The song is backed by rumbling synth sounds, a humming bass and additional choruspercussion, with soleorgan toward the end. Its lyrics discuss the self-empowerment of theLGBT community and racial minorities. Critics positively reviewed the song, calling it a "club-ready anthem". In 2023,Rolling Stone named "Born This Way" the Most Inspirational LGBT Song of All Time. It reached number one in over 25 countries and was certified diamond in Brazil as well as multi-platinum in Australia, Austria, Canada, Italy, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. "Born This Way" has sold 8.2 million copies worldwide, making it one of thebest-selling singles of all time.
The nexus of 'Born This Way' and the soul of the record reside in this idea that you were not necessarily born in one moment. You have your entire life to birth yourself into becoming the ultimate potential vision that you see for you. Who you are when you come out of your mother's womb is not necessarily who you will become. 'Born This Way' says your birth is not finite, your birth is infinite.
—Gaga talking about the meaning of "Born This Way".[1]
In 2010, Lady Gaga was touring for her second world tour,the Monster Ball. At that time she started developing ideas for her second studio album,Born This Way (2011).[2] The first song written and recorded for the album was the title track itself which she wrote inLiverpool andManchester, England,[3][4] described by Gaga as a "magical message" song. She wrote it in ten minutes and compared the process to anImmaculate Conception.[5]DJ White Shadow, one of the producers of the track, credited Gaga for coming up with the idea and the theme behind the song. "We recorded it around the world, on the road, in whatever was available. It sounds like it reads, but not like you think until you hear it," he added.[6] Gaga wanted to record her ownfreedom song, and explained withBillboard her inspiration behind the song:
I want to write my this-is-who-the-fuck-I-am anthem, but I don't want it to be hidden in poetic wizardry and metaphors. I want it to be an attack, an assault on the issue because I think, especially in today's music, everything gets kind of washy sometimes and the message gets hidden in the lyrical play. Harkening back to the early'90s, whenMadonna,En Vogue,Whitney Houston andTLC were making very empowering music for women and thegay community and all kind of disenfranchised communities, the lyrics and the melodies were very poignant and very gospel and very spiritual and I said, 'That's the kind of record I need to make. That's the record that's going to shake up the industry.' It's not about the track. It's not about the production. It's about the song. Anyone could sing 'Born This Way'. It could've been anyone.[1]
In May 2021, during the 10th anniversary of the album, Gaga revealed that it was inspired byCarl Bean and his song "I Was Born This Way", released in 1977. On her social media, she wrote, "'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."[7][8]
Nick Knight (pictured in 2015) shot the song's cover artwork, as well as its music video.
On February 8, 2011, Gagatweeted the words "Trois Jours" ("Three Days"), along with a picture of the official single artwork, viaTwitPic. Gaga is shown topless in the black-and-white cover art and displays the tattoos on her back. Her hair is air-blown and she wears heavy make-up while sharp edges protrude from her face and shoulders.[9][10][11] The artwork was designed by Gaga and her longtime stylist,Nicola Formichetti and was photographed byNick Knight.[12] It was described by Charlie Amter fromThe Hollywood Reporter as harkening back to the classic record covers from the1980s. He compared it to the artworks by bands likeMissing Persons,Roxy Music andDuran Duran.[10] Tanner Stransky fromEntertainment Weekly gave a positive review of the cover art, feeling that Gaga looked almost "animalistic" in the picture, and her flowing hair made her look like a creature from theAfrican jungle. She also added that the artwork was "totally and completely fierce".[11] Archana Ram from the same publication found similarities between the "Born This Way" cover art andKylie Minogue's cover art for her 2007 single "2 Hearts".[13] Nicole Eggenberger fromOK! described the artwork as a perfect balance between the singer's "wild side" and her "glamorous" looks.[14] Leah Collins fromDose believed that the extreme make-up and tattoos were an ironic play on the title of the song.[15]
Gaga had sung a few lines from the song while accepting the 2010MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year, for "Bad Romance".[16][17] Given as aChristmas gift to her fans, Gaga announced, via Twitter, the release dates of the album and the lead single at the stroke of midnight onNew Year's Day, 2011.[18] The single was dated to be released on February 13, 2011, while the album on May 23, 2011. Supplementing this announcement came ablack-and-white photograph in which Gaga, according to Jocelyn Vena fromMTV, is "nude from the waist down, with her hair blowing about, and sporting a jacket with 'Born This Way' emblazoned in what looks like bedazzled jewels."[17] In late January 2011, Gaga released the lyrics of the song,[19] before announcing that she planned to release the single two days prior to its stipulated date.[14] Hence the song was premiered on radio stations worldwide at 6 a.m.EST on February 11, 2011, and was released for digital download from online retailers at 9 a.m. EST the same day.[20][21]
"Born This Way" was written and composed by Gaga andJeppe Laursen (formerly of the bandJunior Senior), with the arrangement was held by Gaga andFernando Garibay. Gaga and Laursen produced the track with Paul Blair (a.k.a. DJ White Shadow) and Garibay,[6][22] while it wasrecorded andmixed atAbbey Road Studios inLondon and Germano Studios inNew York.[23] Theelectropop andhouse[24][25][26] song begins with Gaga's voice uttering the line "It doesn't matter if you love him or capital H-I-M" on aloop, backed by a rumblingsynth sound and a hummingbass.[27][28] As the synths change into a beat, Gaga belts out the song's firstverse, followed by the bass dropping off and thepercussion-backedchorus, "I'm beautiful in my way, 'cause God makes no mistakes; I'm on the right track, baby, I was born this way", which Jocelyn Vena from MTV likened as being "meant to be heard in a big space. It's fast and hard-hitting."[27][28] After the chorus, she chants the line "Don't be a drag, Just be a queen", making a reference todrag queens, a number of times on top ofhandclaps, before moving to the second verse.[29] After the second chorus, a rapinterlude and bridge follows, where Gaga chants the names of various communities. Sal Cinquemani fromSlant Magazine felt that the interlude is a mixture of the music from American television show,Glee, and the song "There But For the Grace of God Go I" byMachine.[30] The musicfades out for a moment as Gaga continues to sing, before the addition of anorgan and Gaga closes the song.[27] According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com bySony/ATV Music Publishing, "Born This Way" is written in thetime signature of common time, with a moderate dance beattempo of 124beats per minute. It is composed in thekey ofF-sharp major (in the F♯Mixolydian mode) as Gaga's voice spans the tonal nodes of F♯3 to C♯5. "Born This Way" follows achord progression of F♯5–F♯–E–B–F♯ in the chorus.[31]
A 26-second sample of "Born This Way" containing the rap and the latter part of the bridge which contains the lyrics featuring the names of different communities.
