Few albums then or since have qualified as seismic cultural events quite the way Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” did in 2011, when it arrived in a blaze of hype and anticipation not much seen since the heyday of Michael Jackson and Madonna.
It’s a testament to Gaga’s unwavering allyship that she now hands over the keys to the “Born This Way” kingdom to an eclectic group of largely LGBTQ artists, who either treat the songs with reverence or agreeably blow them up.
Bounce legend Big Freedia gets the party started with a bone-rattling, hip-hop/techno makeover of “Judas.” It’s loud, joyous and completely over the top, which makes it a perfect addition to a collection that is all those things.
Broadway luminary Ben Platt is also in the mix with a soaring rendition of “You and I.” The booming ballad, which always felt a little out of place in the electro-soundscape of “Born This Way,” isn’t such an odd song out, on a bonus disc that thrives on its eclecticism; it’s a natural to showcase the “Dear Evan Hansen” star’s powerful pipes and knack for tugging at heartstrings.
Kylie Minogue works similar magic on “Marry the Night.” Originally released as the fifth single from “Born This Way,” this ode to nocturnal antics has long been championed as a slept-on gem.
“’Born This Way,’ my song and album, were inspired by Carl Bean, a gay black religious activist who preached, sung and wrote about being ‘born this way,” Gaga revealed on Instagram.