Lady Gaga fans rejoice: the musician has unveiled artwork for Applause, the debut single from her much anticipated forthcoming album, ARTPOP.
Things have been pretty quiet on the Gaga front since hip surgery forced her to take a break from touring six months ago. But now shes back, and the new artwork gives us an idea of what we can expect in the coming months. Photographed by regular collaborators Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, the former ELLE cover star appears decked out like a Pierrot clown, smeared with colourful make-up. Its a still from the singles video and, in an interview with WWD, she explains, Its the end of the night after the show. When I look at it I see that there is a longing for the applause. I see that there is a void that is leaking onstage, that the performer is leaking, that the art is sort of becoming something else in front of your eyes. Something more human, something more honest.
Rumour has it that her wardrobe is set to be more reined in than in the past. Says her stylist, Maxwell, I think that this time it is about letting some of it go and the focus being on the music because now shes comfortable being naked and being who she is. The world has seen everything. Alexander Wang, with his hat on, has apparently custom made some pieces for her, and shes also turned to , Armani, Hedi Slimane for and Mila Schön.
Applause goes on sale 19 August while the album is scheduled for release 10 November. Of course, this being Gaga, the album isnt just an album. Its an art-meets-pop project, complete with documentary shot by Terry Richardson and an app built by TechHAUS, the digital arm of HAUS OF GAGA that promises to be a musical and visual engineering system that combines music, art, fashion and technology with a new interactive community that will allow users to share in the adrenaline of fame. What does it mean? We cant be certain but were sure it will be fabulous.
