Lady Gaga hints new hit ‘Perfect Illusion’ is about heartbreaking split with fiance Taylor Kinney
She also told The Sun about her struggle to meet new people and warned social media isn't a true reflection of our lives
LADY GAGA shocked the showbiz world this summer by splitting up with fiance TAYLOR KINNEY after five happy years together.
Aside from one short Instagram post, the singer has remained silent on the break-up.
But today I can reveal that Gaga has used her music to detail her heartache instead.
While her incredible new single Perfect Illusion has been billed as a comment on social media, the US superstar has hinted that the track could actually be about the end of her and Taylor’s relationship.
In a brutally honest exclusive interview, she told me: “It is about love. Of course it is.
“It is about all kinds of relationships, every kind of love in your life and mine.
“And I think it’s both sides – it’s not really from the woman’s perspective this song – it was important to me that men, when they heard this song, felt connected to women even though the song is essentially about a barrier between us.
“The song essentially is about how I believe that many of us are wondering why so many fake things that are around us appear to be real. They appear to be so real and it’s almost impossible to decipher anymore what is authentic and what isn’t.”
It's not that easy to meet new people. I still make friends... it's just not as easy as it used to be, I guess.
Lyrics appear to reference a failed attempt at romance, including the chorus hook: “It wasn’t love, it wasn’t love, it was a perfect illusion.”
Finding love again won’t be simple for Gaga, who admitted she is struggling to meet new men.
She said: “It’s not that easy to meet new people, no, like just strangers which I miss, I do.
“I will also be good speaking to strangers, which is really not a thing to teach to children, I find people interesting.
“I still make friends; it’s just not like it used to be I guess.”
Gaga made her long-awaited comeback with on Friday after a three-year absence from solo music, dropping her new single and performing a secret set in a tiny North London venue.
It was worth the wait.
As well as being a beautifully subtle post-mortem of her engagement to Taylor, Perfect Illusion is also a genuinely brilliant pop song in its own right.
Within hours of its release, the single was No.1 on iTunes in more than 60 countries, as she reminded the world why they fell in love with Lady Gaga in the first place.
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I was lucky enough to catch up with her in central London while the downloads racked up, and you can see some of the new interview tomorrow on ITV’s Lorraine.
During our chat, the singer also explained the other meaning behind the song, about the perils of social media.
She told me: “You’re scrolling through social media or going through Instagram and you’re overloaded with things that are filtered and in a way I believe that that has seeped into personal relationships, dating and friendship, so what’s happening is we’re trying to establish human connections but we’re doing it through falling in love with a perfect illusion.
“So I say in this song, ‘dilated falling free in this modern ecstasy’, and that’s what Perfect Illusion is all about.”
Despite three No.1 albums and eleven Top Ten singles in the UK, Gaga was humbled by the instant success of her new single.
Even her super-producer partner-in-crime MARK RONSON couldn’t get his head around it.
She said: “I think this is the first time in ages that I haven’t been really at all, even the night before, wondering what the song was going to do chart wise.
“I have just been so focused on the music and being in the studio and when I woke up and saw that and as the hours went on it went No.1 I’m relieved but I’m also kind of in shock to be honest.
“And Mark is so funny he’s like ‘Is this just what happens? Did they think this was going to happen? How did this happen?’ It’s amazing.”
It’s amazing, it’s well deserved and — most of all — it’s long overdue.
Adele's rolling in the deet
SHE has ditched booze, quarantined her crew and stuck to a strict exercise regime to stay fit and healthy during her 107-date world tour.
But ADELE will have to be smothered in Deet insect repellent to make the last 31 gigs.
She said at her show in Philadelphia on Saturday: “I have been eaten alive by mosquitoes. I’ve had an allergic reaction to a mosquito, I’ve got blisters on my ankles!
“I’ve got a mosquito bracelet on my leg – I’m trying to make it look fashionable – and I’ve had an allergic reaction, so I have blisters on my legs.”
Her allergy is a particular concern as she heads to Mexico City for two dates in November, where mozzies are infected with the dangerous Zika virus.
She also missed a gig in Arizona last month with a cold – at least a Berocca sorted that one out.
Star's big apple fash bash dash
IF there weren’t already enough celebrities soaking up the style at New York Fashion Week, there certainly are now.
The weekend saw KENDALL JENNER own the catwalk at ALEXANDER WANG’s spring/summer show and a star-studded crowd turned up to see her strut her stuff.
MADONNA was joined by daughter LOURDES, on the front row, while JOURDAN DUNN, NICKI MINAJ and Kendall’s little sis KYLIE had a great view, too.
Away from the catwalk, romance was blossoming between F1 driver LEWIS HAMILTON and model WINNIE HARLOW, who were snapped together yet again.
I revealed last week how the pair were growing close and they jetted to the Big Apple last week after attending the GQ Awards in London on Tuesday.
Love was also in the air for GIGI HADID and boyfriend ZAYN MALIK, who held hands during a stroll in Manhattan.
Serious Zayn’s attitude is clearly rubbing off on Gigi, who didn’t seem too happy in his company.
Give us a smile, guys.
ON TO A SKINNER
DAVID GANDY has become the Santa Claus of the undie world – by handing out pants to fellow celebs.
Comic FRANK SKINNER has revealed the male model sent him a package for his own package after his Absolute Radio co-host EMILY DEAN suggested he needed new ones.
Frank said: “Gandy sent me a note, ‘Dearest Frank, Emily told me she thought you needed an upgrade from your Calvins, so I thought I would get you into my underwear – kind of’.”
Now I know who to call if I ever need some new briefs.
JUST TAY 'I'M SORRY'
THERE is hope yet for pop's arch enemies KATY PERRY and TAYLOR SWIFT.
Katy is ready to bury the hatchet after three years of their public stand-off...on one condition.
Asked by a fan whether she would ever collaborate with Taylor, Katy tweeted: "If she says sorry, sure!"
It's the first time the pop star, who previously dated Taylor's ex JOHN MAYER, has directly addressed the conflict that apparently kicked off in 2013 after Taylor claimed Katy had nicked three backing dancers from her Red tour.
Years of cryptic Twitter blows and a Bad Blood video followed.
The reach-out comes as newly single Taylor, made her first public engagement since The Sun revealed her split from TOM HIDDLESTON. She was seen supporting GIGI HADID on the TOMMY HILFIGER catwalk in New York on Saturday.
Tom was seen hitting the gym and spa in Australia.
After the past week, it's no wonder he needed to de-stress.
KT ADMITS GIRL FLINGS
KT TUNSTALL’s heyday in the Noughties singing about a Cherry Tree wasn’t as innocent as it seemed.
The single singer, who divorced husband Luke Bullen in 2013, has revealed she had lesbian flings at theatre school.
She confessed: “I am hetero, but I did theatre studies at college for Christ’s sake, of course I had fun with girls. It would be disrespectful to call it a phase. It was part of life. It was learning about love and learning about lust and desire and sexuality and becoming an adult and experiencing people.
“It was a really important part of my formative years.”
KT, back with new album Kin, added how she was glad that homophobia is now seen as weird.
She added: “It’s a beautiful shift.”