I want to share...

[Eurotrash 1,621]

I recently have been rediscovering Gaga in a completely different context, maybe because of my adolescence, but which has allowed me to not only hear but also perceive her from a different perspective. Some of these thoughts and ideas occur to me more regularly than others, but very so often I just pick up on obscure details that I might have missed at first listen (or watch) during the evolution of Gaga. Hopefully we can start a more thoughtful conversation that does not involve the market and the public commodity of the artist, more so an educated and (through our own experience) curated discussion about Lady Gaga now that she's established herself in the industry.

I've written these ideas in keywords and I elababorate why.

 

BAD ROMANCE IN WHITE

That song is so bright that I only associate it with complete brightness. The aesthetic and mood of the music video probably helped to develop that synthesthetic association but after seeing those endless live productions and renditions of the song, I can't help obsessing over the pairing of industrial, glamorous pop and sterile, bath-house sheen. Especially on stage.

Just look at her profile... she's plotting.

It's clear white latex suits her so well and highlights the bombastic quality of the track. Look at her going in 2009, so full of desire. And so extravagant too.

Anyway I would die to see her go full Bath Haus Of Gaga again and really reconnect with that nature of obsession, dedication and victory.

 

THE FAME ROCK ALBUM

While at first The Fame might easily be labeled as just a pop album with clever melodies and lyrics, the live performances of that time really show Gaga as a rock music fan. Just look at her Glastonbury set in 2009.

Those growls, shouts and drums. THAT BASS AND GUITAR. She was heavily referencing her roots in rock music and her earlier attempts at music stardom with the presence of her band, the attitude, the circumstance of her holding this massive of a crowd at only 22 years old.

Not to mention the many clues in the arrangements of some of the songs, here's a few:

This band interlude is practically a reinterpretation of Iggy Pop's "Fire Engine" (1983) (who she mentions in her set multiple times as well)

This one might be more known to others, but here's Salt-N-Pepa's "Push It" repurposed in Money Honey.

And this is just one of the many brilliant qualities I've learned to see in Gaga's craft. She has the gift of storybuilding a whole concept and constructing a very inspired yet completely imaginative song.

Lord, get her to bring back that sexy hardcore keytar ughhhhh

 

WHO MANAGED ARTPO

Seriously, who was Gaga managed by after Troy left her on the eve of ARTPOP in 2013? I know that Bobby came pretty ready to step in, but I remember that being early 2015 (or 2016 in time for that Gaga Billboard magazine shoot)...?

 

If she went on being self managed, she did an awesome job at that, because pulling off (and sticking by the focus of the album) such an ambitious project on her own without the backing of a long time partner with all around connections in the industry is not something that most would have the courage to do.

 

DISEASE PURGATORY, NINE INCH NAILS

Monster, Trigger or Replay come close, but Disease is the darkest Gaga song yet. Thematically and lyrically. It's just so graphic and uncensored, I honestly gasped after first reading the manuscript of the song off the typewriter.

"I heard you, begging for life",

"you're worse than you've ever been",

"screamin for me baby, like you're gonna die" (that's honestly shockingly brutal coming from Gaga, knowing that there's no longer any masking or dramatising in her experiences that get crafted into songs, not to say that "Fame Monster" is exaggerated in the lyrical content, but now she's more clear and sober in terms of her storytelling),

"you reach out and no one's there" (ugh CHILLS).

And the video too, it captures the best of Marry The Night and all of her acting career into a sick depiction of being so tortured and letting it be.  I love that she's again no longer afraid of being ugly. Not in the sense of conventional beauty, but in emotion and performing. Personally I find that to be Gaga's defining feature as an artist, and I'm glad she's no longer paying much attention to fitting the mold of archetypal beauty.

Twisted suits her well. 

I find that video to be truly autobiographical. She's portraying herself in her most innocent form; Stefani Germanotta. After facing her fate in disturbing circumstances she's altered, letting a violent sequence of events shape her thought patterns and fantasies, ultimately resulting in a purge of chemical imbalance within her. I've put together exactly how Gaga methodologies her process of creating, and it consists of self reflection, digging through the source of her struggles and "vomitting" whatever is released from her, then honouring it and inventing her own reality. Here she describes that process herself (excerpt from Gagavision circa 2011, Chromatica with Zane Lowe 2022, Marry The Night prologue 2011:

 

MADAMOISELLE GAGA

This upcoming reckoning of Gaga will be something revolutionary. If everybody thought that Gaga already reached her peak (in whichever sense of the word) by 2011 or 2018 with A Star Is Born, then i stand still on the potential of these upcoming months. Not only is Gaga arguably the most healthy she's ever been, but also the most practiced and experienced too. This new sense of maturity radiating her aura and certainty in her creative spirit is only proving that she's always two steps ahead, already proving her dexterity and intelligence. We already saw a completely fresh feel for the performer "Lady Gaga" at the Chromatica Ball, now it's time for the record that was inspired by that journey and her new found soulmate that encourages her creative spirit each step of the way.

I'm so glad to see her do things exclusively out of passion. Joker, Die With A Smile, Mon Truc en Plumes, Harlequin, Disease: Poison and Antidote performance, Wednesday just to name a few, underlining her confidence in herself.

 

DEEP CUTS FOR TOUR

In conclusion I'd lilke to manifest these deepcuts for the upcoming tour (or Coachella or the Copacabana beach concert) with the idea that these songs would fit the context or sonics of LG7 (not in order):

ARTPOP

Speechless

Teeth

Dance In The Dark

Black Jesus † Amen Fashion

Americano

 

Edited December 6, 2024 by Eurotrash
spelling

[Eurotrash 1,621]

Let me continue...

 

BORN THIS WAY CRUSADE

To me The Born This Way Ball Tour has become synonymous with a crusade of self empowerment and equality. That world tour that didn't leave a corner of the globe untouched seriously should be studied, in terms of the parallels. Gaga was literally battling not only herself, but governments, mentality and prejudice for the duration of the journey and I think we could all agree on the impact the tour will bring for generations to come.

From the setting, to the theatrics and message of the show, even the backstage tell a whole story about Gaga and being "born this way".

[Bonkers 29,484]

I thought this was going to be about winning the lottery