Free Woman

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For other uses, see Free Woman (disambiguation).

"Free Woman"
Free Woman.jpeg
Remix single cover
Single by Lady Gaga
from the album Chromatica
ReleasedApril 13, 2021[1]
Genre
Length3:11
LabelInterscope
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Lady Gaga singles chronology
"911"
(2020) 		"Free Woman"
(2021) 		"I Get a Kick Out of You"
(2021)
Audio video
"Free Woman" on YouTube

"Free Woman" is a song by American singer and songwriter Lady Gaga recorded for her sixth studio album Chromatica. Gaga co-wrote it with the song's producers BloodPop, Axwell and Johannes Klahr. "Free Woman" was included as the fifth track on the album, several weeks after a high quality demo version of the song leaked onto the internet. It is a Eurodance and eurohouse song, with heavy influence from the music of the 1990s. Inspired by her real life events, Gaga opens up about coping with her PTSD which she suffered after being sexually assaulted by a music producer. She also wanted to celebrate her LGBT fans, and wrote the song especially with the trans community in her mind. The song's lyrics talk about reclaiming one's identity and answer the question, "what does it mean to be a free woman?".

Many of the music critics highlighted the song for its strong, empowering lyrics, while some deemed the production generic. On August 28, 2020, a remix edit of the track by Honey Dijon was released to celebrate the last episode of the singer's podcast, called "Gaga Radio" on Apple Music. On April 13, 2021, "Free Woman" was sent to radio in France as the fourth single from Chromatica.

Background and recording[]

Axwell (pictured) co-wrote and produced "Free Woman".

"Free Woman" was co-written by Gaga with the track's producers, BloodPop, Axwell and Johannes Klahr.[2][3] Axwell disclosed that he really liked retro sound of the early version of the song which Gaga created with Bloodpop, and he "was picturing clubs in New York in the '90s" when he heard it.[4] Klahr added that they "amplified the '80s and '90s sounds and added [their] flavor to see where [they] could take it but kept the soul" and "with Gaga's lush vocals on top of that, [they] wanted to make the groove as nice and fluid as possible to make it authentically club."[4] Gaga explained that she was in a dark state of mind while writing the song, "thinking on some days [she] was going to die... so [she] better say something important", and completing the song helped her get over this feeling, saying that "now I listen to it and know that I'm going to live."[5] Talking with Zane Lowe on Apple Music, Gaga elaborated on the very personal background of the song:

I was sexually assaulted by a music producer. It’s compounded all of my feelings about life, feelings about the world, feelings about the industry, what I had to compromise and go through to get to where I am. I had to put it there. And when I was able to finally celebrate it, I said, 'You know what?' [...] I’m no longer going to define myself as a 'survivor' or a victim of sexual assault. I am just a person who is free that went through some fucked up shit.[6]

Gaga also revealed that "Free Woman" was written with the trans community in her mind.[7] She wanted to acknowledge her own strength with the song, while also celebrating the LGBT community who helped her cope with PTSD and move forward.[5] Gaga further added that initially she wanted to name the album after the song, but went with Chromatica instead, as she felt her internal struggles called into question the proposed title's integrity.[7]

Composition and lyrics[]

"I ponder often why I chose to declare my womanhood in this song. I've realized that question is futile. Woman could be synonymous with any creative force. I'm proud of my womb, proud of yours, and proud of those who were born without wombs and have phantom ones. Every gender has a spirit womb. I believe this is hinged on creating with three things the same way a door has three hinges: a steady hand, knowing you can, and not needing a relationship to define your power. Before you know it you are closed, you can open, just like a door."

