Can Someone Explain Enigma To Me?

[Zombiecat 16,970]

I really still think new music is coming to fit in with the story even more so

[Infinity Wave 7,635]

Just now, andy232000 said:

This! a good, effective story will never make its audience do research to understand its basic meaning. If the audience has to work hard af to figure it out, then its not a well-written story

 

9 minutes ago, OMonster said:

I mean, this is a really lovely and interesting interpretation, but I don't think this concept has been well-executed in the show. It's unfortunate that the meaning of the show can only be deciphered by close analysis... I wanted something intricate and interesting, but not something that makes no sense. 

The set-list just does not communicate the intention in my opinion. 

Does Gaga not work with people who can help mould and improve her ideas? I can't believe that this whole concept would've likely been seen by over a hundred people, and not one of them raised some objective issues with it all. 

Yeah I know. It's like, everything I wrote wasn't clear not even to me at first. 

The problem is, she was imo too excited and anxious, and couldn't deliver everything she wanted. Let her do the show some more times and I'm sure the storytelling will be waaaasy better!

[Zombiecat 16,970]

35 minutes ago, OMonster said:

The whole concept... Enigma herself, the healing place, the simulation... everything. 

What's going on? Am I being super-dumb or is it a kinda confusing concept? 

  Reveal hidden contents

I understand, in short, that Enigma is a representation of her inner-self? It's about finding her inner-self... no? I mean, it's so vague and the songs, dialogue and character of Enigma does not make any sense to me unfortunately.

 

Also it's not that confusing compared to every other story telling Gaga tour

 

what's the big ass fish taking of Gaga's clothes got to do with getting to the monsterball so the gays can be free? Why is it being looked into so deeply  

 

[Didymus 34,380]

4 minutes ago, Suspiria said:

As much as I enjoyed the show, I have to agree with this. Millions of dollars went into this, hundreds of people worked on it... how did not one person say "the plot really doesn't make sense"? Clearly a lot of time was spent making the interludes and everything, how could they not make an understandable plot? It's really not hard.

Gaga never had a clear storyline though. Ever. Even with TMB 2.0 there was a whole hidden layer behind the superficially easy-to-follow "let's go to the Monster Ball" storyline The interludes made that very clear.

It's just not her style. She loves hidden messages, a lot more than her fans. I remember when she said that ARTPOP's tracklist was specifically chosen because the songs marked out a decided storyline and most fans I saw here laughed at her and claimed that there was no story and she was just making **** up I believe her when she says these things, though. Some people just like to dig a little deeper to find the hidden meaning while others check out early.

[Didymus 34,380]

5 minutes ago, Unbeweavable said:

Why is it being looked into so deeply

Because Gaga's made it abundantly clear that everything she does is with intention. Simple.

[OMonster 14,720]

3 minutes ago, Suspiria said:

As much as I enjoyed the show, I have to agree with this. Millions of dollars went into this, hundreds of people worked on it... how did not one person say "the plot really doesn't make sense"? Clearly a lot of time was spent making the interludes and everything, how could they not make an understandable plot? It's really not hard.

Unfortunately, I really think Gaga is surrounded by a team of friends... not a team of professionals. Sure, their work with Gaga has obviously elevated them to professional level (more resources, money, training, expertise ect) - but Gaga needs to work with unrelated, unassociated, native professionals with whom she could form a more objective, working relationship with. Just like she did at the beginning of her career. 

Beyond the plot, there were so many issues with the show that just should not have been there. The wigs, the costumes, the choreography... this woman is worth over three-hundred-million-dollars. She is worth more than what her team are kidding her, and themselves, into thinking is 'the' standard. Gaga's music, her writing, her singing, her charisma and her overall performance abilities are not being served by her current team. 

It's clear that Gaga has all the creativity within her. She just needs help in executing it - as does anyone. Gaga has to be less stubborn and realise that she can still be in control whilst collaborating with other specialists. I feel like she probably wants to to be the only 'specialist' - the only person who knows how to 'do' a Gaga show. Which, whilst true in many ways, does not mean that other people should not be able to have an honest input. 

[Zombiecat 16,970]

1 minute ago, Didymus said:

Because Gaga's made it abundantly clear that everything she does is with intention. Simple.

The monsterball interludes had barely anything to do with the story either, I'm usually quite critical on what she does but this time i honestly don't get why some of us aren't eating this up  This is one of the few times it's everything it was teased to be

[SharkmanthaC 114,698]

This thread has some great explanations too.  Watching it in high quality and reading this put it together for me.

