Kevin Parker just launched his new (environmentally friendly) Tame Impala tour in support of The Slow Rush last night, and there was at least one surprising inclusion in his setlist. Specifically, he busted out a cover of Lady Gaga’s “Perfect Illusion.” Fans of Parker and of Gaga shouldn’t see this as a huge surprise, though, as Parker co-wrote and co-produced the Joanne single. Naturally, Parker’s rendition of the song was more indebted to psychedelic rock than Gaga’s brand of pop.
https://twitter.com/PopCraveMusic/status/1237440306489880576
Gaga previously spoke about making the song with Parker and Mark Ronson, saying in a 2016 interview, “Kevin flew to us from Australia and he came with this idea, that was the beginning of a song called ‘Illusion.’ I work on a typewriter and we would bounce new lyrics back and forth. We stripped everything away. Changed the melody, shifted it. I sat at piano, Kevin was on guitar, Mark was on the bass.”
In a recent interview, Parker spoke about writing songs with Gaga and Camilla Cabello, saying that he’d love to do more of it: “I hope to one day be able to do what I do on my own in a room full of people. That’s the ultimate goal for me. […] It’s the yin to the yang of psychedelic rock — writing a catchy, sugary pop song that’s like, three minutes long. I want to be a Max Martin.”
Watch a fan-shot clip of Tame Impala performing “Perfect Illusion” above.
The Slow Rush is out now via Modular. Get it here.
