Lady Gaga deserves better fans

[Hybrid AT 78]

[rant]

Disclaimer: This is something that I have been wanting to voice for long now but was unable to due to posting restrictions and this might be too long so apologies in advance 

Over the past few months, we have all seen how the coronavirus pandemic has devastatingly swept global communities, disrupting everyday lives in an unprecedented manner. In the US in particular, this situation was exacerbated by civil unrest over issues of systemic racism that sparked a major, long-overdue conversation about the Black Lives Matter movement around the world. Needless to say, almost every work domain was severely impacted, including the music industry and thus, the Chromatica era. Promotional rollouts were disrupted, slots wasted, plans scrapped, marketing strategies readjusted. The album was postponed from its original release date of Apr 10 to May 29. When the pandemic reached its height, Gaga redirected her efforts towards COVID-19 fundraising for the affected by curating a global relief concert in collaboration with Global Citizen and WHO. She ended up raising over $135M from the concert, in addition to the $35M raised from corporations before that. Then, when Gaga finally released the album on the new date, just as the album saw its way out in the commercial market she immediately faced a severe backlash for an ill-timed release coinciding with the rise of the BLM protests. Once again, Gaga decided to stop the album promotional cycle and redirected her efforts, this time to feature the voices of prominent BLM organizations on her IG account in order to raise awareness about issues of police brutality and systemic racism. Literally no other pop star went to such commendable lengths to shine light on and contribute to solving such pressing issues, yet some of her fans continued to talk sh*t about her just because “SAINT GAGA DIDN’T GIVE ME ANY PERFORMANCES!!!!! STOP BEING MOTHER TERESA YOU STUPID BITCH”. Disgusting.

Before somebody points out(because I know somebody obviously will), during this period of silence, yes she posted a total of 3(yes, just three) non-album related posts on her IG, one about her sponsorship with Tudor watches (which she was contractually obligated to based on her stipulated agreement with the company) and the other two about her makeup line HausLabs (of which she is a co-founder and investor and is literally responsible for sales to put food on the table for her employees). All of this is unlike her music where the only main thing she has to do is make an album and submit it to her record album as part of her contract. The contract does not include performances or promotional appearances etc. Y’all ever think about this stuff before going on to say “wHy iS sHe sELLiNg mAkEUp aNd wAtChEs, wHy dOeS shE nOt cArE aBoUt hEr MuSiC”. Pathetic.

B-b-bUt kAtY is ProMoTinG hEr aLbUm!!!!!11!!!!! B-b-BuT LoOk aT dUa LiPa sErVinG !!!!!111!!!

Great! Good for them. They’re promoting their albums during a pandemic and social unrest. Katy needed the promo because the album and the singles weren’t selling at all. And comparing her to someone like Dua, who is on her sophomore album and has a lot riding on this album to cement her position in the music industry, literally makes zero sense since Gaga went in HARD with her sophomore album TFM’s promo in her time. Also, maybe they feel comfortable doing so. Maybe Gaga just isn’t comfortable doing so BECAUSE SHE CARES ABOUT WHAT HER FANS ARE GOING THROUGH? Maybe she just feels it’s insensitive to have the attention on herself and her material during a time when LITERAL LIVES ARE BEING LOST BY EITHER A SUPERVIRUS OR BECAUSE OF PEOPLE BEING KILLED JUST ON THE COLOR OF THEIR OWN SKIN? If she can be sensitive and thoughtful about the situation that YOU could be in and empathize with YOU, why is it so hard for you to reciprocate the empathy for her? A lack of a “performance” isn’t going to fundamentally alter anything but a little lack of empathy on her part that she might potentially project by keeping the focus on herself and her work instead of the issues that need the most attention during these tumultuous times might irrepairably alter how say, for instance, a Black trans fan whose family is affected by the pandemic views her as their role model. Think about it. Be grateful that you stan someone who has, in her own words, “has the ability to have a perspective to see things that are bigger than myself”

 

And don’t even get me started on the ridiculousness and absurdity of some of the posts here whenever the topic of “Gaga doesn’t owe you anything” came up (quoting some non-verbatim)

“We bought the album so she owes us performances and promo!!”, “She is an entertainer and it’s her job to entertain us”
She isn’t a circus-monkey where you pay a ticket to see her perform to “entertain” you. Her only job is what she decides. It’s her career and she’s her own boss

“If she doesn’t respect us, then we don’t owe her praise or respect either”
She didn’t write a whole f*cking album about you to help you accept yourself the way you are at the height of her musical career, didn’t put the words “gay, straight or bi lesbian transgered life” on pop radio everywhere, didn’t go incognito to state dinners to have conversations about LGBTQ+ equality and didn’t yell “Arrest me Russia, I don’t give a ****” at one of the most homophobic centers of the world and didn’t risk her musical career just for you to say “we don’t owe her any respect either”

 

A large part of this fanbase is CONSISTENTLY HYPOCRITICAL and DISGUSTINGLY ENTITLED. Maybe it’s time to rename the fanbase from Little Monsters to Little bRats. The hypocrisy and entitlement that some members here (and on other platforms) exhibit knows no bounds. Why?