–Gaga talking about "Free Woman" on Spotify[8]

"Free Woman" is a 1990s-influenced[9] Eurodance[10] and eurohouse[11] song, with elements of acid house[12] and disco.[13] It involves an EDM drop,[14] and a midtempo gospel groove from a keyboard line.[15] Alexandra Pollard of The Independent found similarities in the sound of "Free Woman" with Robyn & La Bagatelle Magique's "Love is Free",[12] while Salvatore Maicki of Nylon compared it to the music of La Bouche.[16] According to the sheet music published on Musicnotes.com, the song is written in the time signature of common time, and is composed in the key of A minor with a tempo of 120 beats per minute. The vocals range from the tonal nodes of A♭3 to E♭5.[17]

The song sees the singer answering the question "what does it mean to be a free woman?", and challenging the need to be with a man in order to survive.[5] She declares that she can feel free on her own and "victoriously move[s] forward",[5][18] saying "I'm still something if I don't got a man / I'm a free woman."[19] Annie Zaleski of Time wrote that the song is about reclaiming one's "identity and gender after a sexual assault",[20] while Laura Alvarez from Forbes described the lyrics as a "battle with happiness due to life’s adversities".[21] Carl Wilson from Slate thought that the track "flashes back to Stefani Germanotta pre-Fame in New York" with the line "I walk the downtown, hear my sound/ No one knows me yet, not right now."[22]

Release and remix[]

In August 2020, a remix by Honey Dijon (pictured) was released. The DJ was inspired by Chicago house in her production.

On May 7, 2020, a high quality leak of the song surfaced onto the internet, becoming a trending topic on Twitter in the process, although all leaked versions of the song were swiftly removed by Interscope Records.[23] Three days before the album's release, Gaga shared a promotional image on her Instagram account with the lyrics "This is my dancefloor / I fought for", along with the caption, "THIS IS A MESSAGE FROM #CHROMATICA".[24] On May 29, 2020, Chromatica was released, with "Free Woman" included as the fifth song on the album.[25] On April 13, 2021, "Free Woman" was sent to radio in France as the fourth single from the record.[1]

On August 28, 2020, a remix of "Free Woman" by Honey Dijon was released to celebrate the last episode of the singer's weekly podcast on Apple Music, called "Gaga Radio".[26][27] Talking about their collaboration with the singer, Dijon said: "I approach most of the people that I work with more from a cultural perspective than a mainstream priority. Because I think for me, Gaga has always been about the club and been about the LGTBQI community, and she's been a staunch supporter of that, and most of her music has been influenced by the clubs."[28] Dijon was initially asked to remix Gaga and Ariana Grande's "Rain on Me", but felt that "Free Woman" was a better fit to her as she envisioned a multicultural club atmosphere for her version of the song. By choosing the title "Realness Remix", she wanted to pay tribute to the diverse club community. The Chicago-born DJ also saw her remix as an opportunity to showcase Chicago house for a mainstream audience.[28]

Critical reception[]

Jem Aswad from Variety thought the track "has a liberating and empowered feel and a rousing chorus".[29] Jeremy J. Fisette from Beats Per Minute opined that the song "offers us a self-empowerment anthem we’ve all sort of heard before, but Gaga sells it with her moody melodies and strong vocals on the hook."[30] USA Today's Patrick Ryan found it an "euphoric thumper".[31] Slate's Carl Wilson thought that "it’s the wistfulness, and the little bit of musical theater in it, that make it more than a rote empowerment anthem."[22] Mark Richardson from The Wall Street Journal said that "Free Woman" "seems crafted for future Gay Pride celebrations, with lyrics that frame the dance floor as something communities have to fight for."[13] Richard LaBeau of Medium pointed out "the many powerful lyrics that are easy to lose track of amidst the glorious dance hall beats and soaring vocals."[32]

Insider picked "Free Woman" as one of the best tracks on the album, saying that it is "both a powerful statement and an irresistible pop anthem". Insider's Callie Ahlgrim highlighted "the blunt confidence" in the lyrics, while Courteney Larocca described the song as "an intimate, triumphant exploration of healing and moving forward after enduring a sexual assault."[33] Laura Dzubay of Consequence of Sound named it as one of the essential songs of the album, and appreciated the "This is my dance floor/ I fought for" part of the lyrics, saying that the line "carries a resonance beyond itself in this specific moment — dancing is almost always something fought for in one way or another, but particularly for those who have gone through traumatic experiences, and the power to create the space for dancing is never one to be taken lightly."[34] Kory Grow from Rolling Stone highlighted the "I’m still something if I don’t got a man" line from the lyrics for being "bold".[35] Nick Smith of musicOMH called the track "dancefloor empowerment at its finest".[36]