The lyrics during the verses talk about empowerment, while the chorus talks about making no apologies and accepting one as themselves.[32] It features the names ofLGBT and other minority communities, which was due to the support Gaga had received from the community over the years. She also explained that sinceThe Fame (2008) andThe Fame Monster (2009) did not directly address those communities, "Born This Way" was her chance to create something that not only supported her political and social beliefs, but also empowered her to artistically say,"'I'm not being safe with this record.' I'm not trying to gain new fans. I love the fans I already have, and this is for them."[1]
After the early release of the lyrics, it had garnered criticism from someAsian[33] andHispanic communities, includingLatino groups MECha and Chicanos Unidos Arizona.[34] Radio stations inMalaysia chose to censor the part of the lyrics dealing with the acceptance of theLGBT community, due tocensorship in the country of content that may be deemed offensive.[35] In response, Gaga urged her Malaysian fans, who wanted the uncensored version to be played, to take action by stating: "It is your job and it is your duty as young people to have your voices heard. You must do everything that you can if you want to be liberated by your society. You must call, you must not stop, you must protest peaceably."[36]
A number of remixes were commissioned byInterscope Records, to accompany the song. The first set of remixes were done by LA Riots,Chew Fu and DJ White Shadow. TitledBorn This Way – The Remixes Part 1, the remixes were released asCD single and digital download on March 15, 2011.[37] Another set of remixes were done byMichael Woods,Grum,Dada Life,Zedd, Bimbo Jones andTwin Shadow. It was released on March 25, 2011, for digital download only, with the nameBorn This Way – The Remixes Part 2.[38]
Gaga released a "Country Road Version" of the song on March 15, 2011, via her Twitter account.[39] The version opens with the sound of guitars and then introduces a fuzzed-outslide guitar and a bluesyharmonica by Tim Harris, with the originaldisco beats replaced by restrainedbrush drumming and a more laid-back vibe. Once the first chorus starts, the song chugs alongside the harmonica sounds. Just before the three-minute mark, Gaga sings new lyrics, "If I wanna make itcountry, baby, then it's OK, cuz I was born, I was born, I was born this way," over a pickedmandolin. According to Gil Kaufman of MTV, the song breaks into full-oncountry-rock mode, reminiscent of late-periodBon Jovi music, in the final minute. A portion of the money earned from sales of "Country Road Version" went to theGay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN).[40]
AnIndian version of the song was done by Indian music producer duoSalim and Sulaiman Merchant. The remix was released on DesiHits.com, a website forSouth Asian music and entertainment news. The Merchants were discussing music projects with Anjula Acharia-Bath of DesiHits.com, when they came to learn that Gaga, who did not have much reach within theIndian diaspora, was interested in aBollywood remix for "Born This Way". The Merchants were contacted by Gaga's manager,Troy Carter, and the remix was finalized. Sulaiman explained that they received Gaga's raw vocals from "Born This Way", and using it as a base, they designed the remix. "We sent her a rough cut of our composition for initial feedback on whether we were giving it the right groove. She loved it and that's how we went about it," he added. The Merchants used a number of Indian musical instruments like theduggi,sitar bySunil Das, and thedhol anddholak in the chorus.[41] Salim said that he sang a little bit ofalaap to give the remix aSufi touch, "as that's the kind of music we do and it was also about adding our signature." Gaga's management team were satisfied with their remix and wanted them to do another remix of her next song, "Judas". The Bollywood remixes were a part of the Indian track list ofBorn This Way.[42]
"Born This Way" received acclaim from music critics upon its release. Michael Cragg fromThe Guardian called the song an "almostdisco anthem", and said the chorus "crashes in with the weight of a discardedmeat dress". He also felt that the "campness" of the music made the lyrics sound less serious than it is.[43] Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons ofThe Washington Post stated that "Born This Way" was a "hymn forLGBT Christians".[44] Rick Florino ofArtistdirect gave the song five out of five stars and labeled it as "an immediatepop classic", complimenting the hook and the chorus.[28] Alison Schwartz fromPeople added that "the club-ready anthem, complete with a fewa cappella chants andItalian lyrics, shows off Gaga's powerhouse vocal chords—and knack for powerful songwriting."[45] Jem Aswad fromBillboard responded positively to the anthemic nature of the song, and felt that it would become a staple song to be played on the radio and dancefloors in the following months.[46] Nick Levine ofDigital Spy gave the song five out of five stars, describing it as a "life-affirming equality anthem, a straight-up club pumper and a flat-out fantastic pop song."[47] Writing forSlant Magazine, Sal Cinquemani understood that Gaga "has tapped into something truly special, maybe even important." He also complimented the song's underlying message of equality.[30] Meghan Casserly ofForbes expected "Born This Way" to be the biggestgay anthem ever, since, according to her, it was written with that purpose in mind, and she also points out that it is "the nextgirl power song".[48] Annie Yuan ofThe Hollywood Reporter labeled the song "a hodge-podge of other pop tunes."[49] Kevin O'Donnell ofSpin gave a mixed review, pointing out lyrical similarities to Michael Jackson's "Black or White" (1991). He added that seeing the hype surrounding the project, he expected Gaga to release a song "as epic and instantly classic asthe Beatles' 'A Day in the Life' orQueen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. Imagine what she'd come up with if she'd spent more than ten minutes writing [the song]."[50]
Madonna performing amashup of her 1989 single "Express Yourself" and "Born This Way" duringthe MDNA Tour (2012). "Born This Way" was compared by some critics to Madonna's song, which Gaga said was completely unintentional.
