Jonas Åkerlund gives us some insight into his latest collaboration with the singer.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Matt Elias

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Lady Gaga in “Telephone”


Photo: Interscope

On Thursday, Lady Gaga premiered her epic clip for “Telephone.” In the nearly 10-minute-long video, Gaga is bailed out of jail by Beyoncé and the ladies go on a killing spree. Director Jonas Åkerlund sat down with MTV News to give fans the inside scoop on the video, frame by frame.

“We usually don’t do opening credits for videos, but it kind of goes with the story and the length of the video,” he explained. “This is actually a real jail, or it used to be, but they closed it in L.A. We looked at a couple. There’s, like, two or three jails in L.A. that you can shoot in. … [I] always try and stick in my female bodybuilders in my videos. We like that.”

The crew had to shoot as much as they could in a very, very limited time. “The idea was always to have a very stylish, a very cool jail filled with women. The whole video was shot in only two days, which is a lot of setups for what we need. So you average up to 150 setups a day,” he said. “We go from all these lip-synch parts and dance parts back to story. It goes back and forth all through.”

Gaga first shows off her moves in the jail as she makes her way to and from her cell. “This is the first of three big dance numbers,” Åkerlund explained. “It’s actually supposed to be attached to the other video we did last year for ‘Paparazzi’ and that one was, like, six-and-a-half minutes and I guess this one is close to 10, so you can put them together and it’s slowly growing into a little film.”

Finally, Gaga gets bailed out of prison. “The idea was always to not know until we see her, but we did add her name into the speaker at the beginning,” he said of Beyoncé’s first appearance. “But the reveal of Beyoncé is kind of cool when she lifts her hat. Beyoncé’s time was so limited, so [we] really had prepared [and] rehearsed so much for her, but she had so much experience that we figured it out.”

Although the video is full of pop-culture references both obvious and obscure, the most apparent is the truck the ladies drive through the desert. “And that car is actually the real car from the ‘Kill Bill’ movie and we had a different car,” he said. “We were gonna have a convertible hearse, but then Gaga had some sort of meeting with Quentin [Tarantino] and he offered to lend his car. We thought that was fun too.”

The “Kill Bill” truck wasn’t the only cameo. Gaga’s pals Semi Precious Weapons showed up, as well as Tyrese Gibson. “He was kind enough to help us out. Luckily he was in L.A. and he was up for it,” he explained. “It’s hard to get actors to be in videos. It’s not always as challenging and rewarding as they’re used to.”

While the video closes with the ladies driving off into the sunset, Åkerlund explained just how the big dance sequences came together. “It’s just like the big dance number with Beyoncé in it. This is how professional she is — she actually rehearsed on the day Gaga and her dancers had rehearsed a little bit before and pretty much nailed it,” he said. “We had a stylist working with all the designers, but he’s basically the genius behind the wardrobe and Gaga — she’s filled with ideas.”

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CNN reported that video had been banned by channel; it actually began airing on MTV early Friday.
By Gil Kaufman

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Lady Gaga in her “Telephone” video


Photo: Interscope

In the wake of reports that surfaced over the weekend claiming that MTV had banned Lady Gaga’s nearly 10-minute-long video for “Telephone,” a spokesperson for the channel clarified the situation on Monday (March 15).

“MTV did not ban Lady Gaga and Beyoncé’s ‘Telephone’ video — in fact, we premiered it on Friday, March 12, on-air and online at MTV.com, two days before this story was falsely reported,” said MTV Executive Vice President of Music and Talent Amy Doyle. “Fans can continue to catch the video as we repeat it on-air and online.”

The rumor appears to have begun with a segment that aired on CNN on Sunday in which reporters Fredricka Whitfield and Jacqui Jeras discuss the video — which at press time has been viewed more than 14 million times on YouTube since its release late Thursday — and say that MTV had banned the clip. The CNN segment has circulated widely on the Internet, but does not currently appear to be on the CNN site; it can be viewed on MediaIte.com.

