Celeb Event World: An in-depth review of Lady Gaga’s Chromatica album

It’s been a long time since Lady Gaga re-entered the public eye with a rousing performance. Chromatica showcases Gaga’s best work in recent years since it has an excellent balance of production and song creation. 

Even though she has released four critically acclaimed and financially successful electronica-heavy albums since 2008 (The Fame, the Fame Monster, Born This Way, and  ArtPop), we haven’t seen the same Lady Gaga in a very long time. 

In preparation for her big-screen debut as a leading lady, she created a rock-oriented soundtrack record to accompany her big-standards album with music legend Tony Bennett, which was released simultaneously, Cheek to Cheek, 2014. She also published a stripped-down, singer-songwriter album,  Joanne, 2016. 

She sang a medley from the film “The Sound of Music” at the Academy Awards. In 2017, she produced and directed Gaga: Five Foot Two, a Netflix documentary about her struggles that received positive feedback. 

Moreover, her two Las Vegas residencies, one of which featured her dance classics and the other which featured her jazz tracks with piano accompaniment, further fragmented and complicated her public perception. Additionally, during this time, Gaga became a social justice activist, using her stardom and wealth to raise awareness of mental health issues, LGBT rights, and equality for ethnic minorities, among other causes.

Let’s not forget her box office hit; A Star is Born, where she won massive accolades, praises from critics and numerous awards. These led her to release her most showstopping dance album, Chromatica. 

More than just a dance record

After years of anticipation, Lady Gaga has outdone herself with Chromatica, providing the music that her fans have been clamouring for. Gaga’s new album is heavily inspired by ’90s house music, and it has several songs that are guaranteed to become fixtures on dance floors once the clubs reopen. 

The excellent production team, led by veteran Lady Gaga collaborator BloodPop, is responsible for most of the album’s success, which can be heard throughout the album’s tracks. Chromatica, on the other hand, is much more than simply a fantastic dancing CD. 

Some of Gaga’s lyrical themes, such as self-doubt and suffering, can be heard in many songs on the album. The lyrics of Gaga’s songs “911,” “Replay,” and “Free Woman” deal with a wide range of subjects, including antipsychotic medication, trauma, and sexual assault. These songs have come together to become Gaga’s most personal and intimate album to date.

Themes on Chromatica

A recurring topic running across Chromatica’s work on love is our present condition of self-isolation. “Stupid Love,” the album’s first hit, and the outstanding track “Enigma”, deal with the universal issue of wanting to be loved and to be loved in return.

Despite this, Gaga’s focus on overcoming difficulties such as loneliness and trauma unites Chromatica. With both excellent production and words to show for it, “Rain On Me” is the most eloquent example of this. The lyrics “I’d rather be dry, but at least I’m alive”, which features Gaga and Grande, we learn that accepting rain in our own lives may be a lovely experience. 

Chromatica’s lyrics, which are both intelligent and always joyful, encourage us to dance through our pain rather than allowing it to hold us back. Gaga opens up about her troubles and faults on this album, which contrasts with her previous albums, on which she seemed to be looking for her own identity. Alternatively, Chromatica liberates Gaga while also resulting in some of the best songs. 

Track by track review

Unlike Lady Gaga’s previous albums, Chromatica is divided into Chromatica I, II and III. Each section has different songs that represent various mental states. Check out a track by track review of the album below: 

1. Chromatica I – A prelude to an epic journey, Chromatica I is a string-heavy piece that effectively sets the tone for the journey ahead. Because of the rapid aural and tone adjustments throughout the record, getting to the opening track is an unusual experience.

• Alice – Lady Gaga tells her audience that she will continue searching for Wonderland even though she’s not Alice. The album’s opening lines may seem bland on the first hearing, but the deeper and darker meaning becomes clear on consecutive plays. It’s a clear representation of a lady who is in a lot of pain and is seeking a way out. 
• Stupid Love – This song is undoubtedly one of the album’s most effervescent compositions, as seen by the album’s debut single, which peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. According to the lyrics, love may be the only thing that may save her from the agony and disgrace that she has brought upon herself in her own life. 
• Rain on Me – In addition to Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, the album’s second single arrived at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 list, making it her fifth chart-topper and her duet partner’s fourth, according to the publication. The vocals of the two pop divas mix well together, and the song has a snappy, radio-friendly beat. 
• Free woman – Gaga said that this anthem was inspired by a sexual assault she suffered at the hands of a recording producer when she was younger.
• Fun tonight – The end of a relationship is marked by the realisation that it is causing her more sadness than pleasure.

2. Chromatica II – After five enthralling songs, the album takes a short pause for another string-heavy interlude before continuing. Much thought has been devoted to how effortlessly and cleverly the composition moves from one tune to the next.

• 911 – is about Lady Gaga’s fight with mental illness, and the drugs she relies on to quiet the upheaval is hidden by the song’s synthesisers and autotune. 
• Plastic Doll – is a song that embodies female empowerment. Lady Gaga uses this song to tell men that her body is not a doll to play with but sacred and worth loving. 
• Sour candy – is a collaboration with one of the most leading girl groups currently, Blackpink. Although it’s the album’s shortest track, it perfectly represents a pop-oriented song and well-balanced distribution of lyrics. 
• Enigma – the album’s momentum is restored with the song Enigma. It focuses on strong voices, loud rhythms, and mature lyrics.
• Replay – One of the primary topics of the song is the emotional toll that being in a toxic relationship can have on one’s mental health and how to deal with it. It’s a hard-hitting banger with a lot of disco influence in the mix.

3. Chromatica III – As the album’s last three tracks, Chromatica III serves as a light and airy interlude between the album’s opening three tracks, which are more cheerful.

• Sine from above – The songs “Free Woman” and “Sine From Above” are neck-in-neck for the greatest lyrics on the album. The frantic ending of the song and the passionate lyrics about music’s immense capacity to heal human misery raise it to a new level of excellence. In addition, Sir Elton John, a close friend of Lady Gaga, contributes his distinctive vocals to the song, making it even more unforgettable.
• 1000 doves – has an undertone of sorrow running through it. Lady Gaga is pleading with someone to encourage her and drive. She needs to get back up and soar once again. It is also the most emotionally honest vocal performance on the album, both content and delivery.

Keep in mind that there’s a stripped-down version of this song on a special edition of the album. So if you happen to prefer slower songs, then it’s best to listen to the piano version. 

• Babylon – In addition to the powerful and brassy production, which incorporates spoken word, a choir, and an abundance of references to ancient Mesopotamia, Babylon has a loud and brassy sound that makes it seem like it was recorded during the ArtPop period. The album finishes on a confident and cheerful note, as it should.

In a nutshell

We were so used to listening to album’s songs in a shuffling manner. However, Chromatica teaches us that sometimes, it’s best to stop and listen in chronological order. We will understand the power of healing, love, care, hatred, and more through this. 

Chromatica takes us on a journey unlike no other. It’s an album with no skips and will make you feel like you’re part of the production. There’s no doubt that there’s a song that you can relate to. 

Aside from the heavy beats that will take you to the dancefloor, the album’s main highlight is its lyrics; it’s raw and vulnerable. It’s as if Lady Gaga is stating all your thoughts, and all you have to do is get your earphones and sing your heart out. 

Who would have thought that Lady Gaga could take us to another level and elevate her art after more than a decade in her career? We are definitely in awe of her artistry and await what will happen next.