Many critics noted similarities between "Born This Way" and Madonna's 1989 song, "Express Yourself", referring to "similar chords, same uplifting, girl-power theme (...), same tempo".[51]Rob Sheffield ofRolling Stone acknowledged the influences of Madonna but pointed out that they would not overshadow the song, as it "[summed] up all the complex Gagamythos, allher politics andCatholic angst and smeared lipstick, in one brilliant pop blast."[52] Caryn Ganz, while writing forYahoo! Music, criticized "Born This Way", stating that the song was "overworked, overwrought, noisy, cheesy, and very, very derivative." She specifically noted the similarities to songs like "When Love Takes Over" (2009), "Waterfalls" (1995), and three of Madonna's songs: "Express Yourself", "Ray of Light" (1998), and "Vogue" (1990).[53] Megan Friedman fromTime and Marissa Moss fromThe Huffington Post summarized their reaction as "mixed", due to the similarities they found with "Express Yourself".[29][54] Neil McCormick ofThe Daily Telegraph noted that the imitative nature of the song would affect perceptions of Gaga's artistry, since "Born This Way" was "[basically] a reworking of Madonna's 'Express Yourself' with a touch of 'Vogue', which is a bit too much Madonna for someone who is trying to establish her own identity as the, er, new Madonna."[55] The song has also attracted some academic attention: Juliet A. Williams, Professor of Gender studiesUCLA, mentioning Madonna's "Express Yourself" andJudith Butler'sGender Trouble, points out its post-essentialistfeminist message.[56]
Ann Powers of theLos Angeles Times concluded that "Born This Way" had an entirely different message from the Madonna songs it was being compared to and further defended it by saying, "Whether its sound comes too close to one or another Madonna song seems beside the point; what current pop hit doesn't go green by recycling something familiar?".[57] Gaga herself addressed the comparisons onThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno, explaining that she had received ane-mail from Madonna's representatives, who had mentioned their support for "Born This Way". "If the Queen says it shall be, then it shall be," she added.[58]CNN later reported that Madonna's representatives were not aware that the singer, or her team, had sent Gaga an e-mail regarding the situation.[59] Two months later, while getting interviewed byNME magazine, Gaga further addressed the comparisons to "Express Yourself":
Why would I try to put out a song and think I'm getting one over everybody? That's retarded. I will look in your eyes and tell you that I'm not dumb enough or moronic enough to think that you are dumb or moronic enough not to see that I would have stolen a melody. If you put the songs next to each other, side by side, the only similarities are thechord progression. It's the same one that has been in disco music for the last 50 years. Just because I'm the first fucking artist in 25 years to think of putting it onTop 40 radio, it doesn't mean I'm a plagiarist, it means I'm fucking smart. Sorry.[60]
When interviewed byABC News in 2012, Madonna was asked about the similarities between "Born This Way" and "Express Yourself", stating: "When I heard ['Born This Way'] on the radio ... I said, 'that sounds very familiar' ... It felt reductive." She also came to report tothe Newsweek Daily Beast Company what she had in mind when she heard "Born This Way": "I thought, 'What a wonderful way to redo my song'. I mean, I recognised the chord changes. I thought it was... interesting."[61]
In a 2021 review ofBorn This Way The Tenth Anniversary, Owen Myers ofPitchfork stated that, "of the whole record, it's the song that has aged least well, both for its essentialist message and dated electropop." He went on to referenceOwen Pallett's 2014 article forSlate, saying that "its major-key composition was a departure from the 'sexy, spooky' minor-key songwriting of Gaga's biggest hits. In an aim to reach everyone, she broke from her own winning formula. In 2011, the unsubtle 'Born This Way' may have been what the world needed, and it's intensely meaningful to manyqueer people—including Gaga, who has the phrase tattooed on her left thigh." He concluded by expressing a wish that "a better song had become thede facto soundtrack toLGBTQ+ rights in theObama era."[62][63] In 2023,Rolling Stone named "Born This Way" the Most Inspirational LGBTQ Song of All Time, claiming that "few artists have had the kind of impact on the LGBTQ community as Lady Gaga, and few songs have fully captured the joy and resilience of the community as this one".[64]
I can't believe it. I'm humbled, honored and overwhelmed at the reception to 'Born This Way'. This has been so life-changing for me. BetweenBillboard and the international No. 1s, and the radio numbers... I couldn't be more blessed to have the fans I have. I knew when I wrote the song it was special, but I also knew that perhaps my fans or my label were hoping for me to deliver 'Bad Romance the Third' or 'Poker Face the Third'. I wanted to do exactly the opposite.