“It’s so strong, so suggestive, so sexual, so violent as well, that MTV has said, ‘We’re not even going to air this, so it has banned the airing of this video,’ ” Whitfield said, without citing a source. At press time, a spokesperson for CNN had not responded to MTV News’ requests for comment.

The “Telephone” video went live on MTV.com at 12:30 a.m. on Friday, an hour after it premiered on E!, and began airing on MTV that morning at 9:30 a.m. as part of the “Lady Gaga Artist Collection,” which ended with a full-length airing of the video, a spokesperson for the channel said.

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‘I love the Bettie Page bangs and the aesthetic of the film noir and the hair,’ he says.
By Jocelyn Vena

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Lady Gaga in her “Telephone” video


Photo: Interscope

Lady Gaga rocks many interesting looks in her “Telephone” music video, from crime-scene tape, a ’40s suit and hat, a bikini and jacket made of leather and studs to a leopard-print leotard and an American-flag-print bikini. Oh, and let’s not forget all her telephone-inspired headgear.

Beyoncé also gets her fashionista on, thanks to an American-flag dress, a yellow latex dress with matching cowboy hat and a funky military-inspired blue satin top with cutoff denim shorts.

TV personality Jai Rodriguez, who appears in the video as a reporter, said the looks are amazing.

“I think the military thing [is the best],” he told MTV News. “The big, oversized, shoulder-paddy bedazzled jackets. I don’t think it’s something Beyoncé would have rocked on her own, but being in a Gaga video, she made it her own. Made it very B. I love the Bettie Page bangs and the aesthetic of the film noir and the hair. I thought that [suit she wears leaving the prison] was amazing. I love the film-noir thing.”

Rodriguez is already seeing the video’s style influence in the real world, spotting girls wearing Gaga’s fluorescent-yellow hair.

Other fashion experts are noticing Gaga’s fashion-icon status as well. “I think she’s growing up nicely and starting to bust out on her own,” “The City” boss Kelly Cutrone told MTV News about the looks in the video. “I think she’s making much stronger pop-art statements.”

What did you think of the fashion in the “Telephone” video? Will you be wearing any of the clip’s looks in the real world? Let us know!

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From Batman to Quentin Tarantino, we analyze every influence on the epic clip.
By James Montgomery and Eric Ditzian

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Lady Gaga and Beyoncé in “Telephone”


Photo: Eric Ford/ On Location News

As soon as Lady Gaga’s epic “Telephone” video premiered, her ultra-obsessive fans (not to mention even the most casual of pop-culture observers) began picking it apart, frame by frame. It was a pretty big job.

	‘Telephone’ Cheat Sheet Photos

Because while it’s a feast for the eyes, “Telephone” is also a sort of “all-you-can-eat” buffet for those who dine almost exclusively on popular culture, full of nods to cult films and comics, eclectic icons, underground bands and internationally famous pop legends, and even the occasional commercial (there are an awful lot of not-too-discreet product placements sprinkled throughout).

Sorting through it all is a head-spinning experience, which is why we’ve done all the dirty work for you. Here — after hours spent analyzing each second of the clip until our eyeballs frizzled in our skulls — is our pop-culture cheat sheet for Lady Gaga’s “Telephone” video, alphabetized and cross-referenced for your convenience.

“Batman”: Classic ’60s-era TV series starring Adam West — animated “Smack!” and “Wroom!” graphics call to mind the Dark Knight’s “Pow!” and “Zonk!”-assisted fight sequences.

“Caged Heat”: Prototypical chicks-in-prison flick. Gaga’s schlocky, sexually charged jailhouse is ripped right from this 1974 feast of beefed-up guards, brawling babes and naked flesh.

Captain America & Wonder Woman: Iconic crime-fighting comic book superheroes. Beyoncé’s stars-and-stripes uniform during her post-murder-spree dance-sequence riff on the Captain’s color scheme and the Woman’s silhouette.

Diet Coke: Refreshing, sugar-free carbonated beverage, dangerous when coupled with Mentos. Doubles as Gaga’s impromptu hair-curlers during video’s “catfight” sequence.

