Gaga puts on a glittery show with a message of inclusion

On Sunday night, just as it seemed like New England was about to light a lot of “Super Bowl LI Champions” merchandise on fire, there appeared a beacon of hope clad in a sparkly cat suit and high-heeled boots. Lady Gaga, this year’s solo halftime show performer, stood atop Houston's NRG Stadium looking like a fabulous Batman villain as drones-turned-stars flashed in the night sky above her. In the patriotic style so typical of the Super Bowl, Gaga began by singing “God Bless America” and then transitioned into the folk favorite “This Land is Your Land” before leaping from the roof and being carried down to the stage on suspension cables in an impressive­­ and GIF-able stunt.

Although the song choice would seem fairly standard and pale in comparison to the acrobatics during any other Super Bowl, its message of inclusion is highly political in 2017, particularly following the anti-immigrant measures taken by the Trump administration. Even if Gaga didn’t make any controversial political statements on the level of Beyoncé’s Black Panther-inspired performance of “Formation” at the 2016 Super Bowl, her halftime show combined two things that have defined her career thus far: impeccable, flashy showmanship and a celebration of individuality and inclusion.

After her aerial spider crawl, Gaga began a medley of her greatest hits, transitioning from “The Edge of Glory” (2011) to party classic “Poker Face” (2008). In a favor to us all, she also forced audience member Vice President Mike Pence to sit and listen to her celebratory performance of “Born This Way” (2011), featuring the lyrics, “No matter gay, straight or bi / lesbian, transgendered life / I'm on the right track, baby / I was born to survive.” Gaga, a vocal advocate for LGBTQ rights, turned “Born This Way” into the emotional heart of her halftime show.

It wasn’t all yelling at Mike Pence, however. Gaga went classically wacky, holding a giant, studded scepter during “Telephone” (2009) and getting some help from back up dancers and an amazing gold jacket for her first ever hit single, “Just Dance” (2008). For the lighter and glow stick waving portion of the night, she slowed things down with piano ballad “Million Reasons” from her latest venture, “Joanne” (2016), a country-inspired album that diverges from her pop personality.

To close the show, Gaga did a quick-change out of her cat suit and into glittery underwear with, of course, protective football shoulder pads, belting “Bad Romance” from "The Fame Monster" (2009). After Gaga leapt from her platform on the stage, the sky lit up once again with fireworks and drones spelling out “Pepsi” to honor the absurdly-named “Pepsi Zero-Sugar Super Bowl LI Halftime Show.” In just under 14 minutes, the star managed to put on a crowd-pleasing and commercial-friendly show, free of lip-sync missteps and controversy, but full of glitter and some classic Gaga weirdness.

Of course, not everyone was happy with the performance. Many had hoped that Lady Gaga would use the opportunity to make a larger anti-Trump statement and were disappointed by the results. Others believe that the message of inclusion in her songs is inherently limited and privileged. Regardless, it appeared that Gaga ultimately chose to bring some levity and positivity to the audience through her music, an idea cemented by her statement on stage: “We’re here to make you feel good. Do you want to feel good with us?” Perhaps, at a time when the country is polarized by political and ideological differences, Gaga's decision to play safe was a smart move as it allowed Americans to unite through music and entertainment.