Lady Gaga has confirmed that her forthcoming album, Mayhem, draws inspiration from the influential queer documentary Paris Is Burning. In a recent interview, she highlighted the resilience and joy found within the ballroom culture, which she had admired since her youth in New York. Gaga paid tribute to this underground scene in her music video for "Abracadabra," emphasizing the empowerment and expression it fosters for LGBTQ+ individuals. Her connection to this vibrant community informs her artistic direction, celebrating themes of resilience and joy in her work.
I grew up in New York City and I also was a student of Paris Is Burning when I was really, really young. And I was always inspired by the tremendous amount of grace, freedom, expression, and joy of ballroom culture.
Being a part of the dance community is a privilege. And there are these spaces in the world where there's an ability for the community to express and experience joy, even when life is not treating them that way.
I am still so inspired by it and to this day, it felt like a relevant thing to bring up in the video because it's about resilience. I can't think of a place where I've seen more resilience than in a ballroom.
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