Imagine gaining over one billion viral views on YouTube.
That translates to a level of popularity that has never been known before. You could, for example, combine the recognition of Madonna, Michael Jackson, David Bowie and Queen, all artists that inspire Lady Gaga, and still, you will not come close to the impact that she portrays. The entire world is changing; politically, economically, spiritually, and artistically. We are witnessing phenomenal opportunities to recognize raw talent, embody new perspectives and connect on deeper levels than ever before. What Lady Gaga really represents is the power to transform oneself through fashion, music and living authentically. She has taken her passion to a new level of success and carries us along on the journey. If any of us could live at a modicum of the honesty that Lady Gaga manifests, we would indeed create the world anew. But suffice to say, today, we get to peer into the life of someone who lives outside the box and beyond the self imposed rules that dictate our complacency. So get ready for a wild ride through the eyes and the life of Lady Gaga. Captivated by her uniqueness, what I learned invigorates me. Just like every one of us, Lady Gaga is thoroughly human, has bouts of self-consciousness and is always trying to do her best. She accepts herself as a role model, trailblazer and fashion icon, yet deals with both her inner critic and outer critics on a daily basis. Her unique place in pop music illustrates the need for a new movement in popular culture and the attention Gaga brings to important social issues allows her to breathe new life into our world. No matter what you think, Lady Gaga is an icon and a reflection of where our society is today. Born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta on March 28, 1986, she began performing in the rock music scene of New York City’s Lower East Side in 2003 and enrolled at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Gaga came to prominence following the release of her debut studio album The Fame in 2008, which was a commercial success and achieved international popularity with the singles “Just Dance” and “Poker Face”. Achieving similar worldwide success, the followup EP The Fame Monster, 2009, produced two global charttopping singles “Bad Romance” and “Telephone” and allowed her to embark on a second global headlining concert tour, The Monster Ball Tour, just months after having finished her first, The Fame Ball Tour. Her second studio album, Born This Way, is scheduled for release on May 23, 2011. Her contributions to the music industry have garnered her numerous achievements including five Grammy Awards, amongst twelve nominations; two Guinness World Records; and the estimated sale of twenty-three million albums and sixty million singles worldwide.. Gaga has been included in Time magazine’s annual Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world as well as Forbes’ list of the 100 Most Powerful and Influential celebrities in the world. Forbes also placed her at number seven on their annual list of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women. In February 2011, Billboard named her the top selling artist of 2010. The Queen song “Radio Ga Ga” inspired her stage name, “Lady Gaga”. She reflected, “I adored Freddie Mercury and Queen who had a hit called ‘Radio Gaga’. That’s why I love the name. Freddie was unique – one of the biggest personalities in the whole of pop music.” In response to the comparisons between herself and Madonna, Gaga stated: “I don’t want to sound presumptuous, but I’ve made it my goal to revolutionize pop music. The last revolution was launched by Madonna 25 years ago.” Gaga has identified fashion as a major influence in her life. She considers Donatella Versace her muse, has her own creative production team called the Haus of Gaga, which she handles personally, and orchestrates her team to create many of her clothes, stage props, and hairdos. Her love of fashion came from her mother, who she recognized was “always very well kept and beautiful.” “When I’m writing music, I’m thinking about the clothes I want to wear on stage. It’s all about everything altogether—performance art, pop performance art, fashion. For me, it’s everything coming together and being a real story that will bring back the super-fan. I want to bring that back. I want the imagery to be so strong that fans will want to eat and taste and lick every part of us.”
Entertainment Weekly put her outfits on its end of the decade “best-of” list, saying, “Whether it’s a dress made of Muppets or strategically placed bubbles, Gaga’s outré ensembles brought performance art in to the mainstream.” “Some artists are working to buy the mansion or whatever the element of fame must bear,” Gaga notes,” I spend all my money on my show.”
And let me tell you, without a doubt, her commitment to her craft shows! Enjoy the liberation that Lady Gaga presents because it’s high time we get a reprieve from the constrictions of life. We are worth, as Gaga illustrates, heralding happy times!
In Concert:
April 12 | Bank Atlantic Center | Sunrise | Florida