Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande were apparently not content with just dropping a new single today. In conjuction with the release of their new song “Rain On Me,” a new filter was released on Instagram so Little Monsters everywhere could make selfie videos of themselves also being rained on. Or should we say “rained on”?
Once the initial excitement over the song died down, it didn’t take long for people on Twitter to start commenting on how the filter looked less like rain streaming down your face and more like...a bodily fluid. It’s unclear if this was intentional—Gaga is not shy about being sex-positive and Grande’s “Side To Side” is literally about not being able to walk correctly the next morning—but the filter has certainly raised a lot of eyebrows.
Most comments are NSFW, but here’s just a small sample of the reactions:
Based on the lyrics, one would assume the rain is tears...or a metaphor for letting go of pain? Unclear. But our review of “Rain On Me” was featured in today’s A-Sides:
Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, “Rain On Me”
[Interscope, May 22]
Lady Gaga feat. Beyoncé? Fantastic. Beyoncé feat. Lady Gaga? Not as fantastic. Mother Monster collaborations are no guaranteed success, but Gaga’s new duet with Ariana Grande is a Pride party distilled in a single song. “Rain On Me” kicks off with a classic Gaga verse as it ramps up to a chorus that sounds like it’s already been remixed for the dance floor. The song—off Gaga’s upcoming Chromatica (May 29)—is at its best once Grande joins in, her airy vocals a nice contrast to Gaga’s talk-singing and the pumping bass. Bonus: no uncomfortable sexual tension like with Gaga’s last duet.
Maybe we spoke too soon about that sexual tension.