Lady Gaga

There has been something missing in mainstream music of this century. The understanding that in the position an artist is in, they too can spread a message and bring awareness to critical issues. Since the dawn of time music has been used to spread stories of the past and hopes for our future. For the great Lady Gaga, she has stood up to the plate to bring awareness to a very serious issue facing our youth today, sexual assault. Along with the great Diane Warren the two have penned the song “Til It Happens To You” in support of the documentary The Hunting Ground, in order to show the world the true reality of what is going on at college campuses throughout the world.

We are all familiar with the prowess that Gaga brings to her ballads on standard occasions. This time, it isn’t one of those special times like “Speechless” or “Edge of Glory”. This song grabs you by your face and makes you look at what many turn a blind eye to. Real. Life.

Taking an orchestral approach brings the fear and anguish of each survivor to life. You feel the true passion in Lady Gaga’s voice that we may never understand it until some of us may have to face it head on. The video, shot in black and white, is very unnerving displaying the reality of date rape, full blown assault, and the fight that each woman and sometimes men take to get up and face the each and every day.

Lady Gaga and Diane Warren get it. We have a problem and something needs to be done to fix it. At the end of the video is the number for the National Sexual Assault Hotline 1(800)-656-HOPE and a link to itsonus.org; Two organizations steadfast in ending the epidemic.

A portion of the proceeds from “Til It Happens to You” will go to organizations helping survivors of sexual assault.