Artist Research - Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga rose to fame during 2008 with her singles ‘Just Dance’ and ‘Poker Face’ She has developed a colossal fan base, climbed up the music charts, and done everything within her power to promote herself and turn heads.

The most obvious analysis of a pop star would have to start with their music and choice of lyrics. Her debut album, ‘The Fame’ (first released 2008), represents only a few simple themes: sex, money, and fame. Even the album's title ‘The Fame’ further reinforces these principles. If you try to look for any deeper connotations within the album you will be found wanting. Gaga’s song lyrics bottle down to dancing with someone you haven’t long met then having sexual intercourse straight afterwards, partying and spending your parents or lover’s money, also how you miss your ex's eyes, body or touch, and giving the false impression you're into the guy your having sex with when he cannot pleasure you in the right way. Even some tracks on the album, which are thought of as the mellow songs such as ‘Eh Eh’ provide subtle lyrics, loaded with innuendos such as ‘cherry cherry boom boom’. She seems to posses some vocal ability but utilizes it rarely as seen by the tedious vocals and generic-like sound to Just Dance. This song was clearly released to appeal to the masses, and to keep the musical hold on young female teenagers that other pop-stars such as Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera have done before Gaga. Madonna held the chokehold on young female teenagers with her individuality leading to many young women imitating her sense of power and control over men. It seems clear Gaga wishes to further reiterate this ongoing trend with female artists.

Another aspect of Lady Gaga is her created or commonly referred to as manipulated image. She has created an appearance of being high class, a fashion innovative, and androgynous. Her way of being high class is seen through her ornaments and fashion accessories, her teacup as seen in her videos reflects stereotypical upper class British women. In reality she has serious money issues and has gone bankrupt more than just the once. Thus she is sticking to the typical conventions of a pop/rock star (off stage) of spending all their money and partying. Presumably a lot of Gaga’s money is lost because of her fashion and show effects budget. Her clothing, which she makes, has also been praised as original although in reality her clothing are imitations of high fashion.

Lady Gaga also embraces her androgyny to a point where she is trying to follow in the footsteps of David Bowe. Gaga flaunts her bisexuality around to gain more attention as seen in her videos especially ‘Lovegame’. She is seen kissing a man in uniform and further on in the video kissing a woman in the same uniform in the same place. By doing that she reinforces negative stereotypes such as rampant promiscuity and little devotion when it comes to love as seen by the song title referring to ‘Love’ as indeed a game. Her whole image also reinforces gender stereotypes of uncontrollable shopping sprees, nymphomania, money problems, and limited intelligence. A clear irony of Gaga is that she's been praised for breaking down barriers of gender and sexual orientation when she has actually been the stereotype that holds those minorities back. Gaga has in turn succeeded in acting as multiple stereotypes and gaining great support for this. One clear case of the sexist ideas she upholds is in her music video for ‘Paparazzi’. All the way through the video we are viewing stereotypical beautiful women that are dead (or have been killed) which brings the connotations that women are victims. There is even a shot of Gaga falling and cracking her head and she is shown richly clothed with pearls left in her mouth, no cuts or bruises on her body, and clean. The only indication we are given that she fell is a small pool of blood by her head and the way her limbs are positioned. By the end of the video Gaga kills the man (her lover) that hurt her, this may be to make up for all the female victims she is aiming to appeal to with this video, but this portrays her as fabulous and charming not as desperate and destructive which is the logical representation most likely assumed in this situation. The way Gaga kills him is seen as feminine as she poisons his drink and as he looks at her realising what she has done she drinks her tea. Gaga is sipping tea next to him as he dies, as opposed to attacking him with a weapon, which would have been the expected outcome.

Gaga’s relation to Post-feminism becomes evident in her tracks and music videos where she finds herself in situations where a man is typically in control but she is in control, adding to the thought that women are equal and can do anything a man can do. Gaga is constantly searching for that one man she can be in control of and assert her authority on, in her video Paparazzi you see her change between the men she is close with, resulting in the further support of finding the right man, but there is something different with Gaga because of her sexuality. She changes between men and women of all different types which adds to the enigma of what does Gaga want?

Although Gaga has come up with her own unique personality to reach her target audience, she has still followed along the paths set before her by other stereotypical female pop stars. A running trend seems to be the typical beautiful, slim, blonde, vocally gifted, somewhat sexy but generally lyrically limited. All the other features make up for the lack of substance in the lyrics it seems. Many other female pop star artists before Gaga have had their time in the spotlight, some more than others like Madonna. This may indeed be Gaga’s time with what seems to be innocent pop songs that’s deep meanings generally go unnoticed. This is much like Britney Spears first hit ‘Hit me baby one more time’ – referring to sex, where in the video she is dressed in school uniform which is a common male fantasy. A play on sexuality seems to gain female pop stars fame, this trait has run since Madonna brought a great deal of sexuality to the front of female pop in the 80’s. Many others continued this to the present day including Madonna herself and I’m sure many more female pop stars will carry this on for years to come especially Lady Gaga.