Would you like to see a constructed Gaga or an authentic Gaga?

[Bebe 17,065]

I think, for most of her career, Gaga has always been a self-manufactured sort of pop creation. A lot of her early appeal, imo, was that she sort of celebrated the very plastic and artifice nature of pop culture and fame. She claimed “one of my greatest artworks is the art of fame. I am a master of the art of fame.” and claimed she studied "tabloids like textbooks".

Although this Gaga creation was true to herself as part of her artistic expression, she admitted that she was never truly confident and pretended while she was on stage. She embraced theater and told us in the monologue preceding the Marry The Night video that her life is an unfinished painting and that she fills in all the ugly holes of her unfinished painting to make it beautiful again.

This Gaga is a constructed image, it's theater. In order to portray a certain idea or theme (such as self-acceptance) she plays a character that is confident. In order to comment on fame culture, she creates the epic videos Paparazzi and Telephone that exist in this hyper-stylized alternate universe where Gaga is a murderer and Beyonce bails her out of jail. The image Gaga creates of herself and her work isn't truly representative of her true self, it's representative of an ideal. She isn't some perfect, superhuman, divine goddess - under all the costumes and bizarre performances she struggles with the same human limitations. She has the same desires and fears, she faces the same insecurities and she is as painfully imperfect, boring and normal as everyone else on the planet.

This image allows her to create and tell stories and allows her to effectively push certain themes and ideas. Gaga believes that everyone should be accepted and free to be whoever they want to be, she believes in self acceptance and building self confidence. Even though she personally struggled with confidence, she was able to effectively push this message of self acceptance and confidence through this self constructed image. The drawback is that it is inherently false/fake on some level. It's similar with every popstar, with varying levels of self-construction and honesty, from Beyonce to Taylor Swift. Gaga cannot be as perfect as the strong, unique, fearless queen/goddess she portrays.

 

In comparison Amy Winehouse, who didn't go the pop-route, was able to be imperfect. In her songs she sang with such a depth and brutal honesty about her relationship, her infidelity and her addictions. She was so was so disarmingly open with her music.
It's hard for me to imagine a pop star like Gaga singing lyrics about how while she was in a bathtub, her man is on the toilet and he notices the carpet burns on her knees because she has been unfaithful.

Like with Amy - I think Gaga was able to be more authentic and real when she sang Jazz, even though she wasn't the author of the lyrics she sang. When she sang Lush Life she was absolutely vulnerable and would talked about how autobiographical the song was. When she sang Bang Bang she would talk about Lüc and how he gambled and how he hurt her. She didn't need to put on a facade, she didn't need to portray a character, she just needed to sing and be honest. It would be interesting to hear her push this further in her writing, have it become more warts-and-all autobiographical.

This approach may feel more authentic, the music might seem more in depth, and the artist/audience connection might seem more personal BUT when you construct your image you have more control of where to take it. It's also far easier to tell a story or push a message, as there is more to work with in fiction and fantasy. That's a power and ability you lose when taking this route.

There are positives and drawbacks in both a constructed Gaga and an authentic Gaga, but what would you like to see more of going forward? Would you like to see more theater, or more honesty? 

[JgHaus78 1,937]

You went IN on this thread 

[Bebe 17,065]

4 minutes ago, AntichristHOJ said:

You went IN on this thread 

IKR I wrote a lot, but I was worried people would interpret my point that Gaga's image is constructed as me saying Gaga is lying or being dishonest and fake (which isn't close to what I wanted to say) so I really tried to explain myself as much as possible

[Loyalty 3,904]

All of this is true.. And I just really hope that LG5 is the 'Honest, Authentic' Album Mark Ronson has been describing it as.

[Slayer 9,227]

I want constructed authenticity, i.e. she should give the public what they think they want ("the real Stefani"), but actually it's just another character that she's playing. I think that'd be really interesting. We think we've finally "cracked the surface" of who she is, but actually she's still putting on a show and living her life as theater. 

Nice post btw.

[Noah 26,935]

I'd love for her to be unpolished in the music way and how she potrays herself. I think that exactly got lost within the last 2 years, she didn't show her character as much as she did with (for example) the artRave. So in that sense, I'd want an authentic Gaga. She shouldn't try to put a filter in front of her mouth. 

Yet, a constructed Gaga, is what made her surreal legacy in the early stages of her career. She felt untouchable, almost unauthentic to some. 

This is a hard question, but I am chosing the authentic Gaga.