Doom: English crust-punk band that burned brightly from 1987-1990, faded away, then reformed this year. Their logo is visible on Gaga’s studded leather jacket during same sequence.

Double-Breasted Drive-Thru: Logo seen on cup in Beyoncé’s P—y Wagon. Does not actually exist, though it could be a reference to the “Double D’s Drive-Thru” made (somewhat) famous on FunnyOrDie.com.

Germanotta, Natali: Gaga’s younger sister. Looks eerily similar to pre-The Fame Gaga. Also looks eerily like a de-thawed Snooki. Appears in the video’s prison scenes.

Hermaphrodite: Rumors that Gaga was a hermaphrodite were widespread in 2009. They are jokingly referenced by one of the prison guards who, after stripping Gaga in her jail cell, remarks, “I told you she didn’t have a d—.”

“High and Dry”: Single off Radiohead’s 1995 album The Bends. Two videos were filmed for the song, one of which is set in a diner very similar to the one in “Telephone.” The fact that death (and contemplative drinking of coffee) is involved in both is also noteworthy.

Jackson, Michael: Late, great King of Pop. Gaga pays tribute to him by breaking into an MJ-esque shuffle after being bailed out of jail.

“Kill Bill”: Quentin Tarantino’s two-part martial arts epic. Uma Thurman’s garish P—y Wagon reappears as Gaga and Beyoncé’s getaway mobile.

LaChapelle, David: Photographer/director whose hyper-saturated work is clearly a touchstone for much of the video, particularly the scenes that feature Gaga wrapped in electric-yellow police tape.

Lava: Majestic female Great Dane, sister of the late Rumpus. Both featured prominently in Gaga’s “Poker Face” video and Lava has since worked with Gaga in “Bad Romance.” She is visible in the diner sequences in “Telephone.”

“Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels”: Guy Ritchie’s stylized take on the crime genre. The quick-cutting, sound effect-heavy diner murder scene is vintage Ritchie.

Madonna: Undisputed pop legend. Gaga has teamed with her in the past (on “Saturday Night Live”), and her short blond tresses in the prison dance sequence seem like a direct homage to Madge’s hairstyle in the “Vogue” video.

Meyer, Russ: The campy king of sexploitation cinema. Top-heavy women in lingerie, the mix of female violence and sensuality, the often shoestring-budget aesthetic — all this and more points directly at Meyer.

“Natural Born Killers”: Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis’ serial-killing satire. With the diner’s dusty locale, Gaga and Beyoncé’s gleeful massacre and the send-up of news media reportage, “NBK” has its bloody fingerprints all over “Telephone.”

Page, Bettie: Exotic pinup queen of the 1950s. Her short-banged look is mirrored by Beyoncé in the “Telephone” video (and, for that matter, the “Video Phone” clip too.)

“Pulp Fiction”: Quentin Tarantino’s Oscar-winning gangland revelation. From the diner setting to the casual “Honey” pet names that Gaga and Beyoncé exchange, Tarantino’s 1994 gun-and-drug-soaked adventure pops up again and again in this music video.

Radio KUK: Fictional station heard on the P—y Wagon’s radio. Could be an homage to the “Grand Theft Auto” franchise, or KLON radio, the station that makes an appearance on the Queens of the Stone Age’s 2007 album Songs for the Deaf. Or we may be reaching a tad.

Rodriguez, Jai: Former “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” culture expert. Makes a cameo as a TV reporter following the carnage inside the diner.

Semi Precious Weapons: Gaga’s pals and tourmates. Appear in the diner sequence, where they are poisoned.

“Thelma & Louise”: Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon’s female-empowerment road movie. As Gaga and Beyoncé clasp hands and drive off into the unknown, there can be no mistaking the allusion to this film’s speeding-car-off-a-cliff shocker of an ending.

Twain, Shania: Canadian-born pop-country star. The leopard skin outfit she wears in her “That Don’t Impress Me Much” video seems to have directly inspired Gaga’s getup towards the end of “Telephone,” when she performs in front of the P—y Wagon.

