"Perfect Illusion" is a song written and recorded by Lady Gaga and serves as the lead single from her fifth studio album Joanne. The single was announced on August 17, 2016 through Lady Gaga's Instagram and her website, and was released on September 9, 2016. Mark Ronson and Kevin Parker of Tame Impala produced the track, with additional production from Gaga and BloodPop. On September 9, Gaga co-hosted BBC Radio 1 in the UK with Nick Grimshaw to promote the single.
Background
The song title was first teased by Mark Ronson on his Instagram with a picture of Gaga, Kevin Parker, and BloodPop captioned 'Illusion'. The song title was then later revealed when Gaga took to Instagram to post several pictures, forming a grid, which read 'Lady Gaga, Perfect Illusion, New Single, September' against a multicolored background. The same graphic was later posted on her website. "Perfect Illusion" is described as a 'sweet space in [her] catalog alongside some of her best dance floor anthems. It's a cut that touches the highest of highs and lowest of lows in a relationship gone wrong, thus, the perfect illusion.' Gaga, in an interview with iHeartRadio, revealed that the song "is about modern ecstasy... we found our sweet, simple, ragey way of saying it. I get this sick adrenaline rush every time I hear it."
On September 6, 2016, Gaga took to Instagram and Twitter to post a picture from what appears to be the music video and then proceeded to post the single cover on Instagram. She later posted a collage with behind-the-scenes images of her in the studio and recording the music video, as well as the lyrics 'I don't need eyes to see. I felt you touchin' me. High like amphetamine. Maybe you're just a dream.'
Gaga stated that "the song is about how I believe many of us are wondering why there are so many fake things around us that really and truly appear to be real. How do we navigate through social media, and the images on social media, that we know are filtered and altered and decipher what is reality and what is a perfect illusion?" in an interview with BBC Radio 1.
Release
On August 17, 2016, Gaga attended iHeartMedia Music Summit where she performed the song and did a Q&A. The song title was then later revealed when Gaga took to Instagram to post 12 pictures, forming a grid, which read 'Lady Gaga, Perfect Illusion, New Single, September' against a multicolored background. The same graphic was later posted on her website. For the Joanne era, Gaga collabored with Lobster Eye (Ruth Hogben and Andrea Gelardin) on the visuals which debuted with "Perfect Illusion".
On September 6, 2016, Gaga revealed the artwork via Instagram and Twitter using the caption "LADY GAGA / PERFECT ILLUSION NEW SINGLE SEPT 9". The artwork shows Gaga on the side of a cliff singing into a microphone taken on August 29, 2016. The font used is called License Plate USA and like its name indicates, it is similar to the font used on United States license plates. It was chosen by designer Brian Roettinger from Willo Perron & Associates, which also worked with Tame Impala and Willo with Gaga in 2009 for The Monster Ball Tour 1.0.
On September 7, 2016, she posted a collage with behind-the-scenes images of her in the studio and recording the music video, as well as the handwritten lyrics 'I don't need eyes to see. I felt you touchin' me. High like amphetamine. Maybe you're just a dream.' The collage include stills from the unreleased at that time music video and photographs from Collier Schorr.
Digital Release
Label: Interscope Format: Digital Released: September 9, 2016 Photography: Lobster Eye Design: N/A |
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No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Perfect Illusion" | 03:02 |
Release history
Country | Date | Format |
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Worldwide | September 9, 2016 | Digital download |
Italy | Contemporary hit radio | |
United States | September 12, 2016 | Hot AC radio |
September 12, 2016 | Contemporary hit radio |
Performances
Tour | Dates | Performances |
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Dive Bar Tour | Oct 5—27, 2016 | 2 |
Joanne World Tour | 2017—2018 (All Dates) | 49 |
Total: | 51 |
Lyrics
Tryin' to get control
Pressure's takin' its toll
Stuck in the middle zone
I just want you alone
My guessing game is strong
Way too real to be wrong
Caught up in your show
Yeah at least now I know
It wasn't love, it wasn't love
It was a perfect illusion (perfect illusion)
Mistaken for love, it wasn't love
It was a perfect illusion (perfect illusion)
Oh...
