VF:How Lady Gaga’s Joanne Marks the End of the “Zany Pop Star” Era

[yASSsss 35,510]

On  a Saturday night in the fall of 2009, I was hosting a birthday party in my New York apartment and, as the night wound down, the stragglers who remained at 1 a.m. piled onto our semi-dilapidated couch to watch that evening’s Saturday Night Live.Lady Gaga was the musical guest, and she was performing her hit “Paparazzi”—as well as a medley of “Bad Romance,” “LoveGame,” and “Poker Face.” She performed the medley sitting at a piano, while giant oversize metallic rings orbited her body, as if she was a planet. And, at that point in time, she was a planet; all the rest of us could do was gaze, enraptured. I remember vividly that, as she finished her second performance, a friend (who, to be fair, had had more than a few badly mixed vodka-based drinks that night) remarked, “She is unlike anyone we’ve ever seen.”

When she performs on Saturday Night Live this coming Saturday, the costumes will likely be minimal, and the “oddness” will likely be muted, and it is unlikely any late-night birthday parties will be broken up in order to see what her performances are like. But seven years later, a remark—as she wails “Million Reasons” in jean shorts and a pastel cowboy hat in Studio 8H—of, “She is unlike anyone else,” would be just as apt now, perhaps even more so.

Read the full article here:

http://www.vanityfair.com/style/2016/10/lady-gaga-joanne-end-of-zany-pop-star

 

[shoful 13,304]

This is depressing to read 

[yASSsss 35,510]

this article took me back to the days when i first started listening to Gaga.such a good read

 

 

[Red 97,983]

I don't get why people are just assuming she is now a country singer and this is her style from now on, forever and ever. She herself said if you think you know Gaga, she proves you wrong  

[PI Floppedt 904]

The true queen of reinvention  

I love this part the most though:

"Her presentation for Joanne is perhaps as finite an end as we will get to the Zany, Weird Pop Star phase of the early 2010s (Katy Perry wearing a cube on her head to an awards show; Miley Cyrus constructing a skull made of french fries in a music video). All of that would seem silly now, if a pop star tried it. Gaga ushered in that phase, and she also now ushers us out of it."

[DontDoubtDavid 1,191]

Wow, great analogy! And you're right, she is unlike anyone today. She's always marched to the beat of her own drum, which is what makes her so special.

[PerfectGypsy 929]

Wow, I loved that article. The end gave me chills. She really is such an amazing person and I am so happy to be witnessing the trajectory of her career. 

[super ultra 878]

This is depressing to read. I mean, I've been following Gaga since 09 and I miss the crazy TFM days, when she was everywhere and everything. However, I know she grew up as an artist and I'm not a teenager anymore and our personalities and visions have become different, so I'm happy and sad at the same time 

[Aga Gydal 3,158]

Loved this. She's 100% the director of her narrative. She learned that to get people's attention toward something more meaningful, she had to literally turn off the explosive visuals. It was hard for the public to focus on her musicianship without being distracted by the pizzazz, a fact that she egged on further and further until she was just perceived as a walking gimmick. 

Good for her to take that all away for an era, sing good songs, and win people over with some honest talent. Once she can establish that, then she can venture back to the couture without needing to prove her worth as a musician. It's brilliantly smart.

[GABEL 1,853]

2 minutes ago, super ultra said:

This is depressing to read. I mean, I've been following Gaga since 2009 and I miss the crazy TFM days, whem she was everywhere and everything. However, I know she grew up as an artist and I'm not a teenager anymore and our personalities and visions have become different, so I don't know, I'm happy and sad at the same time 

growing up always makes us emotionally painful
I remember when I first saw Just Dance's music video on MTV and fell in love at  first sight
 and my uncle just said "who is this weirdo?"
I was only 11 years old then
we had no idea what she would become at that time.........
but she is a true artist now,  I'm so proud of her

[super ultra 878]

28 minutes ago, GABEL said:

growing up always makes us emotionally painful
I remember when I first saw Just Dance's music video on MTV and fell in love at  first sight
 and my uncle just said "who is this weirdo?"
I was only 11 years old then
we had no idea what she would become at that time.........
but she is a true artist now,  I'm so proud of her

It's mind-blowing that we grew up together, feels like she's my super-talented sister

I was like your uncle, I was shocked by the fact she was wearing wig in PF video - not to mention the other things 

[Doncho 27,241]

I cant believe the person who released the Telephone video and Perfect Illusion video is the same. I get that she is growing up and bla bla, but that doesnt mean she has to forget she is a visionary. Maybe she isnt one anymore, time will tell. I am excited for the next music video but also worried. Love you anyway Gaga!

[petty 9,412]

1 hour ago, PI Floppedt said:

"Her presentation for Joanne is perhaps as finite an end as we will get to the Zany, Weird Pop Star phase of the early 2010s (Katy Perry wearing a cube on her head to an awards show; Miley Cyrus constructing a skull made of french fries in a music video). All of that would seem silly now, if a pop star tried it. Gaga ushered in that phase, and she also now ushers us out of it."

1

BUT I'M NOT READY TO LET GO, MOM! 

#JUSTICE4DANCININCIRCLES

[HORRORHOLIC 104]

10 hours ago, super ultra said:

This is depressing to read. I mean, I've been following Gaga since 09 and I miss the crazy TFM days, when she was everywhere and everything. However, I know she grew up as an artist and I'm not a teenager anymore and our personalities and visions have become different, so I'm happy and sad at the same time 

I remember her doing interviews saying "I would never do that to my fans" referring to going out in public looking "normal" or being theatrical. I liked that because so many artists start off like that and then "mature" I loved the mystique that I thought was missing and I honestly miss it now. If anything I wanted her to keep going further with that. When she was doing all the more normal things I thought she was purposely showing critics she didn't need to do all the crazy things, but that when the new era started she would be 10 times more over the top and also really show off her talent at the same time. 

 

Of course the music is the most important thing, but all the other stuff made being a fan that much more fun. 

[aaronyoji 2,054]

The fact of the matter is those days are over for every artist. We're not in those times anymore where it's surprising or cool to mock gagas outrageous gaudy-ness, and that includes gaga as well.