The Super Bowl halftime show has the power to make or break a career. It can inspire millions, or, at the very least, scandalize them. I'm thinking this year's Super Bowl halftime headliner, Lady Gaga, is going to aim to do a little bit of both. With her knack for crazy outfits, extravagant sets, and pop anthems, Gaga is set to perform a show worthy of the Super Bowl, but one question remains: will Lady Gaga debut new music at the 2017 Super Bowl?
In 2016, Beyoncé dropped "Formation," her first new single in years, the day before she performed it at the Super Bowl 50 halftime show. Needless to say, people are still not over it, and if Gaga is looking to top last year's show, which also featured Bruno Mars and was headlined by Coldplay, then debuting new music during the performance would definitely be a way to do it. That said, there's a reason artists don't generally release new music from the Super Bowl stage: it's a huge risk. No one in the audience will be able to sing along, and the millions of viewers at home will take a minute to scratch their heads and wonder if they've heard that song before. It could throw off the balance of the entire show. Or, it could be amazing.
Lady Gaga hasn't revealed much about her halftime show, but she did say this — "I would be happy to play new music during the Super Bowl, of course, but for me I just always want the show to be great" — in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. Early behind the scenes rehearsal footage shows dance moves that suggest her hit "Bad Romance" will be on the set list, but that still leaves the door wide open for new music, unless you truly believe Gaga when she says she's not interested in premiering new music at the event.
Gaga honestly doesn't seem too eager to debut any new songs during her 5-song concert. New music aside, it's unclear how heavily she will lean on her newest album, Joanne, a more country-leaning album that failed to repeat the massive success of her first three releases, The Fame, The Fame Monster, and Born This Way.
Come Sunday, Feb. 5, Lady Gaga might debut new music at the Super Bowl LI, but it doesn't seem likely. But, this is Gaga we're talking about. If fans should expect anything, it's the unexpected.