—Gaga talking toBillboard about the commercial reception of "Born This Way".[1]
In the United States, "Born This Way" debuted at number one on theBillboard Hot 100 chart, for the issue dated February 26, 2011, as well as becoming Gaga's third number one single. "Born This Way" became the nineteenth song to debut at number one on the Hot 100, and the 1000th number one single in the chart's history. The song sold 448,000 digital downloads in three days, the most downloads in a first week by a female artist, beating the previous record held byBritney Spears' "Hold It Against Me" (2011).[65] The record would be later broke byTaylor Swift's "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" when it sold 623,000 digital copies in its debut week in the week ending September 1, 2012.[66] "Born This Way" remained at the top the following week, selling another 509,000 copies in its first full week of release, and becoming the first song to enter the Hot 100 at number one and hold that position for a second week sinceClay Aiken's "This Is The Night" in 2003.[67][68] Subsequently, the song held the number one spot for six weeks making it the only song to debut at number one and stay there for over a month sinceElton John's "Candle in the Wind 1997" in 1997.[69]
"Born This Way" went on to break the record for the fastest selling song iniTunes history, selling a million copies worldwide in five days.[70] The song's CD single sold 24,000 copies in its first week of release and a total of 40,000 copies till March 2011.[71] "Born This Way" sold 3.47 million digital copies in 2011 and became the tenth-best-selling song of the year in the United States.[72] It is her eighth consecutive song to top the two million mark, and her sixth song to reach three million downloads.[73] As of February 2019, it has sold 4.3 million digital downloads in the US.[74]
"Born This Way" debuted at number 14 on theBillboardPop Songs chart with 4,602 plays after three days of availability, the highest detections total by a debuting song in the chart's history. It was the second-highest debut on that chart, behindMariah Carey's "Dreamlover" (1993) which debuted at number 12.[75][76] In its seventh week on the chart, "Born This Way" reached the top, becoming Gaga's seventh number-one song there, thus tying her withPink andRihanna as the artist's with the most number one songs on the chart.[77] In addition, the song broke the overall airplay debut record with a first week audience of 78.5 million, entering at number six on theRadio Songs chart; this feat surpassedJanet Jackson's "All for You" (2001) which had debuted at number nine with an audience of 70 million.[65] "Born This Way" topped the chart after seven weeks, becoming her second number-one radio song after "Paparazzi".[71] "Born This Way" topped theJapan Hot 100 andHot Dance Club Songs charts, reached top-ten onLatin Pop Airplay andAdult Contemporary, and number 11 onAdult Top 40 charts.[78][79] "Born This Way" took the number one position in its debut week in Canada, remaining atop theCanadian Hot 100 for seven weeks.[80]
On February 20, 2011, the single debuted at number one in Australia on the officialARIA Singles Chart, becoming Gaga's third number-one single there, and the highest selling song to debut at the top.[81] "Born This Way" was certified eight times platinum by theAustralian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for shipment of 560,000 copies of the single.[82] The single debuted at number one on the New ZealandRIANZ charts, becoming Gaga's second number-one single there after "Poker Face" (2008). It was certified platinum by theRecording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ) for shipment of 15,000 copies of the single.[83] In the United Kingdom, "Born This Way" logged first week sales of 60,000 digital copies, landing it at number three on theUK Singles Chart, which became its peak position.[84] It sold 625,000 copies in 2011 in the UK and 1.4 million copies by January 2025, with 81 million streams.[85][86][87] Elsewhere, the song was a very commercial success, debuting atop the charts in Austria, Belgium (Flanders), Germany, Spain, Japan, Israel, Mexico, Switzerland, Finland, Slovakia, Poland, Ireland, and the Netherlands while debuting in the top ten in Italy, France (becoming Gaga's eighth top ten in the country at this time), Sweden, Portugal, Greece, Czech Republic and Norway. In addition, it debuted at number-four in Denmark and then moved to the second spot.[88] "Born This Way" had sold 8.2 million digital copies by November 2011 and had become the fifth best-selling digital single of the year, worldwide.[89]
Themusic video was shot the weekend of January 22–24, 2011, in New York City and was described by Gaga's team as a "profound, so inspiring and so incredibly beautiful" video.[90] The video was directed byNick Knight.[91] ChoreographerLaurieann Gibson toldMTV News that the video would be "shocking" and one can expect the execution of the highest level of vocal music art and dance.[92] Hollywoodlife.com reported that Gaga spent the first week of February editing the video at the Greenwich Hotel, New York, working during the night as she had to spend the morning rehearsing for her upcomingGrammy Awards performance. Media reports suggested that the singer might play the character of Jo Calderone, the male model she had portrayed in the September issue of JapaneseVogue Hommes.[93]Fernando Garibay explained that the video "is of cultural relevance, and hopefully helps people that are an outcast, bullied. Hopefully makes people aware that it's OK to be yourself."[94] According to Gaga, she was inspired by the paintings ofSalvador Dalí andFrancis Bacon, and theirsurrealistic images.[95] Gibson explained the inspiration behind the video to MTV News:
