Lady Gaga has always been an outspoken advocate for marginalized folks everywhere, including the LGBTQ+ community. (Who could forget her iconic refusal to deny rumors that she was transgender early in her career?) Now, in a new interview with ELLE about her upcoming album Mayhem, Gaga shared that she’s not backing down anytime soon, especially given Donald Trump’s return to the presidency.
The interview took place just six days after Trump won the presidential election, which Gaga said she “prayed” wouldn’t happen — even if it is thematically aligned with Mayhem’s chaotic vibe.
“What’s bizarre is I did not write this album thinking that this would happen. I prayed it would not,” Gaga said. “But here we are.”
So, what does resistance look like for Gaga? Finding community and empathy, she says.
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“The main thing is I have so much compassion and love for so many people that are afraid today,” Gaga said. “I want to acknowledge I’m a very blessed person and I feel really grateful for so much in my life every day. I know for a lot of people this election was devastating for their existence and so community is going to be the number one thing.”
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“This just reminds me that we need each other and supporting each other is important,” she continued. “I am one of many people that supports [the LGBTQIA+ and other marginalized] communities. And we’re not going down without a fight. We will stick together. It’s going to be hard but I’m up for it. We’re up for it. And I just want everyone to know how deeply they’re loved and not invisible.”
Gaga also explained what her plans to support others look like in practice. “That means: reaching out to people that I love, being available, understanding that what I’m going through is very different from so many people that I care about,” she said. “That’s been important for me, yes, I’m devastated, but what does it mean for me versus someone else?’
Gaga’s new album Mayhem, featuring previously released singles “Disease” and “Die With A Smile” with Bruno Mars, releases on March 7. Watch the music video for “Disease” below.
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