New Music
After months of being teased with vague details, “Little Monsters” around the globe were finally treated to official word from Lady Gaga herself. On July 12 came news of a release date for her forthcoming album, “ARTPOP.” The new full-length effort is scheduled to hit shelves Nov. 11, with a presale date of Sept. 1.
The highly anticipated release will be her latest since 2011’s “Born This Way,” an overwhelmingly successful album that eventually reached the top of the charts in more than 25 countries. Fans can also expect to hear the lead single from “ARTPOP” in about a month, as the track’s debut is scheduled for Aug. 19.
In addition to the album, Gaga revealed plans for a new smartphone app to be unveiled the same day as the album drops. The ARTPOP app promises, among other things, to provide an interactive, global community for fans to share personal art projects with one another. Four artists and designers are included on the app announcement on Gaga’s website—including Jeff Koons, the artist famous for creating stainless steel balloon animal sculptures—but no word explicitly states what the contributions of these artists will be as far as the app is concerned.
The pop singer’s announcement of the new app follows in the footsteps of Jay-Z, whose latest album, “Magna Carta Holy Grail,” was released via an app on Samsung phones to one million fans worldwide days before being released to the general public. Gaga has not confirmed whether or not her ARTPOP app will include a download of the eponymous album, but the app still registers as another important marriage of technology and music that has so intimately connected artists and fans in recent years.
In the months leading up to this announcement, Lady Gaga has largely kept out of the immediate spotlight. Her Born This Way Ball Tour was cut short abruptly by a hip injury which forced the singer to cancel the final 22 shows. No official tour dates have been announced in support of “ARTPOP,” but considering Gaga’s intense commitment to her fans, it won’t be surprising if she soon announces an even more elaborate trek to make up for the cancellations earlier in the year.
