When Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” was first released, early reviewers noted its similarities to Madonna’s “Express Yourself”. Within days, message boards all over the Internet found themselves playing host to arguments between passionate fans, some of whom thought Gaga borrowed a little too much and some of whom thought the pop star had nothing to apologize over. Madonna later called “Born This Way” “reductive” and “amusing”, while Gaga lashed out and challenged observers to find anything beyond the chord progression that was similar.
In the months since, the feud has softened quite a bit, but that ambivalence might soon change. Earlier this week, footage of the Material Girl rehearsing for her MDMA Tour surfaced online, and the trial run featured the starlet slipping “Born This Way” into the chorus of “Express Yourself” before transitioning into her song “She’s Not Me”. Obviously, the singer hasn’t spoken publically about her motivation for doing so, but given the controversy, it certainly seems like an obvious middle finger.
Not long after the media caught wind of the footage, the video in question was taken down. It’s unclear whether Madonna will move forward with her apparent plans to utilize Gaga’s song, but according to NME, the tour will kick off on Thursday. So, barring some kind of public explanation sooner, we will know whether the medley was a rehearsal joke for her own amusement or a statement she’s planning to deliver.
Here’s to hoping this mess devolves into a musically cool feud in which Gaga and Madonna cover each other’s songs every night for the next decade.