When she played it for me, it took me a while to find out the visual interpretation that I could give back to her. And so I woke up one night and I got it, and I said, 'I got it: We have to birth a new race.' From the gate, Gaga was like, 'I want Nick Knight for this video. I want a visual.' She was always birthing something visual in her head, and Nick Knight is just, well, he's prolific but he's so genius. It was about pushing the bar of what a music video should be and can be. [...] It's a different time; it's a different era; there are no limits. It is a viral message. I think that there's something in there for everyone, and that's what's so amazing about the video and so specific about the message.[94]
Gibson recalled having to work with Gaga on her dancing in the video, and to make her a better dancer she wanted Gaga to be confident.[94] Gaga chose New York to shoot the video because the city is her birthplace. Before shooting started, Gibson and Gaga decided there was only one place to work on the avant-garde, modern dance routine for the video,Alvin Alley, where Gibson had studied dance. "We rehearsed there because the choreography is really modern-based. It's, like, more technical than anything she's ever done," she recalled. Shooting also took place in Brooklyn for two days. Since Gaga did not want set pictures to be taken before the video was ready, her team had to hide the location and were successful, except at the last day whenpaparazzi started sneaking around.[96]
The video features full-bodied tattooed modelRick Genest (Rico), better known by his stage name Zombie Boy.[97] Gaga painted her face in a similar way to Genest, in one of the main series of sequences. She said that the sequences displayed the fact that she would not allow society or critics to dictate her sense of beauty. "I tell you what I think is beauty, and hence the scene was of me and Rico defining ourselves in artistic way and not relying on society to dictate it," she added.[98] The costumes for the video were designed byFormichetti, who blogged about the various designer pieces shown in it. In the opening sequence of the video, Gaga wore a head accessory byAlexis Bittar, a diamond neckpiece by Erickson Beamon with earrings byPamela Love, and a stained-glass dress by Petra Storrs. Finger rings were provided by Erickson Beamon and chiffon clothes byThierry Mugler. For the skeletons sequences, both she and Rico wore tuxedos by Mugler while the slime during theorgy scenes were courtesy of Bart Hess. For herMichael Jackson impression in the alley at the video's end, Gaga wore shirt and pants designed by her creative team, the Haus of Gaga, shoes byNatacha Marro, a Billykirk belt and LaCrasia gloves.[99]
Gaga (center) giving birth to the new race within humanity with the help of a midwife played by Brazilian modelRaquel Zimmermann[100] in the music video for "Born This Way"
Released on Monday, February 28, 2011,[101] the video begins with a brief shot of aunicorn's silhouette in a steam-filled alley, inside apink triangle frame. The triangle transitions to a shot of Gaga, with two opposite facing heads, inspired byJanus, theRoman god of transition and beginnings, sitting in an ornate glass throne amidst a star-filled space. AsBernard Herrmann's prelude to the 1958 filmVertigo plays,[102] Gaga tells the story of the creation of an extraterrestrial race that "bears no prejudice, no judgment, but boundless freedom." Gaga sits in the throne, giving birth to a "new race within the race of humanity." She explains that this was followed by the birth of evil, due to which Gaga splits into two opposing forces of good and evil. Her new half gives birth to a machine gun and fires it. The prologue concludes with Gaga questioning, "How can I protect something so perfect, without evil?"
Gaga, with shoulder and facial protrusions (prosthetic makeup mimickingsubdermal implants) walks in a seemingly endless black space, where people are on their hands and knees in an organized pattern. She raises her hand and crouches down to join them. When the first verse begins, everyone dances to choreography. The scenes alternate between the dance, and Gaga singing on her throne in space. In the second verse, Gaga and Rico are in tuxedos, with her face painted to mirror his. Alternating clips show Gaga caressing and attempting to dance with him while he stays expressionless and motionless for the most part. When the chorus plays for the second time, Gaga sings in a room of mirrors, with her head displayed in a glass box among oddly distorted mannequin heads. In the succeeding shots, she is once again shown on her throne giving birth to more members of the new race. After choreographed routines by Gaga and her dancers, they all gather in a circle and embrace in a hug.
In the video's conclusion, Gaga's silhouette struts in an alley in a tribute toMichael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel" music video.[103] Gaga has commented that she was teased as kids would call her "rabbit teeth".[104] She sheds a single tear as the pink triangle frame appears again, and inside it, a silhouette of Gaga sitting atop the unicorn. A city and a rainbow appear in the background, and Gaga is seen in her zombie makeup, chewing bubble gum and blowing it, as the pink triangle zooms away.
