Lady Gaga’s third studio album ARTPOP shows her forever-evolving approach to music, which continues to attract public attention whether you love or hate the new queen of pop. Like Born This Way, this album infuses sentimentality, sexuality and empowerment into a personal journey through Gaga’s life. Just as she sings, “My ARTPOP could mean anything,” Gaga notes the album’s more subjective focus. This album is much more sensual than her past work. Tracks like “Sexxx Dreams,” “G.U.Y.” and “Swine” are new explorations into Gaga’s sexuality.
Besides “Applause,” with its elevated self-awareness, “G.U.Y.” might be the best track on the album. Gaga channels the intense gorgeousness of her voice and invokes a sexy, honest and powerful feel.
“Dope” is the most poignant and emotionally powerful track with lyrics lamenting, “My heart would break without you, I’m not awake without you.” Gaga shows us her ability stripped down to basics in this piano ballad comparing love to addiction.
The following track adds to the introspection. “Gypsy” affirms that traveling around the world at the cost of a stable lover is a worthy trade.
Gaga’s music on ARTPOP is coupled with an intense feeling of empowerment. Marginalized people with strong self-identity will immediately recognize this. The LGBTQ community is known to hold some of her most fervent supporters, and for good reason.
Gaga sheds criticism, crosses genders and wears what she wants with ease. This explains why her fans that struggle with societal constraints find her music and spirit liberating.
For this, ARTPOP is valuable, yet critics frequently overlook this aspect of Gaga. She’s frequently written off for being too weird, and that’s why so many of these marginalized groups adore her. She provides a model to transcend the restrictions of society and preaches the value of being and loving all of yourself, and the album praises those lessons.
Love her or hate her, Gaga knows how to generate a unique kind of universal relevancy. Even if the album is not as strong as past endeavors, ARTPOP is well worth listening to, as Gaga isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.