Before the album release:
Can she just release the album already? What is the point of delaying it? The pandemic won’t be over anytime soon. We just need the music she can stay quiet then plssss Gaga ugghhh

After the album release:
Why is she so silent???? Is she dumb? She is SO ANNOYING!!! Your album is dying bitch DO SOMETHING !!!!!1!!11

 

Before GagaRadio launch:
Why is she so silent? It doesn’t take a lot of effort to go on an IG live and talk about her album, her inspiration, the creation process?? She is soo lazy ughh

After GagaRadio launch:
What the hell?? 1 hour of radio show ?? Who asked for this?? I’m not going to listen to her talk about the album with a boring mix zzzzZzZzzzZz

 

Before Chromatica:
Can she please do dance pop again? It’s been 7 years, we are BORED and TIRED of jazz and yeehaw music

After Chromatica:
WTF is this?? Cheap dated 90s production for the club gays, where is TFM and BTW level music???

 

Before VMAs:
Can she just promote the album?!?? We don’t need radio shows we need VISUALS. Where are some performances hellooo??!?

After VMAs:
The performance was boring, the vocals were off, the set was nothing special, her dancing was low in energy, was she even singing live???

 

Before GagaRadio Ep1(w/ Bloodpop)
Why does she surround herself with so many yes-people?? There’s nobody around her to tell her when she’s serving mediocre stuff

After GagaRadio Ep1(w/ Bloodpop)
Bl**dp*p ruined the whole album!!!! He came in and told Gaga what she made was sh*t and made her cry! F*ck Bl**dp*p

 

The list of examples goes on and on and on...

Countless times this woman has been vocal about her struggles with mental health, depression, substance abuse, fibromyalgia, PTSD, paranoia from sudden and hyper-excessive fame, relationship failures, loneliness. What does or will it take for you to empathize with what she has gone through and/or what she might be going through? There must be a valid reason behind everything that she is doing, right? It’s her career, she knows what she wants from it. Why do y’all have to act so damn entitled, spoiled, bratty all the time? What good does the extreme negativity do or what purpose does it solve other than fostering an extremely hostile, aggressive environment? Now, don’t get me wrong. Nobody wants to create an echo chamber here. Constructive criticism and differing opinions are obviously welcome and encouraged. The problem arises with the constant hypocritical switching of positions and unnecessarily harsh criticism. There’s literally no situation where this woman can win. Every single time there’s someone unnecessarily nitpicking, discrediting, belittling or deriding any piece of work that she chooses to share. Again, no, you don’t have to like everything she does but you don’t have to go out of your way to tear her or work down. There’s something extremely disturbing and frankly, misogynistic and borderline psychopathic about how grown ass gay men feel the need to be controlling, trying to micromanage the different aspects of a female pop star – how they should look, act, behave, walk. Lady Gaga is a ****ing grown up woman in her 30s who knows how to manage her career, what decisions to take and whom to surround herself with. Get off her f*cking d*ck already. Harassing her friends constantly, her manager, choreographer, makeup artist, hairstylist etc. all of whom she has repeatedly admitted are the reason why she’s still making music, is NOT it. Grow the f*ck up and get yourself a damn hobby.

 

A large part of this fanbase also still seems to be stuck in 2009-2011. Instead of wishing for growth and progression in her career, Little Complainers constantly want her to regress by going back to her old sound and old collaborators. But then if she does there will again be fresh complaints of how she’s repetitive and showing no “artistic growth”. Again, no way this woman can win. Sad.

She isn’t 23 anymore. She doesn’t have to prove anything anymore by going to local IKEA parking lots and 3 clubs each night in 10 different cities and 20 different outfit changes over the course of a week to get people to look at her and her music. She’s a 34 year old woman, who has seen highs and lows in her career she never imagined in her wildest dreams she would. She has grown over it, it’s time you grow over it as well.

 

Are y’all sure you’re listening closely to Chromatica and some of the lyrics on this album?

 

Fun Tonight

You love the paparazzi, love the fame

Even though you know it causes me pain

I feel like I'm in a prison hell

Stick my hands through the steels bars and yell

 

Plastic Doll

Don't play with me, it just hurts me

I'm bouncing off the walls

No-no-no, I'm not your plastic doll

 

1000 Doves

I've been hurting, stuck inside a cage

So hard my heart's been in a rage

If you love me, then just set me free

And if you don't, then baby, leave

 

None of these lyrics are resonating with all y’all Little bRats? Or are the instrumental and the sonics just too strong and deafening for you to understand the depth of these lyrics and what she’s trying to say? Maybe it is time for you to realize that if “you love her then just set her free or if you don’t then leave.” Buying a sh*t ton of album copies, merch items, streaming a song or a video thousand times or buying a concert ticket for the front row isn’t what makes you a fan. What does make you a fan however, is your ability to see the human behind the artist, to empathize with them, to understand their struggles and to respect their work and appreciate their artistry and have gratitude and compassion for whatever art they choose to share with you.

