Chromatica and TCB (spoilers)

[OMonster 14,581]

Sorry for the ambiguous title; I didn’t want to spoil anything with something more suggestive or indicative of the direction of this thread. A more appropriate title would’ve been: what if Chromatica (the album) was more like The Chromatica Ball?

I think it’s fair to say that TCB is a genuine return to form. In fact, I think this is arguably the most switched on, focused, inspired, energetic, creative and happy Gaga has been performing and working on pop music for many, many years. Easily since before ARTPOP at least. She has that fire back; that indisputable ‘Gaga’ magic.

Not only that, she seems to have properly defined what Chromatica is and what it means to her as an artistic concept. It’s always been a mindset; a mental headspace reached through healing and recovery from trauma. But how she’s presented that up until now has been very different and, in my opinion, less ‘truthful’ to how she presents it at the ball. 

The Chromatica Ball is stark, dark, brutal, cold, mostly minimalist, claustrophobic, chaotic, harsh. Whereas Chromatica, the album, is bright, bold, colourful, in-your-face, maximalist and visually focused on a ‘cyberpunk’ theme that, honestly, lacks meaning and doesn’t actually communicate what Chromatica really is. I’ll never not believe that the visual direction of the album era was inspired by and led by BloodPop’s tastes, not Gaga’s. 

This got me thinking: how might Chromatica have been different (and potentially more ‘truthful’ to the concept) had Gaga been in the headspace she is today?

It’s a futile question really - because the past is the past and cannot be changed - but one that’s still fun to ponder, nonetheless. 

Personally, had Gaga defined Chromatica in the way she is defining it now (creatively, visually, narratively… without changing the album itself), I think the visuals would’ve been drastically different. I also think her commentary around the album (about trauma, pain and struggle) would’ve been better matched the actual end-product. I think she would’ve gone with a darker, more minimalist and, yes, ‘brutal’ theme to reflect her pain, which is what the album is all about after all. 

I also don’t think ‘Stupid Love’ would’ve been the lead single at all. I think she would’ve picked ‘Alice’ and produced a truly dark music video that started (or even preceded) her journey to mental healing. I can imagine her in an asylum with a straitjacket on being electrocuted, as we delve into her mind where she’s battling demons that represent her fame, similar to the opening silhouettes we see at the ball. I can see her running towards the Chromatica ‘gate’ in the album cover, desperate to find her ‘Wonderland’. She’d reach it but the gate wouldn’t open, representing how her journey to Chromatica had only just begun. 

This would’ve made so much more sense than ‘Stupid Love’, which whilst a great song, doesn’t represent the album very well - or at least kicks off the era at the end of the ‘journey’ and sets the wrong tone. 

I think she would’ve followed ‘Alice’ with ‘Rain On Me’, continuing the theme of pain. ‘911’ would’ve stayed as a single but probably with a very different music video. Again, I adore the ‘911’ video but it’s stylistically very removed from what ‘Chromatica’ is all about and, by Gaga’s own admission, was inspired by the director’s vision and lifelong dream, not hers. I also think ‘Fun Tonight’ and ‘Free Woman’ might’ve been singles, had COVID not happened.

In terms of the structure of the track list, I think she might’ve decided to more accurately represent her journey to Chromatica. This would’ve meant moving ‘Stupid Love’, ‘Rain On Me’ and and ‘Free Woman’ to the end of the album, along with ‘Babylon’, for example. 

Overall, I think Chromatica could’ve been a much darker and focused era, visually and thematically. I adore the music of the album (and wouldn’t change a thing about it) but TCB really shows us how a creatively-inspired Gaga could’ve brought it to life in a much darker and more truthful way, which I think would’ve been much better than the pink powerangers and alien aesthetic she ultimately went with for whatever reason. 

I watch the ‘Stupid Love’ music video and see now how ‘shallow’ and juvenile it feels. Chromatica deserved the vision that birthed TCB. I just hope this creatively-rejuvinated Gaga can bring this same focus and artistic perspective to whatever LG7 has in store for us.

[gaga4lifer 266]

agreeing with everything! i really thought the tour would be colorful, energetic, bright, having the chromatica symbol as a catwalk, etc... 

[Benji 20,113]

I partially agree.  Chromatica has been my favourite album and the ball has also been my favourite tour, this is Gaga at her absolute best.  As you said, this is like the fire of pre-ARTPOP Gaga but refined.

Where I disagree is with your views on the concept.  Chromatica has always been a very dark and personal album and this does translate to a lot of the imagery around it, see the album shoot and the promotional images and poster etc. - it’s always been brutalist, warehouse, European 90’s rave themed just as the tour very much is now.  The music videos break away from this theme and for probably a good reason; it would be a bit on the nose if the meaning of the album was constantly in the videos.

