A Realistic View of Chromatica with no COVID-19

[27monster27 12,974]

I've been thinking about different ways that Lady Gagas eras could've gone, and I though about Chromatica sans COVID-19. Here are my thoughts:

Singles

1. February - Stupid Love:

The usual until March. I think that the iHeartRadio Music Awards would help to stabilize the song a little bit higher above where we had it, which was the song hovering at ~#30. The big one would be the April album release. Stupid Love sticking around for this would allow for at least a rebound into the top 20. I think a peak of #5 and only one week is all we were gonna get given that the era was planned to start with no major performance until a month after Stupid Loves release. I'm not quite sure if the song could've gone recurrent, but I do think that the song could've made it to ~week 15, which would make more of a hit like Chained to the Rhythm.

2. April - Rain On Me:

One notable difference would be an April release instead of a May release. More momentum from more promo would help the song more. "Only" four weeks in the top 10 is not a flop, but I think the song would spend longer in the top 10 due to upcoming performances. First is Coachella, which would still happen with no pandemic. Next is the BBMAs, which I think is reasonably to expect. Award shows were slowly dying in popularity, yes, but without COVID accelerating this death a performance would help. The song would probably spend at the minimum 8 weeks in the top 10, and maybe could've hit at least ten weeks. Recurrent is still a given, and there is an increased possibility of the song going beyonce 20 weeks.

3. July - 911 (Major Single):

I firmly believe that no COVID-19 = more than two major singles. 911 would probably be released still given the virality of the transition with Chromatica II. 911, therefore, would be a major single instead of in select territories. 911 would probably be released in early July (maybe late June for pride) after Rain On Me leaves the top 10. The single would have to rely on the tour early on for success. The video probably wouldn't be released until after the tour and around the 2020 VMAs, where the song would be performed. I am not sure if 911 can hit the top 10 after the combined video release and VMA performance, but I definitely can see a top 20 peak.

4. October - Free Woman/Sine From Above (Possibly a Major Single; Maybe Still a Single in Select Territories)

This one is a bit tricky. I think whether or not a fourth major single is released hinges on the success of 911. Free Woman might be the obvious choice given the release as a French single even with COVID, but this still isn't fully guaranteed in a no COVID-19 world IMO. Another possibility would be for the Sine From Above teasing at the end of the 911 video could evolve into a single. Either song would not be highly successful, and I am not sure if the top 40 is even guaranteed, BUT I think that the end of year awards show promo (EMAs, AMAs, etc.) could help. Both songs have an equal chance to be successful IMO, though I think Sine From Above has a slightly higher chance of being more successful. Sine From Aboves video would likely follow from the events of 911, with Elton John maybe lending the helping hand ("sine from above") Lady Gaga needed. Either song would likely get the Chromatica Oreo promo associated with it though. (Honestly, an Oreo being used to represent the "Sine" could be funny given the design on them lol.)

Unless a 2021 single in select territories is released, this would be the last single. The single in select territories could be either Free Woman or Sine From Above depending on which gets a fourth single release (and that itself is dependent upon if the fourth single is a major single or a single in select territories).

 

Album(s)

April - Chromatica:

The April album release wouldn't have much effect over the May one we got. The more notable effects would be the increased promo. Chromatica debuted with a four week top 10 run (1, 2, 2, 6) in COVID-19, and not pandemic would allow for more physical sales AND more promo. I think at least equaling Born This Ways six week top ten run would help. Chromatica remained on the chart consistently until February 2021, which occasional re-appearances throughout the year. I think the album could possibly make it to the 52 week mark with no pandemic.

Earlier in 2021 (?) - Dawn of Chromatica:

I don't see this being that much different. Maybe the remix album could chart for a bit longer, and more consistently. I don't see much more promo for the album either, though I weirdly wouldn't be surprised if maybe at least a promo single happened? It's hard to say. Hitmixes, The Remix, and Born This Way: The Remix never got major promo, and even though this is a decade later I don't see the same happening. There might be a surprise on this album; see the tour below.

 

Performances

Outside of the Tour (Known Plans):

2020 iHeartRadio Music Awards - Stupid Love - Aside from more with the tribes I see this being a fairly standard performance.

2020 Coachella - Singles and Album Tracks - I think the tribes were gonna be introduced more in full during Coachella. No pandemic would allow for the original concept to be promoted and explored more.

2020 VMAs - Singles Medley - Like the same to what we go except for the masks. I still expect her to get the Tricon award.

2020 Joe Biden Final Rally - The same, though if Sine From Above becomes a single that could be promoted here in place of You & I.

Outside of the Tour (Likely):

April 2020 Jimmy Fallon - Rain On Me and Stupid Love - I feel like the 2020 Facetime version was a hint that a performance here was a part of the original schedule.