WNS News: Fictional news outlet that employs Jai Rodriguez. Perhaps a nod to New York’s famous 1010 WINS news radio station, which Gaga undoubtedly heard every time she leapt into a cab. Then again, perhaps we’re reaching here.

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Gaga said jailhouse heat video worked because she and Beyonce ‘both like women.’
By Gil Kaufman

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Lady Gaga in “Telephone”


Photo: Interscope Records

Lady Gaga wears a series of barely there outfits in the nine-and-a-half minute video for “Telephone” that debuted on Thursday night, including one that’s no more than discretely applied electrical tape and a pair of torn fishnets. But the singer said despite the acres of provocative flesh (not to mention copious product placement) on display in the “Thelma and Louise”-style revenge fantasy co-starring Beyoncé, her aim, as always, is to embed some deeper, less obvious meaning in her videos.

“There’s certainly always a hidden message in my music videos,” Gaga told E! News in a sit-down during which she wore her signature round sunglasses and a lingerie-like black leather and lace bodysuit. “But I would say most predominately, I’m always trying to convolute everyone’s idea of what a pop music video should be.”

After hooking up with Beyoncé on the set of “Videophone,” Gaga said she was excited to re-team with the R&B diva, who shows of a more foul-mouthed, edgier persona in the clip than she has in the past, including the pivotal scene in which she poisons co-star Tyrese Gibson and calls him a compound nasty name. “We had an amazing time working together on her video and it just kind of works out because we both like women,” Gaga said provocatively of the “Telephone” clip, the first half of which takes place in the sexiest/scariest women’s prison on the planet.

Gaga also explained how the infamous “Pussy Wagon” from Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill Vol. 1″ ended up making a very prominent cameo. “We were having lunch one day in Los Angeles and I was telling him about my concept for the video and he said, ‘You gotta use the Pussy Wagon!,’ ” she said of the director’s reaction to the pulpy look and feel of the video.

“There was this really amazing quality in ‘Paparazzi,’ where it kind of had this pure pop music quality but at the same time it was a little bit of commentary on fame culture,” she said of her first hook-up with director Jonas Åkerlund, who also helmed the “Telephone” mini-movie. “I wanted to do the same thing with this video — take a decidedly pop song, which on the surface has a quite shallow meaning, and turn it into something deeper: the idea that America is full of young people that are inundated with information and technology and turn it into something that is more of a commentary on the kind of country that we are.”

What do you think of Lady Gaga’s “Telephone” video? Let us know in the comments below!

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Beyoncé co-stars in the clip, which is the best big-budget video since … Gaga’s last big-budget video.
By James Montgomery

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Lady Gaga in her “Telephone” video


Photo: twitter.com/ladygaga

Well, that was certainly worth the wait.

On Thursday night (March 11), after months of anticipation, leaked on-set photos and rather excellent adventures in hairstyling, Lady Gaga’s epic video for “Telephone” finally premiered during E! News, and, honestly, if there’s something she didn’t cram into the clip, well, then we missed it.

Part hyperkinetic pop-culture joyride — nods to everything from films like “Caged Heat” and “Kill Bill” to seizure-inducing Japanese television and the color-drenched photography of David LaChapelle — part electric dance extravaganza, “Telephone” is nine-plus minutes of everything you could possibly love about Gaga (and Beyoncé, who, we’re sure you know by now, co-stars in the clip), only amped up to the Nth degree.

It’s ambitious, funny and clever, playing much more like a short film than a music video. There are opening and closing credits — it’s important to know that the video was written by Gaga and director Jonas -kerlund, after all — elaborate, over-the-top (or barely there) costumes, and a whole lot of celebrity cameos. This cost money, this took time, this was a work of love and blood and sweat and tears (and a whole lot of hairspray). This was worth it.

Opening in an ominous women’s prison, we first see Gaga being led to her cell by a pair of, well, let’s just call them “beefy guards.” She is stripped of her impossibly shoulder-padded dress and left nude, while the other inmates howl, and as the guards shut the door behind them, the one cracks to the other, “I told you she didn’t have a di–” (a joking nod to those nasty hermaphrodite rumors, of course).

