For three years, Lady Gaga’s music was banned from China. Now, tabloid! has learnt that there are plans for her to perform there in 2015.
The controversial pop star, along with counterpart Katy Perry, was deemed to be too much of a risk to the cultural security of Chinese people in 2011. In January of this year, the ban was finally lifted. Gaga’s Little Monsters in the country were treated to the news that her latest album, ArtPOP, would officially become available for purchase, albeit with a few modesty-driven changes — her semi-nude body was covered up on the cover, and the name of a song was amended from Sexxx Dreams to X Dreams.
“I’m so excited!” Gaga tweeted. “The Chinese Government Approved ARTPOP to be released in China with all 15 songs! Next I hope I can come to perform!”
It seems her dreams are not as politically far-fetched as they once seemed, and a Chinese show could be in the books.
“Definitely, we are planning on it,” said Bin Zhao, executive director of Long Legacy Cultural Group in China. The company has experience in commercial stage performances and a mandate to connect China to the rest of the world. Zhao spoke to tabloid! in Mandarin through a translator.
“More and more Chinese people are familiar with Western music, and the government is more open to it. So, we’re definitely trying, and [we] hope Gaga will come to China next year,” he said.
Zhao was in the UAE on Monday morning for a press conference announcing Gaga’s upcoming September 10 Dubai concert at the Meydan Racecourse. He was also there to sign a strategic agreement with a new events company in town, Latin America’s AMI Live, who are responsible for bringing Gaga to Dubai. Together — and through geographical proximity — the two organisations hope to bring big name artists to Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.
“Before, if a Western artist wants to come to China to have a show, it needed to be approved by the cultural department — it’s a central department,” he added. “Right now, the rights have been given to all the provinces and cities, so it’s open — it’s opening.”