I’m not a wandering slave of the stan culture. I am a man of choice and I’m proud of my viewpoint that “Aura” is a standout in Lady Gaga’s discography.

“Aura” is a song by Lady Gaga, from her third studio album ARTPOP (2013). A testament to her experimentation is this collaboration with Zedd and Israeli psychedelic trance duo Infected Mushroom. All of them co-wrote and co-produced the track. She continued pushing herself musically by blending different genres and styles, resulting in a predominantly EDM sound, but infused with Western country music and Middle Eastern influences.

The lore of “Telephone”

Until today, fans of Beyonce and Lady Gaga are still urging the two to release a follow-up to their hit single “Telephone”. And the public can’t be blamed as a continuation was teased at the end of the duo’s decade defining music video. But what if “Aura” was the sequel and we simply missed it? It would have made sense in the Lady Gaga multiverse.

The track’s lyrics kicks off with murder. The victim is left in the vast area of Highway 10, likely impossible to be found. And Beyonce is disposed of by Lady Gaga. Of course, the introduction could be metaphorical for an identity Gaga annihilated. But the literal interpretation brings out a cinematic conclusion to the plotline of “Telephone”.

The single choices in Artpop

I can understand the commercial and artistic merits behind selecting “Applause” as Artpop’s lead single. Compared to “Aura”, “Applause” is sonically more distinct to Born This Way and veers away from the controversy that “Aura” would have likely generated. Gaga’s initial choice was “Aura” and I wish she stuck with her gut and let the record executives have a piece of her mind.

This is the second single I’ve reviewed from Gaga where she ended up relegating a song to a promotional single (see: Venus). And while an official release rarely makes a difference nowadays, in the early 2010s, streaming wasn’t as big, and what the general public consumed geared more towards what record labels and artists push. The world deserves to peek underneath ARTPOP, especially “Aura”.

The imagery behind the lyric video

If the title on Youtube didn’t contain the phrase “lyric video”, I would have mistaken “Aura” as an official single. The clips from the film Machete Kills are so cinematic, and they fit so well with the sound, as if the song was written specifically for the film. There’s lots of action on both the lyrics and the movie’s screenwriting. Nothing is understated with the production of either. They’re both helmed by superstars in the pursuit of art.

Lady Gaga made her acting debut in the R-rated action film Machete KIlls. And the footages feature an all-star cast, including Danny Trejo, Mel Gibson, Charlie Sheen, Amber Heard, Michelle Rodriguez, Sofia Vergara, Antonio Banderas, Jessica Alba and Cuba Gooding Jr. I’ve never heard of the film. But watching the music video can be your trailer. Spoiler alert: I still haven’t watched the movie but the lyric video is epic.

The Girl Behind the Aura

Earlier in her career, Lady Gaga was often criticised as pushing the envelope too far. She was called out by some as seeking publicity for publicity’s sake. “Judas”, for the glory it has received in hindsight, contributed to a slight decline in the public’s reception of Gaga’s music. She was starting to offend religious groups, but she didn’t back down.

With “Aura”, I do see her hesitate and take a step back. She faced backlash from the Muslim community for the use of burqa in her songwriting. She ended up changing the title of the song from “Burqa” to “Aura”. She retained “Aura” but kept it as an album track.

She’s stated that referencing the religious article wasn’t a political statement. She simply relates to the woman wearing the burqa. In her defence, in the song, she recontextualises its use as consensual and in the name of protection. But there are lines in the latter parts of the song that could be interpreted differently, or areas that aren’t deemed appropriate for her to comment on – such as “You want to pity me ’cause was arranged one man to love” or “I hear you screaming, is it because of pleasure or toil?”

I agree with the criticism that she may have crossed the line by speaking or insinuating situations on matters she may not have complete knowledge of. Even discussing the subject matter also made me uncomfortable. But I do admire her courage. I guess as an artist, that is what she’s meant to do – get me out of my comfort zone. She made me relook at the object from a different vantage point and relate what I head to the world I live in.

Conclusion

You can call Lady Gaga many things but a coward is not one of them. That’s the essence of her aura. With the song, she pushed her artistry into unexplored genres and dared to explore concepts most pop stars would shy away from. I’m not a fan of every aspect of the track. But overall, the song is a choice she should be proud to stand by.