Perhaps one of the most iconic artists of our generation has been Lady Gaga, otherwise known as Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, which is quite the mouthful. Although I’ve never followed her too closely, after last weekend’s Super Bowl, it would have been wrong to choose any other artist to highlight.
Personally, my middle school dances were full of Lady Gaga’s music, which was wild and dancy and fun. Even as a pop artist, Lady Gaga was able to create something that was uniquely hers, with a very specific sounding voice and style of music. But, obviously, she is almost equally as famous for her wild choices of apparel and decision to wear clothing that is…not traditionally clothing. From a dress made of meat to a dress made out of kermit the frog, Lady Gaga has not been one to stray from the outrageous.
Her performance at the Super Bowl was definitely a tribute to her original performance style, with songs ranging from “Born This Way” to “Poker Face” and what appeared to be a leap off of the stadium onto the stage below. While the leap was staged, her shiny silver outfit was not, and was closer to some of her crazy outfits.
However, living a life where everyone knows you as your art form, rather than who you actually are, you are forced to put out a persona that might not align with who you are all of the time. Now that Lady Gaga has reached 30, her style and music has turned down a notch, becoming more introspective, especially with the song “Joanne” about a deceased aunt, that is actually the name of the entire album (and Lady Gaga’s middle name). The album shows a calmer Gaga too, with a much simpler design and picture of her wearing a simple pink hat.
Watching Lady Gaga in an recent interview for Rolling Stone, it’s clear being a star has taken a toll on her. She says she misses “people” most of all, because when all eyes are on you, it’s hard to form a quick bond that’s unrelated to fame.
Nonetheless, her music is as popular as ever, with a fourth number one album. The Gaga in my eyes will probably always be the one who wrote “Born This Way” and that my dances seemed to pay tribute to. Past the bizarreness, this track showed that doing your own thing was okay, a message Lady Gaga has definitely taken to heart. As a female in the music industry, she doesn’t care at all what others think of her.
Hey!
Great post and love the topic!
Your blog is really fun and personal. It’s great that you decided to focus on women in the music industry and the impact they have on all of us. I too can remember those middle school dances where Gaga was constantly blaring and a ton of kids were jumping around awkwardly. She truly is an artist for the ages, and a great Gaga song can always put you in a good mood. What’s the most amazing thing about Gaga is her ability to be unapologetically herself and to be different. She wears what she wants, she says what she wants, and she can sing anything she chooses; she’s just that good. It is understandable to see that what she misses most from her time before being famous is “people” and developing those small connections first as strangers and then friends, not as a celebrity with millions of fans who don’t really know “you.” I had also noticed that before the Super Bowl Gaga had disappeared a bit from the music industry, but I am happy to know that she is back and with a new album!
Good job!