The music video for "Born This Way" featured several references toGreek andRoman mythology, notablyJanus (pictured), which was seen at the beginning of the video.[105]
The music video for "Born This Way" was met with generally positive reception among music critics. James Montgomery of MTV praised the overallcreationism concept of the music video, adding that it "sort of makes sense, it sort of doesn't, but that 100 percent doesn't really matter much. This is Gaga at her most fabulous, her most out-there, her most, well, Gaga."[101] In conclusion of his review, he wrote that the fantasy aspects of the video is overshadowed by the overall spectacle, which he believed was analogous to Gaga, "after thoroughly dominating this world with 'Born This Way,' [she] seems content to create brand-new worlds to tower over."[101] Myrddin Gwynedd ofThe New Zealand Herald felt that Gaga's penchant for eccentric and provocative imagery, was extreme in the video.[106] Raphael Chestang fromEntertainment Tonight praised the performance of Gaga and her dancers in the video, also complimenting the fashion.[107] Monica Herrera fromBillboard noticed that the video bore similarities to the music video of Madonna's "Vogue" and "Borderline" (1984), while believing it to be "more of a high-fashion short film than a conventional music video".[108] Jim Farber fromNew York Daily News wanted Gaga to add more humor in her videos, adding that although the video had "joyous" shock value, it definitely lacked creativity.[109]
Oscar Moralde fromSlant Magazine noted that in the video, "Gaga fully embraces the monstrous as a part of her." Moralde further explained that previously the singer had acknowledged her role as "Mother Monster", but never to the visceral, fully embodied extent that she does in the video. "The things that are monstrous, the things that are different—for Gaga, those are the things that are beautiful," he concluded.[103] Gina Serpe fromE! Online criticized it for being a "Madonna rip-off", whileMatthew Perpetua ofRolling Stone noted similarities to some of Madonna's work and the imagery from in the 1927German expressionist film,Metropolis.[110][111]Ann Powers fromLos Angeles Times noted that the video paid tribute to theGoddess movement andfeminism. According to her, with the video Gaga made goddess culture accessible to the mass, by portraying images borrowed from fine art, cinema and cool subcultures. Examples given by her included the portrayal of Rico as her partner, instead of a conventional-looking male or female consort. Powers further added that "Gaga has found a way to placefemale empowerment at the center of her vision without sacrificing the gains she makes by being a daddy's girl or a 'boy toy'."[112] Megan Powers fromTime criticized the video and Gaga's usage of shock-imagery, which she still found "strange".[113] The video has been noted for its cultural references and artistic similarities, not only to other recording artists such as Jackson and Madonna, but toGreek and Roman mythology, surrealism and the work of Swiss painterH. R. Giger and late fashion designerAlexander McQueen.[105]
For the 2014 movieMaleficent, the cheekbones makeup ofAngelina Jolie was inspired by Gaga's forehead bones in the "Born This Way" music video. Makeup artistRick Baker explained toAllure that: "I thought it didn't make sense for [Jolie] to have bones like [Gaga's], but she really liked the idea of something under her skin showing a ridge. So I moved them to her cheekbones."[114]
At the end of 2011,Slant Magazine listed "Born This Way" as the fifth best song of the year, with Ed Gonzalez from the website commenting that the song is an "unmistakable landmark pop-cultural moment, a post-irony, post-metaphor, pansexual celebration, aimed squarely at the audience that probably needs it the most."[115] It also placed the same rank on the list by MTV, with Gil Kaufman from the channel saying that the song and the music video "added to Gaga's mind-tripping visual canon and further established her as one of the biggest triple threats in music."[116]PopMatters listed it at position 73 on their list of "The 75 Best Songs of 2011", with Sean McCarthy from the website saying that althoughBorn This Way "is a labor to listen to because of its over-the-topness. No such problems exist with the title track. All of the Gaga's strengths on her one-hour monolith are condensed into a four-minute unstoppable ode to the outcasts of the world."[117] Furthermore,The Guardian listed "Born This Way" as the 18th best song of 2011.[118]
Gaga first performed "Born This Way" live on February 13, 2011, at the53rd Annual Grammy Awards. She arrived at the ceremony in a giant incubating vessel that was carried onto the red carpet by numerous fashion models.[122] She later emerged from another bigger egg on stage, dressed in a high ponytail, gold bra top and long skirt, with black and gold makeup and pointed shoulders and horns protruding from her face.[122][123] The "Born This Way" performance was introduced byRicky Martin. In the first few seconds after performing the intro of the song, Gaga emerged from the egg,[1] and after the first chorus, she whipped her hair in a manner similar to singerWillow Smith. Before the "No mattergay,straight orbi" line of the song, anorgan emerged from the stage floor.[124] Gaga played the music on the organ, which was surrounded by mannequin heads submerged in gel, before belting out the rest of the bridge as her dancers surrounded her.[122][124] Before leaving the stage, Gaga put on her trench and hat as the song faded out and Gaga and her dancers ended the performance with their hands put up in paws.[122]
Gaga performing "Born This Way" onThe Monster Ball Tour, which was added to the setlist for its 2011 dates. The same general attire and choreography were used as for theGrammy performance.
