Gaga is following Kylie's career path

[ReidOne 12,427]

I just had a major realization... And before you drag me, please remember that Gaga invited Kylie to her 30th bday party just a few months ago. For no apparent reason. 

In many ways, Gaga's 'Joanne' is shaping up to be what 'Impossible Princess' was to Kylie. Their indie albums at age 30. 

 

For those who don't follow Kylie, let me give you a brief crash course... 

The start of her career was absolutely MASSIVE worldwide (except the US). The albums were sugary candy pop, all produced by the same production team. She was adored by both pop fans and the GP. 

[this parallels TF/M era]

 

 

On her 3rd album, she pushed things to an edgier place with more "house music" influences than she had used before, solidifying her status as a gay icon. Yet, it also produced some of her most career defining singles.

[this parallels 'Born This Way']

 

After she broke ties with her original production team (as her popularity began to wane), she signed with an independent dance label and began working with underground dance producers Brothers in Rhythm... the album was a massive flop (even though it produced one of her biggest hits, Confide in Me). But it was Kylie beginning to take artistic control of her music.

[this parallels 'ARTPOP']

 

One year after this, Kylie recorded a duet with Nick Cave, which absolutely SHOCKED the world. He was an indie music GOD. No one expected the flop pop princess to be his partner. NO ONE. But their collaboration became a worldwide #1 smash hit, and completely changed the world's idea of who Kylie was. As well as Kylie's idea of who she was. She still talks about this collaboration as a "turning point" in her career to this very day.

[this obviously parallels Gaga & Tony on 'Cheek to Cheek']

 

By 1998 at age 30, Kylie had nothing to lose. So she made 'Impossible Princess', an album unlike any other in her catalog. She wrote every single lyric by herself. Fans began to call this the "Indie Kylie" era. She worked with indie producers who were having hits (such as the Manic Street Preachers) who gave her a more analog sound, unlike any of her past work. The album was a massive, massive, massive FLOP. 

[this could parallel 'Joanne']

 

During this era, Kylie's 2nd single "Did It Again" was all about herself repeating past mistakes. And the video featured 4 "Kylie's" fighting it out with each other. With "Indie Kylie" becoming the dominant figure for the era: 

 

 

But here's the thing... 'Impossible Princess' was a commercial disaster, yet it's still held in the highest regard among Kylie fans. Many consider it her artistic peak. And it is undeniably the album that kept the fans interest through her less commercial years. 

It was BECAUSE of 'Impossible Princess' that Kylie had a fan base to lean upon when she was ready to become a disco pop queen again in the early 2000's, when she released 'Light Years' and 'Fever' which became, once again, worldwide SMASH albums (INCLUDING the US!!!) and gave her career a 2nd life. She achieved the impossible. And 'Impossible Princess' made it possible.

When Kylie was once again a #1 worldwide act after "Can't Get You Out of My Head" on her 'Fever' tour she included many 'Impossible Princess' tracks in the setlist... but performed them in the 'Fever' era style... the fans LOST THEIR MINDS. It was a stroke of artistic brilliance.

Here she performs a mashup of her very first hit (and her biggest hit) "I Should Be So Lucky" with "Dreams" (essentially the title track from 'Impossible Princess'). This would be equivalent to Gaga performing a mashup of "Just Dance" with the most personal song from 'Joanne' on her tour in the year 2020: 

 

I really feel like Gaga may be following this blueprint. Commercial success be damned, she knows what she is doing. She is in this game for the long haul, and she is solidifying her fan base with this album. If she's following Kylie's model, it's time for her 'Impossible Princess'. She's 30 years old. She has a perspective. It's now or never to share it. It's time to give the real fans the album they can sink their teeth into. 

"I think I know what my fans want." - Lady Gaga, September 2016

 

To once again remind you, KYLIE WAS AT GAGA'S 30th!! What do you think they were talking about inside? Why would Gaga invite her? 

Because Gaga knows exactly what she is doing, and she knows exactly who has been there before. 

@Melisandre @Spock @ThisGuyTony

[Tresor 1,649]

Pretty interesting theory

[SpookyKid 15,153]

Wow! great post! 

didn't Gaga say that ARTPOP was the end of the start of her career? 

[FGGrayson 9,670]

Impossible Princess   i love that album, i also love Light Years, one of my faves

[zakariah 11,721]

Ooh yas nice theory. Here for it  But I do hope that Joanne wins a few Grammys though. 

[GagaXCupcakke 3,818]

...... Don't kill me. But at first I thought you meant Kylie Jenner

[HausAlly 799]

thats a pretty great theory, i love kylie 

[Fernster7 7,922]

I hope this is true, I'd love to see Gaga's career go down this path.

[Seeka 12,372]

Here for this. Here for Joanne culling this fanbase into what Gaga should lean upon. Or gathering those who want Gaga to be happy,

[HausAlly 799]

1 minute ago, Dora said:

...... Don't kill me. But at first I thought you meant Kylie Jenner

hahaha same the impact of those bloody jenner's 

[hELXIG 43,066]

Wow! Interesting read.

I think Gaga one day Gaga might eventually find her way back to pop. Maybe after an era or two of getting rid of it, she will start to miss it. Who knows. None of us do. She herself doesn't. But I'm just here for the ride.

I'm totally here for this era and what it brings! Even if it is a commercial flop. I'll be there at her shows buying merch and supporting her. I'll meet her and hug her and probably cry. I'll tell her in person how much she means to me, and still does no matter how she charts or what kind of music she makes. And I'll be there for here still when she misses pop and decides to give mainstream music another go.

[AdAstra 2,649]

Patiently waiting for Gag's Fever era 

[jojuun 4,159]

You have a point. I do see strong parallels between their careers but I think it's a MASSIVE reach that she'd invite Kylie to discuss that at her birthday party, LOL. So no to that, yes to them having similar career paths up until this point.

BUT the difference is that the first albums in your logic don't add up. Gaga established herself as one of the GREATS with her first albums. Which is rare, which is WHY we all hold her to such an enormously high standard. Kylie enjoyed commercial success with her first album but she wasn't deemed an instant high-profile superstar. Gaga was.

I don't want a return of "FameGa" or "MonsterGa" as some other users want in term of the music, the producers, the videos or the clothes. I'd just love to see a return of the artist that said in 2008 "I'm interested in being a interesting, commercial artist" (at the 2:00 minute mark in the video below.)

I want to see her grind like she used to. Only THAT is going to make any future era truly great.
 

 

[hELXIG 43,066]

1 minute ago, Seeka said:

Here for this. Here for Joanne culling this fanbase into what Gaga should lean upon. Or gathering those who want Gaga to be happy,

Yes yes yes! I'm loving this idea of a 'cull' or 'purge'. Get them out.

Remember years ago when she said "some of you will stand by me forever, but some of you will betray me." 

I'll stand by her forever.

[display name 4,360]

I see where you're coming from, but I feel as though similar comparisons could be between many other artists. It could apply to just about any pop artist who's evolved. They start in one place and find their way to other places.