#484 Lady Gaga, 'Born This Way' (2011)

New Entry

Anyone that knows me, knows that Lady Gaga isn’t quite my thing. When she first rocked up on the scene I thought she was a novelty act. The first time I really remember taking notice of her was at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards when she performed her new single, ‘You and I’ as alter-ego, Jo Calderone. I loved the theatrics, her piano playing, the choreographed dance and then out of nowhere, rock god, Brian May, from Queen, joined her on stage as Dave Grohl cheered her on. Of course, she took her name from the Queen song as she was repotedly told as a child that she was a female Freddie Mercury; quite a compliment.

Fast forward a few years, and I, like the rest of the world, saw her in ‘A Star Is Born,’ and that’s where I really realised what a talent she was. She’s the real deal. A popstar in the mould of Madonna and Elton John.

This album has some incredible pop songs; ‘Born This Way,’ an anthem for everyone who ever felt out of place, like they were not “normal” because of who they were. Lady Gaga is a champion for all those people that were born the way they are. ‘The Edge Of Glory,’ ‘Judas,’ ‘Marry The Night,’ – all big songs. And then there’s the strange songs like ‘Scheiße’. But overall, the massive, the weird and the fillers work together to make this a strong, cohesive record. My favourite, though is ‘You & I,’ the album version including the very man who joined her on stage at that awards ceremony and produced by Robert John “Mutt” Lange, the man who helmed the biggest-selling rock record of all time, AC/DC’s ‘Back In Black.’

#rs500albums