Lady Gaga may seem like she's "toned down" during her Joanne phase—her bubblegum pink hat and ripped jeans are a far cry from the meat dress, McQueen armadillo shoes and egg. But her new "John Wayne" music video proves that she hasn't abandoned that part of her life completely.
The singer dropped the vid by surprise today exclusively on Apple Music and shared a teaser this afternoon on Twitter:
The video boasts an outrageous plot, several epic outfit changes, a hint of violence and some very very high heels that also double as guns. The whole piece almost feels like a lost tape from The Fame Monster or Born This Way.
Naturally, her Little Monsters went crazy, and they were also quick to catch comparisons with her iconic late-2000s videos:
Gaga's Super Bowl halftime performance was a great precursor to the new clip. Besides her patriotic medley on the roof, only one out of the six songs she performed was from Joanne ("Million Reasons"). The rest—"Poker Face," "Born This Way," "Telephone," "Just Dance" and "Bad Romance"—were all from The Fame (2008), The Fame Monster (2009) and Born This Way (2011). The overall set doubled as subtle tribute to her throwback hits, and it was the perfect prep for her newest video.
Watch the Jonas Akerlund "John Wayne" in full on Apple Music.
