On October 21, 2016 Lady Gaga released her new album, Joanne. The release was especially exciting because it was her first album release in two years. However, Joanne vastly differentiates from her previous albums. Her previous albums, such as Artpop and Born This Way  have more of a pop and electronic element to them. Joanne has more of a country aspect and the vocals and lyrics are very much emotional and raw. It is evident that she made this album for herself, her family and her close friends.

Although Joanne has a more country-type feel, the songs are varied in style. From a robo romp and upbeat tune in ‘A-Yo’ to a soul funk style in Gaga’s duet with Florence Welch, ‘Hey Girl’, the tracklist is wide ranging yet admirable.

Joanne does not only pertain to Lady Gaga herself, but also spreads a message along the lines of ‘take care of one another’. In her song, ‘Angel Down’, she sings about Trayvon Martin’s death and her feelings toward the Black Lives Matter movement. In ‘Come to Mama’ she says to take care of your brothers and sisters and that there will be no future if we don’t stop fighting and figure things out.

Between the powerful vocals, the connections to her family and her roots and the strong messages some of her songs give, there is no doubt that Joanne is very raw heart and tender. Gaga poured her heart and soul into her new album and it was an unexpected yet very pleasant surprise.