Lady Gaga released her new video for G.U.Y. as part of an ‘epic’ 7 minute ARTPOP film on Saturday evening to a startlingly cotidian reception. For the most part no one is critically discussing the work itself, and instead a google search turns up aggregated new sources that simply state it was released, and gush over the predicted indulgence and “strangeness” of her newest visual production. It’s difficult to say if the work is a success. Is this lack of journalistic engagement the nail on the coffin of one of Pop’s most transfixing creations? Gaga’s career has been somewhat of an anomaly of late, and with a strange divide between her true experiences and the facade that we’ve all grown to understand, it’s an interesting direction for the ARTPOP conundrum.
G.U.Y. is Gaga’s first video release since August 19th’s rushed unveiling of the aptly prepared Applause, and the beginning of marketing and promotion for ARTPOP. Applause was an honest and revealing mantra from an artist whose career was built on the enigma of fame. It was also a phenomenal pop track, with incredible production and a stunning music video. There was a moment of excitement; a second of promise. But Applause was mostly unsuccessful, in comparison to Gaga’s previous sales records and contemporaries, and the single brought to light some disconcerting happenings in her career and within Haus of Gaga. Rumours circled about shady maneuvers to boost sales (especially in light of competing with Katy Perry’s unbelievably drab Roar).
Following Applause, Gaga began teasing tracks from ARTPOP. Among them the widely popular Do What U Want was teased on a Beats Headphones ad. It was brilliant product placement, for Beats and ARTPOP, and the ad itself made the song seem epic, intriguing, and poised for a commercial take over. But the release of Do What U Want was riddled with missteps. The song featured a controversial and tired artist (R.Kelly- whose latest record Black Panties exposed how entirely irrelevant he is), the video was never created, and the replacement of R.Kelly with Christina Aguilera read as desperate.
However, throughout this whole process, it’s important to remember that this is STILL Gaga. There are still amazing live performances, there are still gorgeous outfits, there are still fantastic pop songs. There was only one acoustic performance of Applause, and only one of Do What U Want, and both were absolutely mesmerizing and artful, a true iteration of the potential of ARTPOP.
Kaiotic Music 