From there, we get glimpses of Gaga’s life behind bars — make-out sessions in the exercise yard (where she is inexplicably wearing sunglasses made out of half-smoked cigarettes), the occasional catfight in the commissary — and then, after nearly three minutes of introduction, Gaga takes a phone call and the song finally begins, first with just some gentle electronic notes and LG’s tender vocals, then morphing into a stuttering electro-pop stomper, complemented by a dance sequence (Gaga and her inmates strutting and climbing dressed only in studded underwear, fishnets and stiletto heels) that’s sure to make the censors rather nervous.

Gaga is then bailed out, but not before she busts a Michael Jackson shuffle while one of the guards surfs around on the dating site PlentyOfFish.com (a scene which isn’t even the strangest example of product placement in this video). Waiting for her outside the gates is none other than Beyoncé, driving the so-called “P—y Wagon” from “Kill Bill.” The two engage in some seriously stilted dialogue — “You know what they say: Once you kill a cow, you gotta make a burger” — though Gaga’s dead-eyed stares at the camera make it very clear that it’s all intentionally bad (as the acting in all good “women in prison” flicks should be). They then go screaming off into the desert.

They pull into a diner, where Beyoncé pours herself into a booth opposite Tyrese Gibson, who is a total jerk — so much so that B poisons his coffee. We then cut to a delightfully campy sequence titled “Let’s Make a Sandwich” featuring Gaga standing in a kitchen wearing a folded-up telephone on her head while dancers cavort behind her, wielding salad tongs and assorted cutlery. She then, well, makes a sandwich, being sure to show off the Wonder Bread and Miracle Whip logos (this is the strangest example of product placement), whips through a tightly choreographed — and, really, pretty clever — dance sequence and then chomps down on the sandwich. And when was the last time you got to see her do something like that?

It turns out she also makes poison, which she dumps into some honey and delivers to Beyoncé’s booth, dressed as a towering waitress with a telephone dangling in her eye. Gibson smothers his breakfast in the stuff and dies. Unfortunately, everyone else in the joint — including Gaga’s pals the Semi Precious Weapons — does the same, and they all suffer the same fate. Gaga and Beyoncé begin the video’s third over-the-top dance number, popping and strutting while the dead bodies lay around them. It’s sort of creepy, to be honest.

The two then pile back into the Wagon and head out onto the highway (not before Gaga does a solo performance in front of the vehicle while dressed in an ultra-tight leopard-print number), and as the video reaches its conclusion, they deliver some more of those cheesy lines, join hands and zoom toward the horizon, police sirens wailing in the background. The last thing we see onscreen is text, which promises us “To Be Continued … ” because, hey, why not?

So now that it’s finally here, what else can really be said about the “Telephone” video? To be honest, I’m not sure. It is electric and excellent and alive. It is certainly the best big-budget clip since, well, Gaga’s last big-budget clip and probably the best video you’ll see all year (well, either that or OK Go’s new one). It more than lived up to the hype, which, frankly, few thought it would. But, perhaps most notably, it is an event. You will remember where you were when you first saw it. And when was the last time you could say that about a music video?

With “Telephone,” Gaga has entered the rarest of pop stratospheres, up there with the Madonnas and the, gasp, Michael Jacksons. I’m not comparing talent, just ability: ability to wow, to enthrall and put on a show — one I can only hope is continued sometime very soon.

What did you think of the “Telephone” video? Was it all you wanted and more? Sound off below!

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Piecing together clues and leaked photos, we try to guess what’s in store for Gaga and collaborator Beyoncé in the clip.
By Jocelyn Vena

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Lady Gaga in “Telephone”


Photo: Interscope Records

On Thursday at 11:30 p.m. ET, fans will finally get to see the “Telephone” video by Lady Gaga, featuring collaborator Beyoncé and pals Semi Precious Weapons. Shot in California in February and directed by Jonas Åkerlund, the video has Gaga’s little monsters salivating in anticipation of its release.