[Sneaky Oliver 21,353]

I think I have to disagree with you at some points. I don't think Chromatica was led by Bloodpop's tastes AT ALL. Chromatica IS a dark album, despite being a dance record. The message of the album itself is "feel thru dance and sound" and "dance through the pain" so the being a dance record is like a "complementary opposite" to the dark lyrics. 

The more I watch CBT the more I understand about what Chromatica truly is. It's not just a super positive mindset we can reach through healing and enjoying ourselves. It's actually a trauma processing mindset. Remember when she said Chromatica is how she makes sense of things. So it's like an open door to healing and recovering, once you go thorugh the processing. 

During the intro, we can see the birth of Chromatica "world" and that's where the Spike Monster Gaga lives. It's the personification of trauma and pain. During an interlude later on the show, we can see the ending of that world, as the trauma has also disappeared. So the Chromatica world and the existence of trauma are co-dependent.

During 911 interlude and backdrop, we can see the White-Flower-Gaga and the Spike-Gaga are the same creature. And Gaga herself is dressed with spikes to represent her biggest enemy is herself. 

 

[elijahfan 25,016]

These are a lot of assumptions...

After seeing it, I personally don't think TCB is such a 180 from the album. The album is the world of Chromatica, which is a place of healing through dance. It is the end result of the journey, the destination. I think TCB shows us the actual journey, where it started for Gaga and where it led her: the final section of the show (Stupid Love + Rain on Me) is the only act that actually shows the landscapes of Chromatica, it is about Gaga finally getting to that place. The show is about showing us what it took to get there.

While the show isn't necessarily what people thought it would be, it is still very much the same story.

[OMonster 14,581]

I should probably reiterate something: I fully understand that Chromatica is a dark album akin to the ball. That's why I love it - and the ball - so much, because it brings to life the darkness of Gaga's life in what I think is her best dance album to date. I just felt like a lot of the visuals (particularly the 'Stupid Love' MV) felt very removed from what the album was actually about. I think the album should've been presented in a way closer to the ball, as it captures the essence of it so much better than anything else attached to this era. 

Kicking off the era with 'Stupid Love' and the pink alien aesthetic really feels a million miles away from what the album is all about. And I think Gaga, as she is now, would've wanted to more truthfully portray the album's meaning with a different aesthetic that would've led us to a different lead single - either 'Alice' or 'Replay'. 

[OMonster 14,581]

18 minutes ago, Sneaky Oliver said:

I think I have to disagree with you at some points. I don't think Chromatica was led by Bloodpop's tastes AT ALL. Chromatica IS a dark album, despite being a dance record. The message of the album itself is "feel thru dance and sound" and "dance through the pain" so the being a dance record is like a "complementary opposite" to the dark lyrics. 

The more I watch CBT the more I understand about what Chromatica truly is. It's not just a super positive mindset we can reach through healing and enjoying ourselves. It's actually a trauma processing mindset. Remember when she said Chromatica is how she makes sense of things. So it's like an open door to healing and recovering, once you go thorugh the processing. 

During the intro, we can see the birth of Chromatica "world" and that's where the Spike Monster Gaga lives. It's the personification of trauma and pain. During an interlude later on the show, we can see the ending of that world, as the trauma has also disappeared. So the Chromatica world and the existence of trauma are co-dependent.

During 911 interlude and backdrop, we can see the White-Flower-Gaga and the Spike-Gaga are the same creature. And Gaga herself is dressed with spikes to represent her biggest enemy is herself. 

 

Oh, I completely agree with this. But that's kind of my point: "The more I watch CBT the more I understand about what Chromatica truly is. It's not just a super positive mindset we can reach through healing and enjoying ourselves. It's actually a trauma processing mindset."

TCB represents the meaning of the album in a much more truthful way than the visual direction of the era did/does. That's why I think Gaga today, with her clarified sense of focus and creativity, would've presented this era quite differently to how it was, although I do see how dark elements were already infused throughout. 

[Sneaky Oliver 21,353]

Just now, OMonster said:

Oh, I completely agree with this. But that's kind of my point: "The more I watch CBT the more I understand about what Chromatica truly is. It's not just a super positive mindset we can reach through healing and enjoying ourselves. It's actually a trauma processing mindset." TCB represents the meaning of the album in a much more truthful way that the visual direction of the era did/does. That's why I think Gaga today, with her clarified sense of focus and creativity, would've presented this era quite differently to how it was. Namely with the choice to open it with 'Stupid Love', which feels so drastically at odds with the core message of the album. 