Stephen Daw of Billboard thought that the song "pales in comparison to the rest of the album's impressive track list", and said: "The beat is certainly fun, the melody is definitely catchy, but there's nothing in the fabric of the song that passes the Gaga test of grabbing you by your shirt collar and refusing to let you go."[37] Michael Cragg from The Guardian called it "generic" and "overworked".[10] Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine also found it generic and wrote that it "sounds like a Cher outtake".[11] BuzzFeed News' Alessa Dominguez said that the track "adds nothing to the endless theme of letting loose on the dance floor."[38] Louise Bruton from The Irish Times named "Free Woman" one of "the rare lows" on the album.[39]

Commercial performance[]

On the Billboard issue dated June 13, 2020, "Free Woman" debuted on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart at number 2,[40] and on the Hot Dance/Electronic Digital Songs at number eleven. Two weeks later the song peaked at number ten, becoming Gaga's ninth top 10 on Billboard's Dance/Electronic Songs chart, extending her mark for the most top 10s among female acts.[41] In Canada, the song charted on the Canadian Hot 100 at number 80 on the issue dated June 13, 2020.[42] "Free Woman" also managed to debut at number 75 on the Australian Singles Chart.[43] In Europe the song entered the charts at number 143 in France,[44] number 28 in Hungary,[45] number 89 in Lithuania,[46] number 100 in Portugal[47] and number 93 in Sweden.[48]

Media appearances[]

Released on April 6, 2021, "Free Woman" was used in Champagne brand Dom Pérignon's commercial, titled "The Queendom", which was shot by Nick Knight and visualized by Nicola Formichetti. It shows Gaga holding a giant champagne bottle, making moves while blending with the background in swirling patterns of movement, before joining a group of others for a toast.[49] In 2021 July, "Free Woman" was included in Apple's GarageBand app as a Remix Session sound pack, along with step-by-step remix instructions and an "inspirational video" by Lady Gaga, with the singer saying: "GarageBand is my idea bank and where I start my songwriting, so I’m excited to make my song 'Free Woman' available as a Remix Session. I want musicians and music lovers to be able to see how a song is produced and be able to hear all the individual parts, and then put their own creative color on it, doing whatever they want in GarageBand."[50]

Track listing[]

Digital download and streaming (Honey Dijon Realness Remix)[26]

  1. "Free Woman" (Honey Dijon Realness Remix Edit) – 3:31
  2. "Free Woman" (Honey Dijon Realness Remix) – 6:46

Credits and personnel[]

Credits adapted from Tidal.[25]

  • Lady Gaga – vocals, songwriter
  • Axwell – producer, songwriter, bass, drums, guitar, keyboards, percussion
  • BloodPop – producer, songwriter, bass, drums, guitar, keyboards, percussion
  • Johannes Klahr – producer, songwriter, bass, drums, guitar, keyboards, percussion
  • Burns – songwriter
  • Scott Kelly – mix engineer
  • Benjamin Rice – mixing
  • Tom Norris – mixing

Charts[]

Release history[]

