“It wasn’t love, It wasn’t love, It was a perfect illusion” — with these catchy lyrics, Lady Gaga regained her former fame. Released on September 9th, “Perfect Illusion” was the first pre-released song from Lady Gaga’s new album. The album, “Joanne,” pays tribute to a classic American vibe with influences of country, rock and roll and even some folk. From the guitar-heavy single “Joanne” to the upbeat “A-YO,” this album, released October 21st, is a major hit.

The title song, “Joanne,” was inspired by the death of Gaga’s aunt, who died from lupus, and is beautiful and powerful. With a soft guitar in the background and Lady Gaga’s powerful voice asking “Where do you think you’re going?” this song reflects the pain of losing someone too early and too young.

“Dancin’ in Circles” and “John Wayne,” though upbeat, contribute to the sad undertone of the entire album. With lyrics such as “Every John is just the same” and “Feels good to be lonely,” Lady Gaga depicts the hardships in finding love and keeping it. Through these mournful songs, the character of “Joanne” comes to life — a girl who lived life to the fullest, always in search of fun, who ends up dying too early.

From songs like “Bad Romance” to “Just Dance,” Lady Gaga was once one of the most famous pop queens in the music industry. When her 2013 album “ARTPOP” was released, people were disappointed with how shallow and fake it was. However, with “Joanne,” Lady Gaga reverts to the essentials of pop. Love ballads, upbeat danceable songs and raw energy comprise the core of her fifth studio album, and have helped her songs, for example, “Perfect Illusion” and “Million Reasons” shoot toward the top of the Billboard and iTunes charts.

Although this album reflects her older style, that’s not the reason why I love it so much. The tribute to her aunt, the character of “Joanne” and the spirit of the entire record comes from deep within Gaga and is raw and profound. The emotional connections in her songs make it a very compelling album.