I’m not going to lie, when I saw Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett announce their jazz standards album, Cheek to Cheek, while standing atop 30 Rock in New York City earlier this month, I was skeptical. Gaga rose to Fame Monster status with pop music, so why does this album make sense?
Now that we’re in the midst of new singles and artwork, not only have I changed my mind, but I realize that everyone else is on board too.
There’s a reason why Lady Gaga’s dive into American classics is doing so well. Here are some of them:
1. Lady Has A Voice
If you haven’t heard her live, watch her sing the national anthem at the 2013 NYC Pride parade and hear for yourself.
2. She Has The Look
She’s a chameleon when it comes to personas, so she can really mold into anything. She’s got this thick-browed, Liza Minelli-with-a-perm thing down to a tee. Check out the album cover, which appropriately frames the couple with retro tabloid newsprint like 1970s Liz and Dick.
3. She’s A New Yorker
Gaga and Bennett both grew up Italian-Americans in New York City, went to art school and worked the scene — a scene that had produced big names like Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald, among other iconic American musicians. Gaga, a.k.a. Stephani Germanotta, in her first photo shoot:
Malgorzata Saniewska
4. Gaga Grew Up With It
“Since I was 13, I’ve been singing jazz,” Mother Monster said during her album announce. She also sang Broadway classics as a theater kid, with roles in “Guys and Dolls” and “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.”
@ladygaga/ Twitter
5. She And Bennett Have Chemistry
This isn’t the first time the two have worked together. In 2011, Gaga sang “The Lady Is a Tramp” on his Duets II album. This time around, they take Cheek to Cheek very literally, finding different ways to cuddle up to each other in interviews and press photos. Their first song together:
6. She’s Teaming Up With A Legend
Not only does Gaga have the chops, but her partner isn’t too shabby either. The 87-year-old has been crooning since he first signed his record deal in 1950. If you’re going to go classic, you better do it with a legend. Here’s their most-recent single, “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love”:
Emilee Lindner
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