Okay I get what you're saying better now. I think Gaga and her team were hungry for a grand sucessful era, they had the right collabs, shot the MVs prior to the album release, the surprise Coachella set, I think they really wanted Stupid Love and ROM to smash hard and that's probably why the videos are more easy-to-digest and more focused on dancing and choreo. 

I think the "issue" was that we didn't get to see live performances other than the VMAs one. Gaga usually explores the concepts for every single for her live performances before the tour. 

[OMonster 14,581]

3 minutes ago, Sneaky Oliver said:

Okay I get what you're saying better now. I think Gaga and her team were hungry for a grand sucessful era, they had the right collabs, shot the MVs prior to the album release, the surprise Coachella set, I think they really wanted Stupid Love and ROM to smash hard and that's probably why the videos are more easy-to-digest and more focused on dancing and choreo. 

I think the "issue" was that we didn't get to see live performances other than the VMAs one. Gaga usually explores the concepts for every single for her live performances before the tour. 

Oh yes, definitely: SL and ROM were designed to smash with the GP. For sure. Maybe if COVID didn't happen, she would've explored the darker elements with an MV for Alice and/or Replay, which would've been fantastic. The ball gives me everything I needed for those songs though anyway to be honest. In fact, their lack of MV probably made those moments even more special. 

Talking of the VMA performance. Just compare it to the Gaga we have at the TCB. It's night and day! She is so much more committed and 'herself' at this ball. I found the VMA performance to be quite lacklustre apart from 911. She performed very well but she was lacking the fire she has at the ball. I also found the visuals and creative direction of the performance to be quite messy and not very conceptual. 

[Fresco 1,688]

I haven't watched a stream start to finish, just the songs mostly without the interludes, so idk about the ball much.

But I thought the music videos were entirely appropriate.

The sour candy video being a playful take on a sour candy persona with the bear trap teeth fairies is really cute.

The 911 video is a work of art with so much symbolism. Very interesting and pretty dresses and even a sexy wiggle.

The rain on me video with Ari is the darkest, which matches the darker theme of the song, of being rained on. Great video!

The Stupid Love video is the one that seems to define an alien world with tribes. The fans that liked her previous oily dark black latex dripping blood theme seemed almost offended by the light and colorful world.  It makes me laugh the reaction people had to it. 

If Chromatica is derived from chromatic color then, the videos are inline with the name album.

Black is also a color, or lack of color reflected back to the eye.  The tour is a big concert at night and people like to wear black to concerts, and to feel rebellious or edgy. I have seen the divergence in imagery between the videos and the ball. I'm an adult and can appreciate both styles for what was presented. Knight seems to produce dark work product, imo.  Tho my sci-fi afficionado self would have liked a planet chromatica with super power aliens with big droopy ears and flying fairies, that simply isn't the reality of the music.

 

 

 

[Edonis 28,792]

Yeah I disagree with the assumption that Gaga was coerced into making lighter visuals with the album…even though the Stupid Love video probably had the most saccharine imagery for one of her dance-pop singles, it still felt on brand for her general kookiness. 
 

I think part of the reason there’s a disconnect between fans and Gaga for what really “makes” Chromatica visually is because our introduction to the era was Stupid Love and it was super colorful and whatnot. But I remember when the album artwork dropped, or the paper magazine shoot came out, or even when the album title was revealed, some fans were confused with the imagery shared. It was very different from what we saw in SL, and much of the lyrics and sound of the album differed greatly from the song as well. And because so little of the album got physical promotion, performances, etc. compared to the other album cycles (and for obvious reasons that won’t be explained here). 
 

Finally, I don’t think the tour’s imagery is necessarily a teaser for the next era’s aesthetics or sound, rather, it’s just a reflection of the other side of chromatica that we never really got to explore. 
 

I think she has a reinvigorated love for pop music, for dance, rock, theater, sex, and showmanship. I think those elements will come back for the next music era, but I think it’s way too early to say it’s the direction she’s going in. 

[EdgeofTeeth 1,934]

I'm always surprised when people imply that the visuals and aesthetics of tour are unexpected when, to me, they're very much in line with the album cover/booklet photoshoot. I'm really happy she went in that direction for TCB because darkness is where Gaga truly shines, imo. I wish there had been more opportunities for her to explore that imagery throughout the era.

[Fresco 1,688]

Just adding the obvious also, sci-fi alien superpowers and effects are largely cgi, computer generated. A live show needs to be relatable and something that can effectively be performed live. Flying fairies inside bear trap teeth would be impossible to do in a live show. Plus, we've already seen the music videos, so the live show is something different. Plus, so much time/events passed between when the videos were created and the tour actually started, events may have changed sentiment.

If you can tell, I've spent a few minutes wondering about this myself. I don't need to know a specific answer tho. It is what it is.