Lady Gaga Premieres New Single, ‘Perfect Illusion,’ Plus Album Rumors


The Little Monsters have been waiting a long time for Lady Gaga’s new single “Perfect Illusion.” Gaga premiered the new single on iHeartRadio at 11 p.m. tonight as a preview for upcoming as-yet-untitled fifth studio album. “Perfect Illusion” also became available on iTunes and streaming services shortly after the premiere.

“Perfect Illusion” starts off with massive guitar riffs, signifying a brand new era for Lady Gaga.

“Stuck in the metal zone/I just want you alone,” Gaga snarls over a drumline. The “Perfect Illusion” title of Gaga’s new single refers to a romance that turned out not to be real.

“It wasn’t love/it was a perfect illusion,” Gaga wails over the chorus, competing with shrieking electric guitar and cascading synth.

Lady Gaga announced “Perfect Illusion” in August, revealing that it was written and produced by Gaga, Mark Ronson, Kevin Parker of Tame Impala, and BloodPop. Gaga sat down with iHeartRadio staff at their Music Summit to promote the single, explaining that “the song is about modern ecstasy… We found our sweet, simple, ragey way of saying it. I get this sick adrenaline rush every time I hear it.”

Ronson’s influences on Gaga’s new single are audible, and while the song isn’t quite “Uptown Funk,” it definitely has its own bounce.

Gaga also released the album art for the new single on her Twitter. The “Perfect Illusion” cover frames Gaga in full rock star mode: with her hair flying in the wind and big chunky boots, Gaga could easily pass for a Warped Tour performer. The visuals for “Perfect Illusion” match the sound of the new single, presumably paving the way for Gaga to release a rock-inspired album.

Little is known about Lady Gaga’s new album, but Mother Monster hopefully won’t keep us waiting much longer. Gaga told Billboard reporters earlier this year that an album was on its way.

“You know, I am putting out an album this year. I won’t tell you when,” Gaga teased.

Gaga’s last pop single before “Perfect Illusion” was “G.U.Y.” from her 2013 album Artpop, which received mixed reviews despite debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Unfortunately, the singles from Artpop failed to reach the heights of Gaga’s previous singles, and “G.U.Y.” only peaked at No. 76 on the Billboard Hot 100.

For Lady Gaga’s new single to have an impact, it needs to draw big streaming numbers, as well as sales. Social media engagement could also help “Perfect Illusion” climb its way to the top of the charts, and Gaga’s Little Monsters are well prepared for that. Thanks in part to Gaga’s passionate fans, the new single quickly climbed its way to the top of the Billboard Trending 140, which measures social media engagement.

Lady Gaga was certainly active on social media to promote the album, and posted several photos to hype fans up, including one of her working on the track with co-producer Mark Ronson.

As well as a shot of Gaga mid-performance, swinging her mic like a proper rock star.

“Perfect Illusion” is a return to pop for Gaga, who had partnered with Tony Bennett to create a collaborative jazz album called Cheek to Cheek in 2014. Lady Gaga also achieved critical recognition in 2015 for her single “Til It Happens To you,” a stirring anthem that deals with themes of sexual assault. The single earned Gaga an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song, and the singer performed the emotional tune at the Oscars ceremony.

If Lady Gaga’s new single, “Perfect Illusion,” proves anything, it’s that the singer is not afraid to tackle multiple genres: rock, funk, pop, and dance are all in her repertoire. It’s no “Bad Romance,” but then again, what is?

[Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images]

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