While she may have burst onto the scenes of this new era pre-Quarantine with a reminiscent zest for life on “Stupid Love,” Lady GaGa (with the help of Ariana Grande) turns up the nostalgia even higher on “Rain On Me.” This newest offering flaunts a simple chord progression with gorgeous flourishes and a build-up that hearkens back to Stardust’s 1998 classic “Music Sounds Better With You” (and utilizes a slick, updated sample of “All This Love I’m Giving” by Gwen McCrae – thanks, Demi!). Between this Stardust/old-school Daft Punk sound, GaGa transports the listener to that last great night out with your friends at your local gay establishment. Picture it: you and your friends shuffle onto a crowded dance floor around 12:30 a.m., and THAT song starts to play – you know, the one that makes you turn to one another, squeal a little, and forget all about personal space while flailing around somewhat on-beat.
Ari pairs well with GaGa’s style of dancepop; when GaGa goes low, Ariana covers those high notes, and vice versa. Both with powerhouse vocals and runs to give other pop divas a run for their money. The resilience written into the very melody of the song has the potential to push the listener out of any funk they’re currently experiencing. GaGa is in rare form – her directive statement closing the song COMMANDS the listener to rain on her. To shower her with the love we hold deep inside for her. It’s a record that oozes positivity, and is reminds me of what “Break Free” was to “Problem” back in 2014; what “Toxic” was to “Me Against The Music” back in 2003; what “Blank Space” was to “Shake It Off” in 2015; hell, what “Teenage Dream” was to “California Girls” back in 2010 – the perfect follow-up to a stellar first single that can push a whole album into ICONIC status.
All in all, GaGa and Ari deliver the new anthem that may very well save our lives. It’s a bright, bright spot in a very dark place known as COVID-19, and it’s a slam dunk in what pop music has the power to do best – empower and lift us to conquer whatever life may throw our way.
Rating: 5/5 stars
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