Release date and format for "Free Woman"
Region Date Format Version Label Ref.
Various August 28, 2020
Honey Dijon Realness remix Interscope [26]
France April 13, 2021 Contemporary hit radio Radio edit Universal [1]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c Goncalves, Julien (April 13, 2021). "Lady Gaga choisit l'éclatant "Free Woman" comme nouveau single" (in French). Pure Charts in France. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  2. ^ "Lady Gaga Confirms 'Chromatica' Track List". Billboard. April 22, 2020. Archived from the original on May 18, 2020. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  3. ^ Chromatica (booklet). Lady Gaga. Interscope. 2020.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b Nolfi, Joey. "Lady Gaga's 'Chromatica' team reveals the history and future of her new era". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on June 13, 2020. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Moran, Justin (March 16, 2020). "Lady Gaga: Life on Chromatica". Paper. Archived from the original on March 30, 2020. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  6. ^ Devaney, Susan (May 26, 2020). "The Powerful Reason Why Lady Gaga Won't Call Herself A "Survivor Of Sexual Assault"". Vogue. Archived from the original on September 12, 2020. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b Tai, Anita (August 7, 2020). "Lady Gaga Shares That The Trans Community Inspired 'Free Woman'". ET Canada. Archived from the original on September 12, 2020. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  8. ^ "Welcome to Chromatica – Experience the vibrant world of Chromatica with this Enhanced Album curated for you by Lady Gaga". Spotify. May 29, 2020. Archived from the original on September 12, 2020. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  9. ^ Jamieson, Sarah (June 1, 2020). "Album Review: Lady Gaga – Chromatica". DIY. Archived from the original on June 7, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  10. ^ Jump up to: a b Cragg, Michael (May 29, 2020). "Lady Gaga: Chromatica review – Gaga rediscovers the riot on her most personal album". The Guardian. Archived from the original on May 29, 2020. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  11. ^ Jump up to: a b Cinquemani, Sal (May 29, 2020). "Review: Lady Gaga's Chromatica Is a Concept in Search of an Album". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on May 29, 2020. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b Pollard, Alexandra (May 29, 2020). "Lady Gaga review, Chromatica: Big, brazen pop with an introspective side". The Independent. Archived from the original on May 30, 2020. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b Richardson, Mark (June 3, 2020). "'Chromatica' by Lady Gaga Review: An Invitation to Escape Into Disco". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on June 14, 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  14. ^ Bryant, Toby (May 29, 2020). "ALBUM REVIEW: Lady Gaga returns to the dancefloor on 'Chromatica'". CelebMix. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  15. ^ Greenblatt, Leah (May 29, 2020). "Lady Gaga's Chromatica offers a glitter-dusted escape from strange times: Review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on May 30, 2020. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  16. ^ Maicki, Salvatore (June 1, 2020). "Lady Gaga's 'Chromatica' is Pure, Sanitized Ecstasy". Nylon. Archived from the original on September 12, 2020. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  17. ^ "Lady Gaga "Free Woman" Sheet Music in A# Minor". Musicnotes.com. May 29, 2020. Archived from the original on September 11, 2020. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
  18. ^ Mylrea, Hannah (May 29, 2020). "Lady Gaga – 'Chromatica' review: a pure pop celebration from an icon in a world of her own". NME. Archived from the original on May 29, 2020. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  19. ^ Gonzales, Erica (May 29, 2020). "Lady Gaga Takes the Power Back in Her Chromatica Track "Free Woman"". Harper's Bazaar. Archived from the original on September 12, 2020. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  20. ^ Zaleski, Annie (May 29, 2020). "Lady Gaga's New Album Chromatica Is the Soundtrack for 2020's Most Epic Bedroom Dance Parties". Time. Archived from the original on May 30, 2020. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  21. ^ Alvarez, Laura (May 30, 2020). "How Lady Gaga Revives Pop With Her New Album 'Chromatica'". Forbes. Archived from the original on June 6, 2020. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  22. ^ Jump up to: a b Wilson, Carl (May 29, 2020). "Every Song on Lady Gaga's Chromatica, Rated in Comparison to A Star Is Born's Butt Song". Slate. Archived from the original on August 18, 2020. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  23. ^ "New Lady Gaga song 'Free Woman' leaks and it looks like Chromatica might be about to save pop music". www.pinknews.co.uk. May 8, 2020. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  24. ^ @ladygaga (May 26, 2020). "THIS IS A MESSAGE FROM #CHROMATICA ⚔️