Lady Gaga’s New Album ‘Chromatica’ Gets Release Date
By Jem Aswad
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – UPDATED: On the heels of her new single “Stupid Love,” which was released Friday, Lady Gaga has announced that her new album is indeed called “Chromatica,” as fans had speculated on the basis of the word’s appearance in the video and advertising, and will be out on April 10.
Judging by the album’s page on iTunes, the album will contain 16 songs and be executive produced by Gaga and producer/songwriter Bloodpop (Michael Tucker). The only information accompanying the announcement is that “‘Chromatica’ will be available in a variety of physical formats including standard CD, various vinyl colors, and cassette. In addition, has launched an array of new merchandise and an exclusive vinyl color at ladygaga.com.”
A social media post from the singer includes a logo that she says is not the cover, but looks to be a sort of circular object including a spear and, well, a sperm.
Information about the album and its collaborators has been slim: Producer/songwriters Bloodpop, Max Martin, Tchami, Martin Joseph and Eli Rise worked on the single, and German producer/DJ Boys Noize (Alex Ridha) has been rumored to be involved as well. Gaga has given little indication herself: Both her Las Vegas residencies and a special SiriusXM concert in New York during Pride Week last year were heavily focused on early material — the SiriusXM concert featured just one song each from her past three albums (including “A Star Is Born”) amid many from her first three.
“Stupid Love” suggests the album will be a return to the dance-pop Gaga that her fans love. While the song’s lyrics are of a fairly straightforward Gaga-love-and-positivity nature, the video seems to derive its theme from one line — “Could this love protect me from the pain? / I would battle for you, even if I break in two.” In the clip, Gaga and her dancers rock and gyrate through a futuristic, “Mad Max”-type alien desert landscape in a wide variety of day-glo outfits.
An introducing slate points to what many speculate is the album’s title: “Chromatica,” which in this context seems to be a character like the “Enigma” featured in her Las Vegas residency.
“The world rots in conflict,” the slate reads. “Many tribes for dominance. While the Spiritual ones pray and sleep for peace, the Kindness punks fight for Chromatica.” The word also appeared in the artwork advertising the single earlier this week.
Kindness punks, Chromatica, alien worlds — we’re not sure what all this adds up to, but it’s great to hear Gaga back at what she does best: An exciting, pulsating dance song with an irresistible beat and great hooks.
