In news that may upset some fans (who hopefully understand) Lady Gaga has hung up the pink wig and pushed the release of her long awaited 5th studio album Chromatica back. News of which of course came via an iOS notes press release.
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) March 24, 2020
Lady Gaga pushing the album back makes complete sense. Whilst a new Lady Gaga album would be a light in what is an otherwise dark period for many of her fans, Lady Gaga herself would only be able to do so much to support the album and present it in the way she wants without compromise and restrictions. And there's no doubt that the mandate for everybody to stay home would have a massive impact on physical sales. And with Internet providers and telecommunications companies forcing streaming platforms to cap quality to stop the throttle of Internet connections, letting the Monsters loose on Apple Music and Spotify to rinse the fucking shit out of a Lady Gaga album wouldn't be the wisest move.
This of course also means that her Chromatic ball tour will see its dates shift. I was honestly concerned about Lady Gaga even touring, given that she suffers from fibromyalgia. Too many artists, entertainers and people in public jobs are made to put their body through the most strenuous of conditions and situations for the sake of sales targets, which then has a huge impact on mental health. It's something that needs to change. So, the extra time may do Lady Gaga some good and to rethink how she can serve her album in a way that still satisfies her fans, showcases her artistry and fulfils her creatively, without putting intense pressure on her physically. It's something many artists need to ask themselves. The precedent shouldn't be that an artist has to do such drastic life threatening shit to please fans. A question which was also raised when Beyoncé released Homecoming and shared how she was on a diet of air for months to snap her body back for Coachella.
In light of current events, finding new ways to release albums and serve fans is something every label and artist should be thinking seriously about. I get that just not touring isn't a viable option, given that touring is one of the best forms of music promo and how an artist makes their money. But in light of Miss Corona, the world is changing and won't go back to how it was before. So the model will need to change and include something other than just 'Album drop → Tour'.
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