 

To close:

Lady Gaga is blossoming into a bonafide artist who is extremely conscientious, thoughtful, aware of her platform, position and her voice in the world at all times and she WILL continue to be kind, spread the message of kindness and compassion and love through her artistry and her efforts to make the world a better place. She deserves your respect because she has earned it, not your vitriol and your apathy. Do better.

 

“I can do whatever I can to be a citizen of the world. I was born this way. This is how I am and feel and help to shift and shape the culture in a way that is kind. That is my rebellion. That's what makes me a punk. It’s that I don't give a f*ck that people think I'm annoying 'cause I talk about doing good things. That's just who I am.” 

– Lady Gaga, Chromatica interview with Zane Lowe, Apple Music, May 2020
 

[/rant]

 

 

 

And yes, I'm back! 

 

🎶🎵🎶  "It's been a long time since I came around, it's been a long time but I'm back in town. And this time, I'm not leaving..." 🎶🎵🎶 

[Guest]

Well, Starbucks closed a lot of their locations recently and a lot of monsters have a lot of free time on their hands.

[BlondeQueenOfGGD 25,454]

I will always appreciate Gaga and put her health in the forefront, I love her so much. 

[My Voice 201]

 

Gurl is this what you have been doing in quarantine? Writing this

[joannesrats 26]

2 minutes ago, Disco911 said:

 

Gurl is this what you have been doing in quarantine? Writing this

You seem like the type of person OP is complaining about 

[Flawless 2,227]

here we go again 

[RenegAde 18,731]

Iv learnt that we will never all be on the same page . She has a core devoted fanbase that will support her music no matter what and thats okay. 

Also i feel like this thread is coming super late  

 

[flyaway 15,350]

I didn't read it, but I'm pretty sure I've read it before in past several threads 

[River 112,366]

you can't expect the fans to be "yes men" and agree with everything and follow her like sheep.

People have opinions, as long as it's respectful, there's nothing wrong with that, if you can't handle it, turn off your router and stay away from the internet.

We are thousands of LMs you can expect everyone to like the same songs, same videos, same outfits.

Stop dictating opinions and feelings!

[Doot 2]

That WAS long, but yes, I agree. 

I don't think it's just her fans tho, it's one of the unfortunate toxic traits most big fanbases have. 

You have to learn to report, ignore or simply call out the behavior and move on from it. 

The behavior will change hopefully as people get older and realize she isn't sitting at her home in Malibu giving ANY f*cks as to what her "fans" on GagaDaily and Twitter are saying. She doesn't care. And she shouldn't. 

She is a smart, intelligent woman who knows what actually matters. 

 

And welcome back, King. 

[Hybrid AT 78]

....And they're here 

[Magneto 13,348]

Ok

[Hybrid AT 78]

5 minutes ago, River said:

you can't expect the fans to be "yes men" and agree with everything and follow her like sheep.

People have opinions, as long as it's respectful, there's nothing wrong with that, if you can't handle it, turn off your router and stay away from the internet.

We are thousands of LMs you can expect everyone to like the same songs, same videos, same outfits.

Stop dictating opinions and feelings!

That's not what the post says at all. Read again and then try again. But I wonder why you sound so triggered hmm. This wasn't a personal attack on anyone in specific 

[joannesrats 26]

4 minutes ago, River said:

you can't expect the fans to be "yes men" and agree with everything and follow her like sheep.

People have opinions, as long as it's respectful, there's nothing wrong with that, if you can't handle it, turn off your router and stay away from the internet.

We are thousands of LMs you can expect everyone to like the same songs, same videos, same outfits.

Stop dictating opinions and feelings!

What OP was trying to get at, in my opinion, was that it is healthy to not like every song, outfit, or video. However, the criticism towards how she handles her career, her choices, and her personal life choices is where most fans, of any popstar tbh, overstep. It's complaining about not having 3 albums a year and 9 music videos (hyperbole) when she has a lot going on, professionally and personally AND not taking into account her health. 

Edit: Forgot to add that there is always room for healthy criticism. That you think the hair could have been done slightly different, that this song could be more polished, etc. However, when you start to personally attack her or her team that's where the line needs to be drawn. For example, I strongly dislike the song Fun Tonight. I don't even like the title. However, I can understand why she wrote it and put it on the album and why others enjoy it. It's just not for me. Saying something like that is far different from personal attacks. 

[joannesrats 26]

also: if you're annoyed by someone trying to call out bad fans or whatever, then you may be part of that group