Did I watch Super Bowl LI on Sunday? No. But did I watch Lady Gaga’s incredible halftime performance? You bet your biscuits I did.
Now, the only football game I’ve ever seen in its entirety was my high school senior year homecoming game, and if there was one thought running through my mind while I was bored, cold and probably hungry, it was where is Lady Gaga? Honestly, no game is truly complete without her.
And she exceeded expectations with what was easily the best half time performance since The Queen Herself (Beyoncé) took the stage in 2013. The iconic visuals (everyone is marveling over the drones and for good reason), the engaging sequence of some of Gaga’s greatest hits and the energy she carried through her movements and her voice shook the entire stadium.
The opening shot of Gaga standing proudly against an American flag that literally formed in the sky behind her was jaw-dropping. After jumping towards the field and descending to the stage, she kicked off the musical medley singing “Poker Face” from atop an elevated platform.
Her dancers then flooded out to join her as she transitioned into “Born This Way,” which was politically controversial if you consider the idea that everyone should have equal rights to be a political discussion. She and her dancers were on point during this number, executing each move sharply in unison while the audience screamed just beneath them.
Gaga carried the precision of her dancing over into “Telephone,” although this was probably the weakest song in the lineup, possibly because the track carries the bitter memory of better times when Gaga and Beyoncé were friends and featured on one another’s projects.
What followed was “Just Dance,” Gaga’s breakout hit from 2009 that haunts her career because of its massive significance as the song that propelled her into the global spotlight despite being a rather bland pop song that pales in comparison to her later work. During “Just Dance” she descended into the audience briefly to reach a solitary grand piano elevated just above the swell of fans.
It was at this lonely piano that Gaga graced us with “Million Reasons,” during, which she allowed her vocals to shine as they reverberated around the stadium, buoyed by the energy of the crowd.
She also gave a mid-song shout out to her parents and I was struck by how mature she now comes across, despite the glitz and glamour of her gorgeous outfit and makeup. She used this halftime show to show the world how much she’s grown up since The Fame era.
I was surprised that we didn’t see more of Joanne, and was particularly disappointed by the absence of the album’s lead single “Perfect Illusion.” With this year’s Super Bowl situated in Houston, I thought I could hope for a larger helping of Gaga’s new country flavor.
Gaga capped her performance off with “Bad Romance,” one of her most energetic singles to date and certainly a fitting conclusion to a stunning performance. She tied together all of the elements that made the show particularly memorable in this one song, combining astounding effects, precise dance moves and her signature strong vocals to leave the audience feeling exhilarated.
Gaga once again proved that if she’s just given a microphone and a stage, she can command the attention of the entire world.
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