Although we don’t know everything that’s going to happen, there are certain leaked details that are giving us a few ideas of what we can expect — Lady Gaga is in jail, Beyoncé breaks her out and from there, we imagine, the two have some wacky adventures that include them stopping at a desert diner. So far, here are the clues we’ve gathered:

Lady Gaga will be wearing some crazy outfits. In leaked photos, she’s been seen wearing everything from crime-scene tape to American flag garb to a telephone-shaped eye patch made from hair. She’s also been seen in a studded leather jacket and a sparkly strapless dress, with cigarette sunglasses on, covered in heavy chains. Beyoncé also appears to be getting her fashion on in a military-style, jewel-encrusted blue top.

Gaga was inspired by Quentin Tarantino. Uma Thurman’s ride from “Kill Bill” appears in the video and Semi Precious Weapons confirmed that the video certainly had nods to Quentin Tarantino, something Gaga and Beyoncé also touched on in their “Video Phone” clip. “It’s very Tarantino-inspired,” frontman Justin Tranter shared. “Sort of like violent melodrama glamour.”

She got “crazy” and “magical” on set with Beyoncé. “It’s gonna be so crazy,” B said about working with Gaga on the video. And, Semi Precious Weapons added that the girls are kind of “magical” together. “Obviously, Gaga’s one of the greatest music visionaries of our time,” Tranter said. “And Beyoncé is one of the greatest visions of our time. She is a music visionary too.”

This video will leave “Bad Romance” in the dust. Simply put from Gaga herself, “I feel so bad for the ‘Bad Romance’ video ’cause the ‘Telephone’ video’s so much better. [Beyoncé's] really a great friend of mine. We have a lot of fun working together. We’re so very different in our approaches, but somehow when we come together it’s really magical. I’m very excited for everyone to see the video.”

The clip picks up where “Paparazzi” leaves off. Both Beyoncé and Gaga herself have confirmed that the video picks up where the other Åkerlund-directed clip, “Paparazzi,” leaves off. So what exactly does that mean? Well, perhaps the “Paparazzi” heroine has been jailed for the crime of killing her lover (played by “True Blood” star Alexander Skarsgård) and now it takes the one and only Beyoncé to bust her loose.

Are you excited for the “Telephone” video? How will you celebrate the premiere? Let us know in the comments below!

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Lady Gaga in her “Telephone” video


Photo: twitter.com/ladygaga

Attention Monsters: Lady Gaga is set to premiere her “Telephone” video, which of course features Beyoncé on Thursday. After teasing her fans last week with a photo of her (barely dressed) from the video, it was announced on Sunday (March 7) during E! News’ broadcast of the Oscars red carpet that Gaga will premiere the hotly anticipated clip Thursday at 11:30 p.m. ET on E! News.

Lady Gaga’s official Web site announced that more details about the premiere will be made public Monday morning. The video, which is reportedly shy of 10 minutes long, was shot in California in February and was directed by “Paparazzi” director Jonas Aklerlund. The clip features collaborator Beyoncé as well as Gaga’s pals Semi Precious Weapons.

Gaga, who appears in the video in a number of characteristic get-ups (including phones on her head, said the video picks up where “Paparazzi” left off. “What I like about it is it’s a real true pop event,” she said. “And when I was younger, I was always excited when there was a big giant event happening in pop music and that’s what I wanted this to be.”

In the video, Beyoncé reportedly breaks Gaga out of prison for what has been described as a Tarantino-inspired clip that even features the truck that Uma Thurman’s character drove in Tarantino’s “Kill Bill.” When Gaga and Beyoncé collaborated on B’s “Video Phone” clip, there were visual nods to Tarantino’s “Reservoir Dogs.”

“I feel so bad for the ‘Bad Romance’ video ’cause the ‘Telephone’ video’s so much better,” Gaga said. “[Beyoncé is] really a great friend of mine. We have a lot of fun working together. We’re so very different in our approaches, but somehow when we come together it’s really magical. I’m very excited for everyone to see the video.”