 

[Didymus 34,380]

7 minutes ago, Unbeweavable said:

The monsterball interludes had barely anything to do with the story either, I'm usually quite critical on what she does but this time i honestly don't get why some of us aren't eating this up  This is one of the few times it's everything it was teased to be

Of course it did. That show was about all of us, and about the mistake of regarding Gaga as a superstar, a larger than life persona. In truth, it's what we all are, and we've already created our own "Monster Ball" just by gathering together in a spirit of freedom and love. That was reflected in nearly all of the interludes, and it's the core message behind the concert plot

What's with this endless crapping on Gaga's early work, it's really annoying. Just because you weren't so analytical back then because perhaps you were younger (not necessarily talking about you, just noticing a general trend) doesn't mean Gaga didn't know what she was doing back then Most of her post-2010 career was simply a reinvention of stories and messages she had already told. This Enigma show is basically the 100th adaptation of her core ideas from the beginning. But they were always already present and always consistently and elaborately planned out imo, with every detail to match, probably even more in the beginning than in recent years.

[That J 12,166]

Also to add to it ....its getting so caught up into the fame that she feels maybe she has lost her way or her goal and so ENIGMA (the mystery of why she even started to begin with) guides her through the simulation of her past mixed with the brightness and thrill of the future...thus bringing her back into the fire she had when she first started.  And while Enigma was having to leave because Gaga was fine to be free and do this on her own again, Gaga offered her a song so Enigma becomes the audience....and we become it. Enigma is more for us than it is for her. We are the true Enigma.  

Once the show gets a little tighter, it will make more sense for those who were like HUH? lol

In lots of ways it's a combination of Monster Ball meets Born This Way Ball with some newly added elements. 

[MyQueen 2,409]

Something that is mysterious and seems impossible to understand completely

[Head Empty 25,283]

23 minutes ago, Didymus said:

Because Gaga's made it abundantly clear that everything she does is with intention. Simple.

True, but she's also made it clear that her 'intention' can random as f*** . Some of her work can be deeply thought-out and planned, but some of her choices are based on shorts burst of emotion or inspiration. Her career is riddled with scrapped concepts and sudden paradigm shifts because of it.

So yeah, everything she does is with intention. But that also includes a lot of (intentful) spur-of-the-moment decisions. Which is ironic in the context of this thread, because it's part of the meaning of 'Enigma'

[Suspiria 10,683]

38 minutes ago, Didymus said:

Gaga never had a clear storyline though. Ever. Even with TMB 2.0 there was a whole hidden layer behind the superficially easy-to-follow "let's go to the Monster Ball" storyline The interludes made that very clear.

It's just not her style. She loves hidden messages, a lot more than her fans. I remember when she said that ARTPOP's tracklist was specifically chosen because the songs marked out a decided storyline and most fans I saw here laughed at her and claimed that there was no story and she was just making **** up I believe her when she says these things, though. Some people just like to dig a little deeper to find the hidden meaning while others check out early.

I get your point, but I think for an intelligent and massively successful mainstream artist with every possible resource available to her, an understandable basic plot is not too much to ask?

Also the BTWB had a pretty comprehensible story to it. An alien fugitive has escaped from the castle she was held in, so that she can give birth to a new race of judgement-free beings. Very basic and easy to understand thanks to the monologues by Gaga and Mother GOAT, but is also an interesting and smart metaphor for what Gaga was trying to do with her career. An entertaining show with a message you can actually understand.

[JohnnyVersace 9,030]

Also if you notice, she freaks out right as Enigma is coming on the screen and says "what the **** is happening?" as if her Vegas show is being interrupted. I took it as Gaga being fully enveloped in fame, pop culture, superstardom, and ascending from the ceiling in the most glam look possible, only to be interrupted by her sub-conscious and has to face herself. 

Then yes, as mentioned, she starts performing her songs in this simulation/gaymer aesthetic as a way to find her true self and conquer her demons. Ultimately, after going through the darkness and developing a deeper understanding of herself, she an Enigma have an understanding of one another and Gaga ends up teaching Enigma about emotion and feeling. 

I will say it's all a bit convoluted but at least it looks good 

[Didymus 34,380]

17 minutes ago, Suspiria said:

Also the BTWB had a pretty comprehensible story to it. An alien fugitive has escaped from the castle she was held in, so that she can give birth to a new race of judgement-free beings. Very basic and easy to understand thanks to the monologues by Gaga and Mother GOAT, but is also an interesting and smart metaphor for what Gaga was trying to do with her career. An entertaining show with a message you can actually understand.

Odd, 'cause for me BTWB was the most difficult tour Yes, the overall plot was clear but what you just said doesn't explain anything of 80% of the individual performances

That's what I meant: she always plays with an easy to understand basic plotline but there's more to uncover if you want to. With Enigma she seems to have dropped the basic plotline a bit, but imo that's an improvement. She must have noticed like me that way too many fans simply took the basic plot and didn't think further than that. Maybe this time around she wants fans to wonder a little longer about what it all means.