I feel like I’m being massively controversial here, but I’m rather proud to say I’m a pop music fan. It’s the ladies of pop that really excite me; Katy Perry, Little Boots, Lily Allen – all firm favourites on my ipod. I’ve even paid good money to see Girls Aloud. Twice. But today, children, we’re here to learn about the First Lady of pop, and that Lady’s name is Gaga.
It’s undeniable that Gaga’s debut offering The Fame has been a huge overnight success. For those only familiar with her singles, there are no real surprises to be found in this rather sexy mix up of electro and inventive lyrics; her style rarely deviates from the upbeat & synthey. That shouldn’t put you off though; the real gems lie in the unreleased material. Title track 'The Fame' and one of the few examples of her very early work 'Beautiful, Dirty, Rich' are the clear front-runners. I was pretty disappointed with the more downbeat track 'Paper Gangsta', - which would probably be more appealing were it not horribly reminiscent of the Vengaboys’ 'We Like To Party' - and the lack of ballads to showcase her (surprisingly) beautiful voice, which she seems to keep on reserve as a lovely gooey treat for her live audiences.
Aside from her music, there’s something else about Lady Gaga that’s setting her apart from the other pop-chicks of the moment. She has that particular je ne sais quoi about her; a deliciously self-obsessed nonchalance reminiscent of fashion designers and contemporary artists that is so rare in today’s media-driven pop music industry, where everyone stinks so highly of desperation they will compromise both their work and their dignity for any tiny ounce of popularity they can snag.
As a self-professed Performance Artist, Stefani Germanotta (Gaga’s real name) seems to be using her alter-ego as a tool for critiquing the very industry she has conquered. The Fame draws on the world of celebrity, pop culture and materialism throughout, and she unsurprisingly cites Warhol and Madonna as big influences on her work. She is fully aware of the commerciality of her act, yet we get the impression she almost wouldn’t care if anyone were watching. She’s not half naked & singing about her bisexuality for you, me or the press, but because that’s all part of her art, darling.
At first glance it may seem like Lady Gaga is a mere marketing tool, expertly honed to scream out “LOOK AT ME.” Go a bit deeper and you’ll realise Gaga’s message is in fact fantastically self indulgent - “This is me. This is my art. Now love it.”
This could be one hell of a double-bluff from pop’s favourite polka-faced blonde; perhaps she is in fact a bog-standard media-whore, cavorting as a serious performance artist to give herself an original edge. Whether or not this shapes your feelings about her is down to you, but even if Lady Gaga did turn out to be as puppeteered as Lady Penelope, I’m pretty sure I’d still be buying her next album.
Posted In Comment, Aug 12 2009.
Words - Emily