When Lady Gaga burst onto the music scene in 2009, she immediately aimed to be pop music’s most talked-about and provocative figure. It’s hardly debatable that she succeeded. Through her extravagant music videos, bold fashion choices, and distinctive musical personality, Gaga delivered some of the most compelling pop music until around 2013. Then, her trajectory shifted. She explored vocal jazz, singer-songwriter pop-rock, and even a 2020 dance-pop album that lacked the impact of her initial releases. Last year’s track, “Disease,” hinted at a potential return to her signature style, but it didn’t quite capture widespread attention, despite its merits.
Now, buzz is building around a new Lady Gaga song, “Abracadabra,” with many drawing comparisons to her iconic work on Born This Way and The Fame Monster. Before diving into this review, my exposure to “Abracadabra” was limited to online jokes about it and Gaga’s music in general. This review will address some of these circulating opinions, as they provide crucial context for understanding my own perspective on the single.
One of the first things to note about “Abracadabra” is Gaga’s return to nonsensical choruses. Think back to iconic lines like “rah rah ah ah ah, Roma roma ma, Gaga, ooh la la,” or “Judas jud-ah-ah-ah, Judas Gaga.” This lyrical playfulness, while not entirely absent from her later work, has been less prominent in her recent hits. In “Abracadabra,” the repetition of “abracadabra, abra, ooh na na” in the chorus doesn’t detract from the song’s appeal, in my opinion. The lyrical meaning might be elusive, perhaps hinting at escapism through nightlife to overcome life’s challenges. These seemingly nonsensical lyrics are a stylistic choice, a familiar Gaga trope that feels like a deliberate nod to her earlier, more experimental sound.
Indeed, “Abracadabra” resonates as a deliberate homage to Gaga’s most celebrated work. While some compare it to “Bad Romance,” the song evokes a stronger resemblance to her single “Judas.” Looking back at “Judas,” released nearly fifteen years ago during Gaga’s peak provocative era, it stands as one of her most powerful tracks. Despite its repetitive nature, the production is forceful, and Gaga’s vocal performance is undeniably strong. A common joke surrounding “Abracadabra” is that Gaga is “reheating her nachos” – essentially repackaging her established sound. However, the reception to “Abracadabra” has been overwhelmingly positive, with minimal backlash for revisiting familiar sonic territory. Many fans are even hailing it as one of her best songs in years. The central question then becomes: does this “reheating of nachos” strengthen or weaken “Abracadabra”?
“Abracadabra” lands in a comfortable middle ground. It’s undeniably grand in its production and Gaga’s vocal delivery, but avoids being overly pretentious or self-indulgent. The fact that Gaga draws upon sounds and styles from her own discography isn’t inherently negative. The slight drawback is a sense of familiarity, a feeling of having heard this sonic landscape from her before. This isn’t necessarily a flaw, particularly for an artist who has arguably struggled to redefine her signature sound since 2014. Perhaps “Abracadabra” will deepen in impact with repeated listens. As someone who only encountered the song recently, further engagement might reveal new layers. Time will tell if “Abracadabra” truly casts a spell or simply offers a comforting echo of Gaga’s past magic.
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