Are you excited for the “Telephone” video? How will you celebrate the premiere on Thursday? Let us know in the comments below!

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Guest reviewer: Kay Smith

You can’t blame a man for getting confused. I mean, one minute a woman (and her friend) is purring away at you in breathy, panting tones, demanding that you call her on your video phone so she can show you how naughty she is – and the next, they’re telling you not to call at all.

With so much contradiction going on, it’s a wonder any fellas keep persisting. But then again, the women concerned aren’t exactly average. After the innuendo-riddled (but slightly rubbish) ‘come and get me’ sexiness of Beyonce’s ‘Video Phone’ featuring Lady Gaga, the superstar pair are back with another telephone-themed collaboration, and this time it seems they’re no longer in the mood.

(Video isn’t ready yet. It’s gonna be another eye-peeler, innit)

For starters, it’s GaGa’s show this time around, and she’s decided she’s had quite enough of her man calling, and that she’d much rather be on the dancefloor than talking to him. Plus she hasn’t got a signal in the club anyway, which she’s trying to tell him, but he just keeps on calling regardless.

At this point you can’t help but wonder why no-one suggested to GaGa that she turn her phone off altogether, but if she was wearing those funny fangs at the time then maybe no-one was brave enough. Or maybe they did try but she just couldn’t hear them over the music; whatever…

‘Telephone’ is a pure dancefloor track, yet it also provides a platform for GaGa to show us the sweeter side of her voice. Starting off simple, melodic and slow, the song kicks in after the first verse by shattering your expectations of a ballad. It’s got stuttering (and lots of it), it’s repetitive, and it’s catchy. And if the words don’t rhyme – like “play” and “hand”, then Gaga just adds an ‘eh’ on the end, and everything works out fine.

Beyonce comes in somewhere in the middle, providing a semi-rapped vocal which is strong and provides the ‘girl power’ element. If you like her voice on ‘Diva’, you’ll like this.

In short – and totally against the way modern technology is developing – ‘Telephone’ more than makes up for where ‘Video Phone’ fell short, and definitely feels more like the kind of song that you’d expect from such a superstar collaboration.

Download: Out now
CD Released: March 15th
www.ladygaga.com
BBC Music page

(Kay Smith)

View full post on BBC Audio & Music | Radio 1 Chart Blog

Photos from video, which features Beyoncé, show Gaga bedecked with telephones.
By Jocelyn Vena

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Lady Gaga in “Telephone”


Photo: Interscope Records

Good news for fans who’ve been wondering just what they can expect from Lady Gaga‘s seemingly epic “Telephone” music video featuring pop-star bestie Beyoncé: The ever-evolving pop star just released three new photos from the video on her Web site.

In one still from the video, Gaga is seen playing the part of a waitress, carrying plates while wearing a chef hat along with a telephone sculpted from hair and used as an eye patch. In another still, Gaga is decked out in an American flag bandanna and bikini. In the third, Gaga is seen giving someone some sass, wagging her finger and wearing a big hat made from a telephone.

Last week, Gaga’s pals and Monster Ball Tour opening act Semi Precious Weapons revealed that they had a cameo in the video. But more importantly, they said that the chemistry between Bey and Gaga in the video was “magical.”

“We do have a cameo in the ‘Telephone’ video, which was when we walked on set and there was Beyoncé and Lady Gaga, all at once. It was pretty magical,” frontman Justin Tranter revealed. “Obviously, Gaga’s one of the greatest music visionaries of our time, and Beyoncé is one of the greatest visions of our time. She is a music visionary too.”

There are very few details of the video out there, although we know that part of it will take place at a diner and that at some point Beyoncé breaks Gaga out of jail. But Tranter noted that the video is very cinematic in its scope. “We die in [the video],” he said. “And I think that’s probably all I’m allowed to tell. … And, I think, what people have already talked about: It’s very Tarantino-inspired, sort of like violent melodrama glamour.”

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