Lady Gaga’s fifth studio album was released by Interscope Records on October 21, 2016

Before I listened to Lady Gaga’s album Joanne, I always knew she had talent. Gaga displayed her amazing musicality and performance in American Horror Story. She’s done a lot to prove herself since 2008, when her first album, The Fame, came out. I always acknowledged her talent, but I never listened to her music very often. But when this album came out, it received mixed reviews from critics and music lovers, so I didn’t hope for much. I expected her normal modern pop songs that you could dance to. Joanne has some of those songs, but it also has stripped down, deeper and soulful tracks on it as well. The album left me thoroughly surprised and impressed by what I heard.

I knew as soon as I heard just a few songs off the album, I could tell Gaga poured her soul into this album. Certain songs told stories about her life, her family and her relationships. Someone really hurt Gaga which inspired her to write this personal album. Previous songs on her prior albums were not as personal as those on Joanne.

I love when artists create a different type of album that doesn’t sound like them, and Joanne’s sound came out of left field. Because it leaves me surprised and usually in a good way. Songs like “Joanne,” “Angel Down,” and “Sinner’s Prayer” showcase Gaga’s raw voice, not an abundant amount of instrumentals. But some songs bring you back to Gaga’s usual pop tones like “Dancin’ in Circles,” “Perfect Illusion” and “A-YO.”

I personally like “Come to Mama,” “Million Reasons” and “Sinner’s Prayer” the best. The one song that spoke to me the most was “Million Reasons.” When I first heard it, I got very emotional. The lyrics are so real and raw. This song is relatable to my life because it describes how someone has given you so many reasons to walk out of their life, but you just need one good reason to stay because they mean so much to you. This song made me and probably other listeners fall in love with the song and gain a new level of respect for Gaga.  

I highly recommend listening to this album. It’s not perfect, but Gaga established new credibility by making this album. If you think you know what to expect from this album, you’ll probably be surprised. Even if you don’t listen to Lady Gaga, give this album a chance. It’ll be worth it.

7.5/10