Pop star Lady Gaga announced Tuesday that she will delay the release of her sixth studio album Chromatica as a result of the Chinese coronavirus, telling fans that it would not feel right to release it “with all that is going on during this global pandemic.”
In a post on social media, the singer explained that she would prefer people to prioritize the purchase of essential goods such as food and medicine over her music.
“I wanted to tell you, that after a lot of deliberation, I’ve made the incredibly tough decision to postpone the release of Chromatica,” she wrote. “I will announce a new 2020 release date soon.”
She continued:
This is such a hectic and scary time for all of us, and while I believe art is one of the strongest things we have to provide joy and healing to each other during times like this, it just doesn’t feel right to me to release an album with all that is going on during this global pandemic.
It is important to me that the attention is on getting essential medical equipment to healthcare professionals, making sure kids who depend on public schools for meals get the assistance they need, and that we help those who will be financially impacted by this pandemic.
The 33-year-old, whose real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, also confirmed that she would be postponing her Las Vegas residency shows next month and urged people to adhere to social distancing rules in the meantime.
“To my fans, I love you. I know you are disappointed. Probably angry and sad… I hope you can see that when the album does come out, I want us to be able to dance together, sweat together, hug and kiss each other, and make it the most bombastic celebration of all time,” she continued. “And until that time comes, LET’S ALL STAY HOME!”
Gaga is far from the only musician who has had to make changes amid the global pandemic. Other artists including Madonna, Khalid, Billie Eilish, and the South Korean boyband BTS have all had to either postpone or outright cancel their upcoming tours to help prevent the virus’s spread.
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