According to Gaga the Grammy performance was inspired by many things, includingGregorian music,Alvin Ailey dance moves andMartha Graham's dance energy.[1] OnThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno, she explained that Smith inspired her to "whip my hair back and forth on stage," referring to Smith'ssimilar named song. Gaga continued that the incubating vessel was meant to signify an artistic statement of birthing a new race with no prejudice.[125] The idea occurred to her when she was inAmsterdam on her tour bus, and was thinking aboutbirth andembryos.[1] She had thought to herself, "Gosh, the thing I hate most about doing award shows is, it can be distracting... I want to exist only for my fans and for the stage. I don't want to exist in this machine or this circus that is the industry. I wish I could be encapsulated for three days and just think only about my performance, think only about the album, think only about the future of my fans. So that's what I did."[1]
Jocelyn Vena from MTV felt that the performance was "surprisingly" sparse compared to Gaga's previous "over-the-top" endeavors.[122] Soraya Roberts fromNew York Daily News was disappointed with the "highly expected" performance, feeling that it had copied Madonna and herBlond Ambition World Tour choreography.[126] Jason Lipscultz fromBillboard described the performance as "spirited", and felt that Gaga's appearance inside the egg was one of the memorable moments of the Grammy Awards.[123] Jennifer Armstrong fromEntertainment Weekly praised the performance saying that although there were definite influences of Madonna in it, the performance was one of the highlights of the show.[127]Matthew Perpetua fromRolling Stone concurred that "It should come as no surprise that Lady Gaga's performance of her new single 'Born This Way' was the evening's most visually stunning and bizarre spectacle."[128]
Starting from the February 19, 2011, date ofThe Monster Ball Tour, Gaga performed "Born This Way" as a second encore to the show, using the same general attire and choreography as the Grammy performance, however the incubation vessel was not present and slight alterations were made in the outfits of her dancers.[129]Tris McCall fromThe Star-Ledger was most impressed with the performance, calling it one of the highlights of the concert. He added that the "reinterpretation of the single, which was far moreLaura Nyro than Madonna, was such an improvement over the mechanized, tricked-out hit version that it was hard not to wish she could get back to the studio and re-cut it before the album comes out."[130]
The performance of "Born This Way" at the2011 MuchMusic Video Awards ended with Gaga and her dancers' hands put up in paws, a signature move for many of the song's live presentations.
Gaga performed an acoustic version onThe Oprah Winfrey Show, in May 2011, along with another song fromBorn This Way, "You and I". Sitting atop a high stool, Gaga—in a red leather blazer, a floppy mask-like hat and see-through leopard bodysuit—played a piano made out of a wire high-heel structure.[131] AtThe Graham Norton Show in May 2011, Gaga performed "Born This Way" as the closing song of the show,[132] while onRadio 1's Big Weekend inCarlisle, Cumbria it was the opening song of theset list.[133] Another performance took place at theseason finale ofSaturday Night Live, where the singer wore a metallic dress and a side ponytail. Midway through her performance, she displayed a pregnant belly as she emerged from within her dancers.[134] A few days later, Gaga performed the song onGood Morning America as a part of their "Summer Concert Series". She wore gold horns and a gold sequined jacket, and near the end of the performance she joined her dancers in a tank filled with 1,800 pounds (820 kg) of dyed gel.[135]
During a promotional visit in Europe in June 2011, piano versions of the song was performed on the final show of thesixth season ofGermany's Next Topmodel,[136] and at theEuroPride 2011 inRome.[137] A medley of "Judas" and "Born This Way" was the closing performance on thePaul O'Grady Live show inLondon.[138] Gaga closed the2011 MuchMusic Video Awards with "Born This Way", appearing on stage inside a hanging cocoon.[139] While touring Japan, "Born This Way" was performed along with "The Edge of Glory" on the2011 MTV Video Music Aid Japan. After finishing performing "The Edge of Glory", she sneaked around the stage, and climbed some stairs to reach her piano—which was decked up to look like a giant spider—before launching into an acoustic version of "Born This Way".[140]
The song was included on theBorn This Way Ball tour (2012–2013), during which she came out screaming from a giant alien womb. Gaga was dressed inMedieval inspired cloths similar to her performance of the song at the Grammys.[141] In 2014, Gaga performed an acoustic version of "Born This Way" during herresidency show at Roseland Ballroom and at theArtRave: The Artpop Ball tour.[142][143] In July 2016, Gaga visited an orphanage inCabo San Lucas, Mexico, where she sang an acoustic version of the song described as "emotional" by Megan McCluskey fromTime.[144] Later that year, she appeared in theCarpool Karaoke segment ofThe Late Late Show with James Corden, where "Born This Way" was between the selected songs Gaga sang withCorden in the vehicle.[145]
On February 5, 2017, Gaga was the headliner of theSuper Bowl LI halftime show and "Born This Way" was part of the performance.[146] Nico Lang fromSalon noted that compared to other songs performed during the event, which were mostly shortened into a medley, Gaga chose to perform the biggest part of "Born This Way", and "her singing its lyrics made Gaga the first person to ever say the words 'lesbian', 'gay', 'bi', or 'transgender' at theSuper Bowl."[147] Many other journalists highlighted the significance of singing the song at the Super Bowl, calling it a subtle political statement.[148][149][150] In April 2017, Gaga performed "Born This Way" during both weeks of theCoachella Festival.[151] The song was also part of theJoanne World Tour (2017–2018). After singing songs on the piano, Gaga strapped on a long white skirt for the performance of "Born This Way".[152]