2020 BBMAs - Rain On Me - Probably would include something tribe related and might take inspiration from the video. (The BBMAs would still be in May with no pandemic.)

2020 EMAs - Free Woman or Sine From Above - Free Woman would get an upbeat performance with a lot of dancing, but Sine From Above could possibly get a performance similar to Speechless at the 2010 Grammys or ARTPOP at the Muppets Holiday Special in 2013. This is, of course, dependent upon the status of the fourth single.

2020 AMAs - Free Woman or Sine From Above - Free Woman would get an upbeat performance with a lot of dancing, but Sine From Above could possibly get a performance similar to Speechless at the 2010 Grammys or ARTPOP at the Muppets Holiday Special in 2013. This is, of course, dependent upon the status of the fourth single.

2021 Grammys (?) - Chromatica Medley (?) - I think a 2021 Grammys performance will still happen in a no pandemic world even with House of Gucci filming. The only thing I can think of is a medley since I can't see a fifth major single happening. If she doesn't perform here, then at least an appearance is likely IMO.

July - August 2020 - The Chromatic Ball:

This would be the original six date limited tour that was planned for 2020. I'm not sure if she was ready for an expanded 20 date tour like in 2022, so six dates would stay the same. The main differences would be the original jungle theme staying, more emphasis on the tribes (I'm conflicted on whether or not the originally intended acts were based on the album acts or the tribes), and probably the SOPHIE song(s). For those unaware, some of the producers that worked on the sessions with SOPHIE said that the song(s?) would've come out during the era. I think the tour is when this would've happened, and the song may have even gotten a promotional release during this time. Regardless, I think the song being at least released in Dawn of Chromatica is likely.

----

These are my thoughts.  What do we think?

[artdoll 46,147]

3 minutes ago, 27monster27 said:

2020 Coachella - Singles and Album Tracks - I think the tribes were gonna be introduced more in full during Coachella. No pandemic would allow for the original concept to be promoted and explored more.

I think it was also rumored that this Coachella performance was meant to be a surprise with an "alien spaceship crash-landing" being the beginning of the performance which was also going to feature Ariana & BP?

Also, we still have no idea what ChromaticaTV was lol

It was more or less implied that Chromatica's era was carefully and meticulously put together and that it would've been arguably her biggest era. So many scrapped plans and performances...

[TimotheeChalamet 5,591]

3 hours ago, artdoll said:

I think it was also rumored that this Coachella performance was meant to be a surprise with an "alien spaceship crash-landing" being the beginning of the performance which was also going to feature Ariana & BP?

Never heard of this, where was it rumored? 

[Starmie25 18,132]

I do feel had the original Chromatica rollout gone through then we wouldn't have the brutalist CHROMATICA BALL show we have now. 

And I'm not ok with that 😕 

Edited Thursday at 08:25 AM by Starmie25

[Defmix100 6,356]

51 minutes ago, Starmie25 said:

I do feel had the original Chromatica rollout gone through then we wouldn't have the brutalist CHROMATICA BALL show we have now. 

And I'm not ok with that 😕 

And I think that inspired the look of the Abracadabra video

[Starmie25 18,132]

17 minutes ago, Defmix100 said:

And I think that inspired the look of the Abracadabra video

You can definitely tell the brutalist theme inspired MAYHEM, but for "Debra" she stated the video was inspired from her original vision for the "Bad Romance" mv.

[Defmix100 6,356]

35 minutes ago, Starmie25 said:

You can definitely tell the brutalist theme inspired MAYHEM, but for "Debra" she stated the video was inspired from her original vision for the "Bad Romance" mv.

Oh I thought she meant the dance off theme rather than the set design

[artdoll 46,147]

2 hours ago, TimotheeChalamet said:

Never heard of this, where was it rumored? 

Although she doesn't go into details about the "secret coachella set" she does confirm it.

https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/a31914133/lady-gaga-secret-coachella-set/

I don't remember where, so take it with a grain of salt, but I believe back during 2020/21 it was said somewhere that the surprise performance was to begin with a UFO crashing, thus being the secret performance. Also that BP and Ari would've been surprise guests.

edit: after a quick search I found this GGD thread dating back to 2021 which confirms that there were rumors circulating, but they were more than likely just that. also a random pop base tweet lol

https://x.com/PopBase/status/1252999696412372992

Edited Thursday at 10:09 AM by artdoll

[BELLYACHE 1,222]

Not a Free Woman/911/Sine single treatment before Alice (should have been the lead or a single at least)

[27monster27 12,974]

4 hours ago, BELLYACHE said:

Not a Free Woman/911/Sine single treatment before Alice (should have been the lead or a single at least)

I thought about this too.  I went with what I thought was realistic based on the era we got. I feel like 911 was guaranteed due to its virality.