a lot of his team were also wearing similar hats, I knew that this had something to do with Gaga. As creative director, I am guessing Brian worked with her on the visuals for this performance. Maybe they’re even friends… I mean, he’s been at The X Factor for a long, long time now. It's cool though to think that the entire creative team went out to reference Gaga. 

Although the warm-up guy had confirmed that Gaga was performing before the show went live… by 7.45pm she still hadn’t appeared. Due to technical issues, her performance was expectedly delayed until the end of the live broadcast. Honestly, I was kind of relieved to be honest because I didn’t want her to have to rush her performance – and I think that’s probably why she called it off.

After the show was finished – which was pretty good, actually (Saara to win, UK monsters) – it was finally time for Gaga. The crew came back and started putting up her platform. When she came to the stage, I was just in total awe. This was the closest I have ever been to Gaga in my life (literally just maybe 5 ft away), and she honestly she looked so, so beautiful. She was dressed in a typical Joanne look (high shorts and a black, mesh top) and wore a really cool, black leather jacket that had these diamond stars encrusted onto it. She also wore a Joanne hat very similar to her VS look; with the long tassels and crystals. She didn’t let us down on the heel front... wearing pretty big, sparkly black, booted heels. It was a LOOK. 

Before she performed, she said hi to all the judges and did some vocal warm ups. As it was a pre-record, she really took her time with everything. She was perfecting her stance and performance, too. Ultra professional. It was so cool to see her in the zone. She has such a presence about her in person and this was even more noticeable from how she was kind of leading the directors. 

Once she was composed, the performance started. The set looked so beautiful. It starts with Gaga on the platform, surrounded by smoke, pulling a very theatrical pose. At the beginning, she is this powerful, still silhouette in mist... It looked imminently iconic, seriously. As she sings, she throws off her hat to the floor (quite early on) and her jacket, too. It's a powerful, almost aggressive performance. There's a lot of movement for a ballad. 

Honestly, this performance is very Gaga and VERY theatrical. Yes, it's a ballad. But it's a very different delivery to what she did at the AMAs. It's the kind of Gaga we saw in her Speechless AMA performance, for example. Energetic and quite avant-garde, but in a different way. Like, in the bridge and final chorus of the song, she rises so high on this tiny section of the platform - she's literally floating as this iconic figure surrounded by smoke and lightning. She's on her back too, just balancing. It looks incredible.

Vocally, she was absolutely flawless - both times round. She wasn't happy with her first performance and I saw her go down to the director to discuss the movement of the camera. She also told the audience that a '****ing nail came off' and that 'I'm sorry judges but we're doing that one again' and laughed. She has exactly the same personality as all those years ago, and interestingly, when she wasn't being filmed, it felt more like fun Gaga than serious Gaga. She has an amazing friendship with Nicole and this really showed. She was laughing and joking with her for wearing slippers under the judges’ desk. She was jumping all around the stage when the camera's were off. 

In terms of the arrangement of the song, it is basically what she did at the VS show but without the pitching issues. There is no guitar or piano; it’s just a backing track. She also changes the register of the song and has those adlibs we first heard at VS… but better. This was her best performance of MR by far and I’m pretty sure everyone is going to agree with that. It was less country and more pop, which is perfect for a UK audience where country isn't popular. She knows what she is doing. 

At the end of the show, I walked down to the side of the stage and I was so incredibly close to Gaga. She was chatting with Nicole and Sharon (a photographer got a picture of them together, too) and I was just a stone throw away. I walked into the section where the audience isn't really allowed (the show had stopped filming, and I did have my staff pass, so...) and I don't why I didn't just shout her name or whatever, but it felt so odd to be so close to her. A security guard moved me along and I think was a bit like 'wtf' at how taken aback I was to see Gaga. From the atmosphere of the studio and everything, I got the impression that the UK isn't as crazy for Gaga as we used to be. Like, no one was going crazy like me. I cried by how moving the performance was. 

Damn, I've written an entire essay on one performance... Oops. I was so just so, so, so happy to see Gaga, to be so close to her and to listen to her first UK Joanne performance live. It was such an experience for me and something I will never forget. 

I hope you all love the performance and I hope the UK is going to be slayed by Million Reasons... I think it's going to do really well after this. It's the semi-finals, too - so  it should get a decent rating from people wanting to know who makes the final. I am so excited to get to watch it back. 

[ryanripley 86,575]

[MaryJaneHolland 77,348]

was she playing the guitar or piano?

EDIT: okay, just read that part. there is not

[The Surrealist 27,470]

Just now, MaryJaneHolland said:

was she playing the guitar or piano?

Let's hope it's the Piano.

[ZiggyZiggs 30,062]

[MaryJaneHolland 77,348]

Just now, Sycamore said:

Let's hope it's the Piano.

 

4 minutes ago, OMonster said:

There is no guitar or piano; it

 

[The Surrealist 27,470]

Just now, MaryJaneHolland said:

 

 

[ZiggyZiggs 30,062]

omg Saara Aalto is winning?!? yess  I thought the result shows were live?

[Stef 61,598]

This is gonna be her best XF performance o ****  

[venusfly 17,885]

1 minute ago, ZiggyZiggs said:

omg Saara Aalto is winning?!? yess  I thought the result shows were live?

everyone knows the xfactor is rigged tho 

[Supersonic 49,376]

Not her re-recording a performance because a nail came off.

Perfectionist

[Stef 61,598]

"From the atmosphere of the studio and everything, I got the impression that the UK isn't as crazy for Gaga as we used to be"

 

I better hear loud af applause after her performance  

[Letmelivemylife 8,715]

The thing that gets me all worked up is when people say that she's changed. She's still the exact same person she was 8 years ago. She just has a different exterior. She's serious when it's time to work but at the same time she's still the goofy quirky girl we all fell in love with. She's still the person who loves her monsters more than we'll ever understand

[Swan Heart 7,382]

It sounds brilliant.

[OMonster 14,675]

Just now, Letmelivemylife said:

The thing that gets me all worked up is when people say that she's changed. She's still the exact same person she was 8 years ago. She just has a different exterior. She's serious when it's time to work but at the same time she's still the goofy quirky girl we all fell in love with. She's still the person who loves her monsters more than we'll ever understand

You are absolutely correct. 

It is so clear to see when she's just herself and the cameras are off. 

She has not changed at all.