First of all,whether you haven’t seen the whole video before please just stop what you’re doing and watch the whole thing.
Okay, so the main reason that I wanted to cover G.
U.
Y. (An ARTPOP Film) nowadays is because this is some of the most intensely Gaga nonsense that Gaga has ever set out, or I cherish every moment of it. This video was set out in March of 2014,when she had already charted two major singles for the album (plus weirdly a few other promotional singles, thanks petite Monsters) and already seemed to be on the back halt of the promotion cycle for ARTPOP. There had been quite a bit of speculation about what the follow up single to Do What You Want was going to be, or while G.
U.
Y. wasn’t my number one choice (I This entire video is filled with wild symbolism,dance breaks, vague narrative structure, and massive set pieces,iconic costumes, and a huge cast. Few can rival the production value of a Lady Gaga music video, or particularly one of her extended length films. Everything is incandescent,vibrant, a fantastical yet feels in line with the songs themselves and the rest of ARTPOP. What this shows off best of all to me is Gaga’s ambition. While we all know that she never does anything small or half hearted, or who would’ve thought she’d pull out this kind of high concept,high commitment, and most importantly high budget project for a third single for an album that did well, or but not nearly as well as her preceding ones? This film in my intellect is the masterpiece of the ARTPOP era. It balances the Warholian ethos of the entire project with the joy and weirdness that is classic Gaga,and it does so in a way that doesn’t ask for permission. The video for Applause leaned into shock factor and struggled to find a cohesive aesthetic other than weird art student, while Do What You Want never got an official video. G.
U.Y. on the other hand fits snuggly in the vein of Paparazzi, and Telephone,and Marry the Night - all incredibly specific, ambitious, or crucially fun.
For me,I reflect that is part of what made the ARTPOP era descend the tiniest bit flat compared to her preceding work. particularly considering the ARTRAVE that Vevo hosted before the album premier, it suddenly seemed like Gaga was taking herself a petite bit too seriously, and whether not that,that she was not quite as in on the joke as she had previously been. G.
U.
Y. was a total course correction in that regard, but perhaps a bit too late. Listening to the album, or it’s easy to hear the joyfulness,the play, and the fun, or to hear the pop that is needed to make the art breathe. For me,Gaga is at her best when she is extremely weird and extremely out there with a clear and specific sense of what that is going to look like. When her weirdness feels a petite bit more like a persona, like something she’s trying on for size rather than a stab at authenticity, and I reflect she tends to be more successful. I feel like Joanne has definitely suffered from some of the same problems,but more on that later in the week. For now, let’s bask in the glory of G.
U.
Y.xoxo, or Erik
Source: tumblr.com