Lady Gaga's Monstrous Fame

Lady Gaga's Monstrous Fame

This time last year Lady Gaga was only just taking off. Her catchy debut single 'Just Dance' topped the UK charts and she quickly made her way into the pop mainstream with the release of her album 'The Fame'. Lady Gaga's following three singles were deemed a phonemic success - hitting the top spot with 'Poker Face' in April, 'Love Game' in July and 'Paparazzi' in November'. In the course of a just one year, Lady Gaga has seemingly secured herself as the new Princess of Pop.

 Dubbed one of the wackiest women in showbiz, 2009 was a year of publicity stunts for Gaga - who became instantly known for her outrageously skimpy outfits and platinum blond hair. Over the past 12 months, the ambitious singer quite literally took over the planet. Her songs constantly played on the radio and internet, her videos became YouTube hits, and her weird fashion sense was constantly displayed in the press. Gaga was churning out hit after hit, bringing with her an irresistible club-ready chorus of chanting "ra-ras" and "ooh-la-las" which crawled their way into our brains.




 Love her or loath her, one thing was for sure - Lady Gaga knew how to make an impact. But where did this 23-year-old American woman - who most recently topped the UK singles chart with 'Bad Romance' and cinched second place in the album chart - suddenly appear from? And how has she managed to become one of the world's biggest stars in such a short space of time? The talented beauty - whose real name is Stefani Joanne Germanotta - certainly didn't stand out in a good way when she was youngster. She struggled to fit in at her Convent school and was bullied for wearing strange clothes. It was only when she began appearing in burlesque shows with drag queens that she really upped her game and found her niche. Speaking of her time performing on those shows, Stefani said: "As I got older, the show got more over-the-top.

I'd be go-go dancing in front of 15 people who didn't know who I was but I'm a fearless person, although I shudder now when I look back at how naive I was." Finally, the ambitious beauty was spotted by music executive Vincent Herbert, who was so impressed by her music that he signed her as a songwriter to Interscope in January 2008. That was seemingly the moment which secured her future as a pop star. After writing songs for stars including Fergie, New Kids on the Block, the Pussycat Dolls and Britney Spears, Gaga finally found her musical niche of theatrical electro pop. Since bursting onto the music scene at the end of 2008, the flamboyant American has made as much of an impact with her music as she did with her fashion.

Her designer clothes and style grew crazier as 2009 went on - her shoulder pads getting bigger and bigger and her leotards getting smaller and smaller. Lady Gaga claims she likes to wear such unique clothes as a way of getting back at the bullies who targeted her at school. She said: "I want to create a space for my fans where they can feel free, and they can celebrate. I didn't fit in at high school, I wanted to be like Boy George and I felt like a freak. So I like to create this atmosphere for my fans where they feel like they have a freak in me to hang out with, and they don't feel alone." Since the beginning, Lady Gaga always said she didn't want to be known just for singing songs - she wanted to make a name for herself in the world of fashion too. She said: "Fashion is everything to me. It's just as important as the music. I don't want to exist to the British people as just one song.

 I want to be a true artist who affects their culture in the same way that I've affected American culture." The past 12 months were certainly a busy time for Gaga, as she established herself as a recording artist, performer and fashionista. She pretended to commit suicide at one awards shows, wore an outfit made entirely out of Kermit the Frog heads for an interview and - most incredibly - met Queen Elizabeth. The outrageous performer appeared unfazed as she was introduced to the monarch at the Royal Variety Show in a ghastly red outfit. But the star says she will do anything but cover up because she loves to be naked. She once said: "Look at me - I'm fiercely tanned and very orange!"

 Indeed, her semi-nude picture on the front of Rolling Stones magazine last May - where she wore only plastic bubbles to hide her modesty for the annual 'Hot 100' issue - showed the world she was brave, feisty and no one minute wonder. Not only that, but the girl can sing too. She is known for her powerful voice but is also a talented musician -having taught herself the piano aged just four. She performs the piano at all her live shows, and occasionally performs by striking the keys with her toes. She said: "When I'm writing music I'm thinking about the clothes I want to wear on stage. It's all about everything altogether - performance art, pop performance art, fashion... I want the imagery to be so strong that fans will want to eat and taste and lick every part of us." But, unlike some other acts, her elaborate stage design, costumes and props only add to the voice, not make up for it.

 The singing sensation - who has quickly become one of the world's biggest stars -appeals to many because of her quirky oddness and ability to not care what anyone thinks. As she updated her first LP and released her second, 'The Fame Monster', she embraced her uniqueness and used it to her advantage. She once said: "It took a long time for me to be OK with myself. But I want my fans to know that it is OK. Sometimes in life you don't always feel like a winner, but that doesn't mean you're not a winner." Lady Gaga has rolled into the new decade as a winner. Just a few days into 2010 and she's been crowned the first artist in a 17-year history to send her first five singles straight to number one.

On hearing the news of the new track, Gaga was thrilled. She said: "I'm so happy I could die. Just six months ago, 'Bad Romance' was nothing but a dream, a recurring melody, a lyric hidden on a napkin on my tour bus. Now, it's my fifth No. 1 record, and a reminder to fans to always follow their dreams." Regardless of her success, the outspoken singer refuses to be fazed and is confident in her abilities. Her mantra is to continue "defying all the preconceptions we have of pop artists." It would be easy to suggest there's a gulf between what Lady GaGa's perception of herself is and the reality. But does it matter? As the chart-topper has proven, pop music doesn't have to be blindingly original or clever - it just needs fantastic tunes. And, with reports coming in that she will release her third studio album later this year, Gaga has us all wondering what she'll do next. Her staying power has become more convincing with each single but ultimately the catchiness of her songs are sure to cement her place in the list of pop idols. Lady Gaga is, most definitely, on the way to global domination. By Laura Hinton.

Source: skiddle.com