You were a perfect illusion
I don't need eyes to see
I felt you touchin' me
High like amphetamine
Maybe you're just a dream
That's what it means to crush
Now that I'm wakin' up
I still feel the blow
But at least now I know
It wasn't love, it wasn't love
It was a perfect illusion (perfect illusion)
Mistaken for love, it wasn't love
It was a perfect illusion (perfect illusion)
Where are you cuz I can't see (it was a perfect illusion)
But I feel you watchin' me
Dilated fallin' free
In a modern ecstasy
Where are you cuz I can't see (it was a perfect illusion)
But I feel you watchin' me
But I feel you watchin' me (illusion)
But I feel you watchin' me (mistaken for love)
Where are you cuz I can't see
But I feel you watchin' me (mistaken for love)
Dilated fallin' free
In a modern ecstasy (mistaken for love)
In a modern ecstasy
In a modern ecstasy
I'm over the show
Yeah at least now I know
It wasn't love, it wasn't love
It was a perfect illusion (perfect illusion)
Mistaken for love, it wasn't love
It was a perfect illusion (perfect illusion)
Oh...
You were a perfect illusion
Oh...
It was a perfect illusion
It was a perfect illusion
Somewhere in all the confusion
It was a perfect illusion
Illusion, illusion (where are you cuz I can't see)
It was a perfect illusion (but I feel you watchin' me)
Somewhere in all the confusion (dilated fallin' free)
You were so perfect (in a modern ecstasy)
You were a, you were a perfect illusion
Music video
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The music video was filmed on August 29 and 30 in a desert outside of Los Angeles, California. The video is directed by Ruth Hogben and Andrea Gelardin for Lobster Eye.
On September 8, hours before the premiere of the song, Gaga posted a short snippet of the music video on her website, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat. The short video shows her dancing in the desert at night with strobe lights with the first few seconds of the song on repeat. (This first teaser clip didn't make the cut on the final version of the video).
On September 16, Gaga announced the video to be released on September 20, during the season premiere of Scream Queens series, and she posted a sneak peek of the video via Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. After the premiere of the video during Scream Queens, the video was released on platforms as YouTube, VEVO, TIDAL and was put on iTunes store too.
- Lady Gaga wears a t-shirt by American Apparel, shorts by Levi's customized by Chain Gang, boots by Rag & Bone and sunglasses by Persol.
- Lady Gaga wears a t-shirt by American Apparel and custom shorts by Michael Schmidt.
- Lady Gaga wears a custom jacket by Haus of Gaga.
- Lady Gaga wears boots by Alexander Wang.
Behind the Scenes
Behind the Scenes pictures
Behind the Scenes video from Gaga: Five Foot Two
Credits
Written by | Kevin Parker, Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson and M. Tucker |
Produced by | Mark Ronson, Kevin Parker, Lady Gaga and BloodPop® |
Recorded by | Joshua Blair and assisted by David "Squirrel" Covell at Shangri-La Studios, Malibu, CA Joshua Blair and assisted by Justin Smith at Pink Duck Studios, Burbank, CA Joshua Blair and assisted by Barry McCready at Electric Lady Studios, New York, NY |
Mixed by | Serban Ghenea and engineered for mix by John Hanes at MixStar Studios, Virginia Beach |
Mastered by | Tom Coyne and Randy Merrill at Sterling Sound, New York, NY |
Track Participants | Mark Ronson — Guitar, Synthesizer Kevin Parker — Drums, Guitar, Synthesizer BloodPop® — Bass, Synthesizer, Rhythm track for GenPop Corp. Josh Homme — Guitar |
Published by |
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Kevin Parker appears courtesy of Modular Recordings Pty Ltd. |
Video Credits
Directors | Ruth Hogben and Andrea Gelardin at Lobster Eye |
Stylist | Brandon Maxwell at Haus of Gaga |
Producer | Keeley Gould |
Colourist | Dave Hussey for Company 3 |
Director of Photography | Patrick Meller |
Company | SAV Studios |
Creative Dir. | Lobster Eye |
SFX - Flame compositor | Yoshiko Hirata for Method Studios (NY) |
References
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