Lady Gaga has been pretty quiet for a while — the last major public appearance she made was supporting Bradley Cooper at his Maestro LA premiere in December — but she actually has a lot percolating. She’s maybe/probably/definitely engaged to boyfriend of four years Michael Polansky, she’s working with her bleached eyebrows as fast as she can to finish her next studio album, and she’s gearing up for another performance of an Oscar campaign when Joker: Folie à Deux comes out in October. Mother is busy! So the last thing I expected from her now was to announce a surprise concert film… but Ta Da! A recording of Gaga’s LA stop on the Chromatica Ball Tour from 2022 has been edited into a film that will stream May 25 on HBO Max. She wrote a brief tome on Twitter to accompany the trailer’s release:
Are you ready to return to Chromatica with Lady Gaga?
On Wednesday, May 8, the Grammy-winning superstar unveiled the trailer and release date for her long-awaiting HBO Original concert special, Gaga Chromatica Ball, chronicling her 2022 stadium tour in support of her 2020 album, Chromatica.
Produced, directed and created by Gaga, the upcoming feature is a taped version of the Chromatica Ball concert at the 52,000-capacity Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Sept. 10, 2022. The setlist includes classic hits from “Just Dance,” “Poker Face” and “Born This Way” to more recent songs like “Shallow” and “Stupid Love.”
Alongside the trailer reveal, the “Rain on Me” singer, 38, posted to social media with a lengthy note about the film, which will become available to stream via Max on May 25. “I’m so excited that we can finally share The Chromatica Ball film with the world,” she began.
“This film chronicles a time of immense creativity…the fashion, the dance, the music,” Gaga wrote. “Revisiting the tour leaves me speechless the way we had each other — you all showed up for music and art in a big way, and with a level of excitement and freedom that I will never forget. Stadium after stadium. Sold out crowds. The deafening singalongs.”
“Chromatica was colorful revenge. The chaos of it all became pure energy and life. With a texture best experienced live,” continued Gaga, before quoting lyrics from the Chromatica track “Babylon”: “Strut it out, walk a mile / Serve it ancient city style.”
The Joker: Folie à Deux star added, “Self-acceptance is a theme that cuts through all my songs. I believe it is always possible to dig deep and find your greatness. Self-discovery is an art. Self-love is a practice.”
Gaga then turned her attention to the fans, concluding, “I love you monsters more than I can say. See yourself in every vocal, every fabric choice, the choreography, every image… Here’s the truth — no matter where life or my career has taken me, my time with you always is a path back to a very powerful part of myself. In a stadium filled with YOU it came to life. Thank you for that feeling. I hope you will feel seen when you watch this film. And know that I edited it carefully to honor you.”
My initial thought on the 45-second trailer is that this looks dark. As in literally. A lot of dark lighting, peppered with flashes of fire and strobe and even a ring light (does she start on a Zoom call?). Maybe I’m turning into an old fogey (don’t answer that), but I wouldn’t be surprised if my comment after seeing the full concert is “It was too loud, AND I couldn’t understand anything she said!”
I’ve said it before and I stand by it: Chromatica is not Gaga’s best album. The songs are so short that they feel like incomplete thoughts. But a live performance is a whole other animal, and personally I always feel like Gaga is most Gaga whenever she’s live at the piano. (I’m sure the particular piano from this concert will be glad to finally be seen in something other than those Nurtec commercials.) Plus whatever wiring I have that makes me love organization by theme and/or color, those wires are equally stimulated by seeing how Gaga composes the set list. How songs from across different albums play together in new groupings. See, I’m not a fogey; I’m a nerd.
I’m so excited that we can finally share The Chromatica Ball film with the world. This film chronicles a time of immense creativity…the fashion, the dance, the music. Revisiting the tour leaves me speechless the way we had each other—you all showed up for music and art in a big… pic.twitter.com/08qt8FAu8x
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) May 8, 2024
Love GaGa’s music, but I am fucking over all this “Oscar buzz” talk being used to hype movies and actors, especially before anyone has seen the movie or what the competition is this year. It totally sours me on the films and actors who pull this shit.
I’m calling it now, we are absolutely getting Telephone Part II later this year – both Gaga & Beyoncé being in the midst of huge new promotional eras rn is not a coincidence (I realize at this point this may just be delusion but the Texas Hold Em teaser vid fits sooo perfectly with the Telephone vid, Doll calling her Honey B, pls pls plsssssss maybe it’s delusion but I need it!! lol)
I’d love to see them together again!
Finally! I was there, and am excited to see this movie. It was a really fun show. I will be dancing in my living room.
Wowza! Great read! That kismet!