By ‘old’ Gaga, people think of her recession pop era marked by her debut album The Fame, released in 2008. Recession pop is music which serves as a tool of escapism during tumultuous world events; take for example ‘I Gotta Feeling’ by the Black Eyed Peas, ‘TikTok’ by Ke$ha, ‘Please Don’t Stop The Music’ by Rhianna, and of course Gaga’s The Fame – all released during or after the 2008 global financial crash.
The recession pop genre is characterised by high-energy, fast-paced, party-focused lyrics which curate the message "let’s forget about our problems and dance". This discourse re-emerged with the release of Charli xcx’s BRAT album last summer and with Gaga, a pioneer of recession pop, teasing her album Mayhem it is so back.
Paired with the category ‘dance or die’ in the ‘Abracadabra’ music video, escapist electronic dance music is here to stay. The video stuns with camp choreography, costumes, and visuals – all of which are giving Hunger Games capitol, very reminiscent of her iconic ‘Bad Romance’ video. The frantic tempo, witchy chanting, and supernatural elements serve to empower listeners by instilling the adrenaline needed to get through hard times. It made shockwaves online, with an accessible trending dance going viral and recreations of Gaga's theatrical makeup and outfits.
Coming off the back of the critically acclaimed ‘Die With A Smile’ featuring Bruno Mars, ‘Abracadabra’ is a shift back to the techno beats Gaga is known for. But, throughout her 17-year career in the pop industry, she has shown immense talent beyond electronic dance music as seen by her pursuit of jazz with Tony Bennet and soft rock in her album Joanne.
While Gaga is returning home to house and dance music with ‘Abracadabra,’ there is no doubt her upcoming album will display her skillful artistry and talent across multiple genres. If ‘Abracadabra’ offers the glimpse into Gaga’s new era we can undoubtedly expect music to get us through the chaotic world by escaping into her transcendently captivating visuals and encompassing powerful sounds. When Lady Gaga provokes satanist accusations, you know she is doing something right.