Never one to be reductive, Lady Gaga is celebrating the tenth anniversary of her sophomore album, Born This Way, in her usual maximalist style — and Big Freedia is here for the festivities! Earlier this month, the City of West Hollywood declared May 23 — the album’s original release date — “Born This Way Day,” emblazoning Robertson Blvd with the album’s title in the trans and BIPOC inclusive stripes of the Pride flag and bestowing the key to the city upon Gaga.
The celebration continues today with the announcement of an upcoming tenth anniversary edition of Born This Way, due out in June. According to today’s announcement, the re-release will feature the album’s original 14 tracks along with new packaging and “reimagined” versions of six of the songs by “artists representing and advocating for the LGBTQIA+ community.” The first of those reimaginings, Big Freedia’s Bounce-infused version of “Judas,” is out today, and you’re never gonna believe this, but it is quite the banger!
“‘Judas’ was my favorite song when it came out originally, so I really wanted to cover it,” Big Freedia says. “I am beyond excited that it’s the first to drop from this project! To me, ‘Judas’ is a love song about when someone does you dirty. I’ve sure had my experience with that. Who can’t relate?”
The other artists covering the remaining five tracks — including “Marry the Night,” “Highway Unicorn (Road to Love),” “Yoü and I,” “The Edge of Glory,” and “Born This Way (The Country Road Version)” — will be revealed over the next few weeks in the lead-up to the album’s re-release on June 18. (Ten bucks says queer country crooner Orville Peck does the Country Road version of “Born This Way.”)
In addition to the reissue and a new line of anniversary merch available on Gaga’s website, the pop star’s Born This Way Foundation is marking the occasion with a special outreach push to LGBTQIA+ centers across the country. The org is sending “goods and monetary donations along with notes of kindness” as a special Pride season treat. Which makes you wonder: Centuries from now, will little queer kids wake up on Pride morning expecting Gaga merch in their rainbow stockings and handwritten notes from Mother Monster?
