After an agonizing four-year hiatus, Lady Gaga is finally on the verge of releasing her next album. A follow-up to 2020’s Chromatica, the yet-untitled album will come out in February of 2025, with its first single dropping this October. Queer folks, of course, are beyond grateful to see a gay icon like Gaga return to her roots — but it’s not Gaga herself we should be thanking, according to a new interview.

In a profile for Vogue, Gaga revealed it was her fiancé, Michael Polansky, who pushed her to create new music.

“Michael is the person who told me to make a new pop record,” she said. “He was like, ‘Babe. I love you. You need to make pop music.’”

“Like anyone would do for the person they love, I encouraged her to lean in to the joy of it,” Polansky explained. “On the Chromatica tour, I saw a fire in her; I wanted to help her keep that alive all the time and just start making music that made her happy.”

Polansky’s encouragement of Gaga seems tailor-made to give the gays everything they want — so tailor-made, in fact, that some folks on social media wondered if their engagement was merely a long con. Could Polansky be one of us, doing whatever it takes to get new Gaga music?

Those accusations are all in good fun, of course — no one doubts that Polansky and Gaga are actually in love. But even if Polansky isn’t gay himself, getting Gaga back to the studio absolutely makes him a gay icon. “Gay people will build statues of Michael Polansky,” promised one thankful X user.

Even without Polansky’s urging, Gaga seems excited for the new album, which she said is inspired by the joy she felt while on the Chromatica tour. “I feel like this new album, in a lot of ways, is about that time but from a place of happiness instead of misery. And now, Michael and I are really excited to organize our lives — and our marriage — around our creative output as a couple,” she said. “Which is really different than, like, doing what other people want you to do.”

In the same interview, Gaga revealed the other pop stars she’s been a fan of lately, with Charli xcx, Chappell Roan, and Billie Eilish topping her list.

“I mean, I really love them. I go on the internet and, like, cry. And I love Taylor Swift too. And Kesha. I watch it all, and I’m like: Yup. Go! Just go,” Gaga said. “I’m not only cheering them on, I want them to know that my heart is in it with them. And I want them all to feel really happy.”

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