Act 2 | Artpop

When ARTPOP dropped in November 2013, it arrived as a single, 15-track album. It was a commercial success by normal standards, debuting at number one, but it was deemed a "flop" relative to Gaga’s previous astronomical numbers. Critics called it messy; the public was confused by the high-concept art references. The era was plagued by behind-the-scenes turmoil, including the ousting of her manager, Troy Carter, just days before the album's release.

(2013) was a "reverse Warholian expedition" into the mainstream, artpop act 2

In a 2021 interview with Paper Magazine , producer DJ White Shadow (her closest collaborator during the era) finally gave a concrete answer: "There are about 15 finished songs. Vocals done. Production done. Some are mixed. But they’re not mastered. They’re sitting on a drive. It’s up to her." When ARTPOP dropped in November 2013, it arrived

If Act 1 was about the fame of art (the clubs, the sex, the money), Act 2 felt like the hangover . The era was plagued by behind-the-scenes turmoil, including

Buried beneath the EDM breakdowns and the media vitriol lies the myth of

Today, if you go on YouTube or Reddit, you’ll find fan-made albums stitching the leaks together. There are Spotify playlists that pretend Act 2 dropped in 2014. Little Monsters have essentially finished the album themselves.