[zakariah 11,718]

This question is hard 

I love when Gaga is open and authentic but at the same time the facade she puts on is SO entertaining and mysterious. 

However, at this point in time, I feel like we'll be seeing a lot more of her authentic side as opposed to the constructed side of her.

Nowadays, we see her wearing very normal outfits, and I think that that's her authentic self showing because she really does feel comfortable in those outfits, instead of wearing super high & uncomfortable heels/boots ALL THE TIME. 

So I think I would prefer Gaga's authentic side from now on. 

[Head Empty 25,003]

I don't think one thing has to exclude the other. Being very stylized, poised and composed does not imply also having to be dishonest or inauthentic. Deep and personal experiences can be shared through more than literal verbal communication - it can also be shared through thoroughly constructed creative pieces that are just as sincere.

The thing that in my experience has made Gaga seem fake from time to time, is that she forgot the simplicity of honesty, and in it's place opted to take a more convoluted path where she wasn't technically lying, but was severely beating around the bush instead . 

What I would like to see is a Gaga owns everything that she does and says. Her FameGa "persona" was very unapologetic and to the point about what she wanted to say, and even though we now know that it was an act, I don't think that it's impossible to still have that calculated and focussed approach WITHOUT having to hide anything.

Just stick to what's real and don't pretend to be something you're not, but still strive to create and achieve those ideals and fantasies that are dear to you.

[Killa 17,399]

I think part of what Gaga is has to be manufactured. She's the one who manufactured herself avoiding the record industry doing it to her, and using it to her artistry. Gaga was great at using all this pop cultural things, like guns, sex etc.

Now, i don't think she can completely step aside from this way of working. Even in C2C, she had a narrative, a staged performance around most of it. I don't feel like she can be any other way anymore because it's also a way to avoid the public, and protect herself. There's only so much that the outfits can protect her from.

So it'll always be a construction with Gaga. There's always a story, a farce, even if she's playing the "authentic card". And it ends up representation much of our society, so she just has to be clever how to use it. It can be lots of relatable.

Also, i'd add that those turbulent 3 years playing characters, drug abuse, dealing with constant pressure have probably confused her personality. She must still be trying to search for who she is. I don't want to assume, but seems pretty clear. It is very understandable with the kind of life she was having, you might get sober but you no longer know you are.

[Bebe 17,065]

1 hour ago, Totodile said:

I don't think one thing has to exclude the other. Being very stylized, poised and composed does not imply also having to be dishonest or inauthentic. Deep and personal experiences can be shared through more than literal verbal communication - it can also be shared through thoroughly constructed creative pieces that are just as sincere.

The thing that in my experience has made Gaga seem fake from time to time, is that she forgot the simplicity of honesty, and in it's place opted to take a more convoluted path where she wasn't technically lying, but was severely beating around the bush instead . 

What I would like to see is a Gaga owns everything that she does and says. Her FameGa "persona" was very unapologetic and to the point about what she wanted to say, and even though we now know that it was an act, I don't think that it's impossible to still have that calculated and focussed approach WITHOUT having to hide anything.

Just stick to what's real and don't pretend to be something you're not, but still strive to create and achieve those ideals and fantasies that are dear to you.

" don't think one thing has to exclude the other. Being very stylized, poised and composed does not imply also having to be dishonest or inauthentic. Deep and personal experiences can be shared through more than literal verbal communication - it can also be shared through thoroughly constructed creative pieces that are just as sincere."

Oh don't misunderstand what I have written! I agree that 'stylized, poised and composed ' =/= dishonest or inauthentic.

For example, her bravery speech at The Monster Ball came from an honest and truthful place, it wasn't a lie - but it was constructed in the sense that only a little while ago backstage when she was putting her makeup on she was crying and talking about how she still felt like the loser kid in highschool.

The constructed image she portrayed on stage was false, it's theater, it has to be. The woman on stage was this confident, dominatrix type commanding the audience to dance and put their paws up. She was completely confident in who she was. That is the image she portrayed, and it's through this image that she conveyed what she believes to be absolutely true and is at the core of her value system - that it's okay to be different and that you should unconditionally love who you are inside. The reality of the situation is that she isn't this confident, dominatrix type who is completely secure - she is the girl crying backstage.

Although the image, music and performance is inherently and inescapably constructed the message and the the art comes from an honest place. The constructed image however is fake, Gaga isn't the perfect confident alien goddess she portrays.