Gaga performed "Born This Way" duringher Las Vegas residency (2018–2021), which involved two different shows. During the Enigma shows, Gaga performed it as the penultimate song in a champagne-hued gold dress,[153] while on the Jazz and Piano show, she sang it while playing on the piano.[154] Chris Willman, fromVariety reacted positively to her latter performance, saying that "Born This Way" "should have been born this way, the way she sings it alone at the piano, as a sort of slowgospel number; it no longer sounds like a kicky 'Vogue' knockoff but something more primal and spiritual, and it's surprisingly moving in this more reverent frame."[154] A stripped-down version of the song was also performed during Gaga'slive-streamed concert on September 30, 2021, which was in celebration of her second collaborative album withTony Bennett, calledLove for Sale.[155][156] In 2022, Gaga performed "Born This Way" atThe Chromatica Ball stadium tour, where she started with just a spotlight and a piano, before switching to the original version of the song after the first verse and chorus.[157] "Born This Way" was also performed during her 20252025 promotional concerts for the albumMayhem, which included a headlining set atCoachella,[158] as well asThe Mayhem Ball tour (2025–2026).[159]
On the February 9, 2011, episode ofThe Ellen DeGeneres Show, singersJustin Bieber andJames Blunt performed their own rendition of the song along with DeGeneres,improvising the music, while singing the chorus.[160] On March 3, 2011, during her concert inToronto, Canada,–as part of The Monster Ball Tour– Gaga performed an acoustic version of the song with ten-year-oldMaria Aragon. Gaga had been impressed by Aragon's singing abilities when the ten-year-old uploaded her own version of "Born This Way" toYouTube. Aragon was subsequently invited on stage to sing with Gaga.[161] She appeared wearing a fedora hat and carrying a stuffed monkey. Gaga sat at the piano, pulled Aragon onto her lap, before proceeding to sing asoul-inspired rendition of "Born This Way", trading off verses.[162] "Maria represents what this song is all about," Gaga told the Canadian crowd after the performance. "It's all about the next generation and the future."[161] Later, Aragon was invited at RadioHot 103, where she sang the chorus of "Born This Way" through the phone.[163] She also performed the song onThe Ellen DeGeneres Show on February 23, 2011.[164] Fellow American singerKaty Perry performed a stripped-down version of "Born This Way", on the March 7, 2011, date of herCalifornia Dreams Tour, in Paris. The performance was accompanied by two guitarists playingacoustic guitars.[165]
American singer-songwriter and parodist"Weird Al" Yankovic had sought permission from Gaga to parody "Born This Way", providing a brief description of the concept for his song. Her management responded that she must hear the song before providing approval. Yankovic obliged with the lyrics of "Perform This Way", which was released on April 25, 2011, as the first single from his thirteenth studio album,Alpocalypse, oniTunes Store.[173] After what Yankovic described as "considerable expense" in writing, recording, and mastering the song in the studio, he contacted Gaga's management again with a completed recording of the song. He was subsequently refused permission, without Gaga listening to the track and Yankovic getting the impression that the refusal came from the singer herself.[174] Left with a completed song and abandoned plans for an outlandish music video to promote the song and album, Yankovic released it on YouTube.[175] It was then that Gaga actually heard the song,[176] and personally contacted Yankovic, giving him green light to include the song onAlpocalypse, telling him that her manager had been the one to refuse permission, which was done without her knowledge or input.[177][178]
BBC Radio 1's Alex Full a.k.a. the Cornish Fairy and singer Kirsten Joy Gill recorded a cover of the song called "Cornish This Way" in August 2011 as a modernCornish anthem. The song was recorded at theMaida Vale Studios in London, and the music video was shot inNewquay,Cornwall at theBoardmasters Festival.[179] On May 20, 2012, a video leaked from rehearsals of Madonna'sthe MDNA Tour (2012) showed the singer incorporating "Born This Way" into "Express Yourself" followed by a performance of "She's Not Me" from her 2008 albumHard Candy. It created a media frenzy with many speculating that she was "dissing" Gaga and the song. Madonna included the sequence in her tour during the second segment.[180][181][182]Alice Cooper added a cover of the song to the 2012 leg of his No More Mr. Nice Guy Tour. It features altered lyrics, though it maintains the chorus and melody of Gaga's version.[183] Later, Gaga showed appreciation for the cover on her Twitter account.[184] In 2021, South African country musicianOrville Peck covered the country road version of the song for thetenth anniversary edition ofBorn This Way.[185]
Published by Stefani Germanotta P/K/A Lady Gaga (BMI), Sony/ATV Songs LLC, House Of Gaga Publishing Inc., GloJoe Music Inc. (BMI),Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI) and Garibay Music Publishing
All rights on behalf of itself and Garibay Music Publishing, administered by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp./ Korsbaek Publishing (ASCAP)
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
^Lady Gaga: "Google Goes Gaga". New York:YouTube. March 22, 2011. 61 minutes in.Archived from the original on October 14, 2015. RetrievedOctober 3, 2017.... This reminds me when Rico, who plays the Zombie Boy in the video, I asked him why did you tattoo yourself?
^Gonzalez, Ed (December 13, 2011)."The 25 Best Singles of 2011".Slant Magazine.Archived from the original on January 22, 2012. RetrievedDecember 16, 2011.
^Yankovic, Alfred (April 22, 2011)."'Weird Al' Yankovic". WeirdAl.com.Archived from the original on November 10, 2006. RetrievedJune 3, 2011.RUSH RELEASE! Al's new Lady Gaga parody "Perform This Way" hits iTunes on 25 April 2011!
^Yankovic, Weird Al (April 18, 2011)."The Gaga Saga". The Official "Weird Al" Yankovic Blog.Archived from the original on April 23, 2011. RetrievedApril 24, 2011.
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