By 'authentic' Gaga what I really mean is Gaga breaking down this constructed image and presenting herself as normal, flawed, imperfect person. With lyrics that admit her imperfections, with performances that are less theater and rehearsed bits and more Courtney Love playing music and talking **** in between songs.

[HOTNebraskaGuy 19,547]

It no longer matters to me honestly, but we've already been hinted that this album will be authentic, Mark said it, and even Gaga said AHS cleared her of the need to play a part for music, or at least that's how I interpreted it.

[Bebe 17,065]

46 minutes ago, Killa said:

I think part of what Gaga is has to be manufactured. She's the one who manufactured herself avoiding the record industry doing it to her, and using it to her artistry. Gaga was great at using all this pop cultural things, like guns, sex etc.

Now, i don't think she can completely step aside from this way of working. Even in C2C, she had a narrative, a staged performance around most of it. I don't feel like she can be any other way anymore because it's also a way to avoid the public, and protect herself. There's only so much that the outfits can protect her from.

So it'll always be a construction with Gaga. There's always a story, a farce, even if she's playing the "authentic card". And it ends up representation much of our society, so she just has to be clever how to use it. It can be lots of relatable.

Also, i'd add that those turbulent 3 years playing characters, drug abuse, dealing with constant pressure have probably confused her personality. She must still be trying to search for who she is. I don't want to assume, but seems pretty clear. It is very understandable with the kind of life she was having, you might get sober but you no longer know you are.

That's what I wondered too. Could Gaga really ever pull off an album with the depth and blunt honesty of Back to Black? Going back to the infidelity Amy sings about on the album, if Gaga sang about cheating on Taylor or her romantic interest how would we react? How would the public react?

Would a confession of infidelity bring about backlash from her fans and the public who look at Gaga as this superhuman character? Would they see it as a betrayal of this image they have of her?

Amy really blew up with Rehab. I don't know if Gaga could start singing about how people are telling her to go to rehab either. I don't think the reaction would be the same. Amy was the troubled artist, we forgave her flaws and respected her brutal honesty. Gaga is a pop goddess, she is this slick, flawless pop sensation with expensive bizarre fashion sense. She is 'Mother Monster' she is an example and a role model - can we forgive the mistakes of a woman who portrayed herself as an example of compassion and kindness?

I agree that this constructed image also works as a protective barrier. Maybe she simply can't release her warts-and-all autobiographical album and be completely honest about her feelings on stage, maybe she can never be the human girl with human struggles because she will always be Lady Gaga.
 

[ChasingGhosts 726]

 

[Bebe 17,065]

Just now, ChasingGhosts said:

 

We can, we had in in the C2C era too, but this question is asking what you would like to see more off  It's asking what you prefer.

[giskardsb 12,565]

Nice post.

Gaga herself told us whats up as Jo "I'm not real, I"m theater."

Now, in the beginning there is no doubt she was self-manufacturing what I still consider her "Ziggy Stardust" persona.   Unfortunately by coming into the scene like this she cemented in many peoples minds that persona as the "one true Gaga."   But she never had any intention of keeping that particular persona around forever, and became even less enamored with it the more fans kept clamoring for it.  Lady Gaga in that phase ran it's course and will probably never return.  Revisiting that at this point would just seem like a desperate attempt to recreate old glory.

Lately the pendulum has swung the other way, in what I consider a "cleanse" she has been doing.  She has deconstructed back nearly to the root, probably to rebuild something else.  I don't know what exactly.   However, I think she got burned out on all the artifice in the pop industry and the way that it forces you into certain songwriting patterns to get hits.  Tony and Jazz reignited her love for pure music and singing, and all the tributes she did reminded her the power that great pop songs can have when well written with meaning behind them.    I think she will still be "Gaga" in her next pop phase, but it's going to be a more "natural" construct.

As much as I love Gaga, Amy by far has a better catalog and I consider a much better songwriter.  Amy put her soul and vulnerability and life in to every lyric.   Her songs have depth and meaning that Gaga has yet to accomplish, because Amy did not bind herself trying to write typical pop songs designed as successful hits.  The fact that Amy's songs became hits anyway proves that the pop audience is actually more varied and willing to accept a higher quality brand of music than the formula stuff the labels keep thinking they need to push out.  While some would prefer Gaga return to her old glory days even if it means making "accessible GP friendly music", I would much prefer to see what she is capable of if she ignores the rules of the pop music game and just gives us her heart, like Amy did.