April 29, 2010

Lady Gaga has met the Queen of England, but the avant-pop star now finds herself in even more rarified company in the new issue of Time magazine.

Lady G takes her place alongside such luminaries as President Obama, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Apple's Steve Jobs, "Avatar" director James Cameron, "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell and Oprah Winfrey in the new World's Most Influential People list.

"An artist's job is to take a snapshot — be it through words or sound, lyrics or song — that explains what it's like to be alive at that time. Lady Gaga's art captures the period we're in right now," wrote pal Cyndi Lauper in the issue, dubbing Gaga a performance artist (a sculpture, actually) more than just a pop singer. "Gaga's lyrics are incredibly literary. When 'Bad Romance' starts, the music grabs your ear immediately. Then she opens with the line 'I want your ugly/ I want your disease,' and all of a sudden you're listening. Most of the stuff on the radio is not very clever, but Gaga presents her ideas in a sophisticated manner. She has an incredible pop sensibility."


http://www.mtv.com/news/a...gaga.jhtml

Lady Gaga
by Cyndi Lauper

I first heard the name Lady Gaga through a mutual friend. He couldn't stop talking about her. Then I heard her music, and I thought, Wow, I love this kid.

An artist's job is to take a snapshot — be it through words or sound, lyrics or song — that explains what it's like to be alive at that time. Lady Gaga's art captures the period we're in right now. These days, you go to a club and wonder who all these kids are. They don't seem to have jobs. How can they afford to be here? Her song "Beautiful, Dirty, Rich" explains that scene. It's about the New York prep-school party kids she grew up with. It's where she came from. Gaga's lyrics are incredibly literary. When "Bad Romance" starts, the music grabs your ear immediately. Then she opens with the line "I want your ugly/ I want your disease," and all of a sudden you're listening. Most of the stuff on the radio is not very clever, but Gaga presents her ideas in a sophisticated manner. She has an incredible pop sensibility.

People forget how young she is. She is barely 24 — much younger than I was when I became famous. It's very tough being where she is right now. People are pulling her in all different directions. It's hard to navigate that. Try to imagine what you were like at her age, if you still can. I can't wait to see how she grows and what she decides her next act will be. She only has two albums out, but already she is inspiring other artists to go further in their own work.

When I see somebody like Gaga, I sit back in admiration. I'm inspired to pick up the torch again myself. I did an interview with her once, and she showed up with a sculpture on her head. I thought, How awesome. Being around her, I felt like the dust was shaken off of me. I find it very comforting to sit next to somebody and not have to worry that I look like the freak. She isn't a pop act, she is a performance artist. She herself is the art. She is the sculpture.




http://www.time.com/time/...z0mW7YQl2K

Year of the GaGa!

even though shes a little overrated imo i do like some of her music but i dont see why she considered so influential

again, shows how mediocre nusic is when someone can rip-off every influential artist before her and be thought of as avant-garde

that said, I do like her songs and all but it's really nothing new, especially for an 80's baby.

I finally sat down a few weeks ago and listened to The Fame and The Fame Monster. I didn't like any of it! There wasn't enough variation in the vocals to interest me and the choruses are too poppy and catchy. I hate catchy music in general. I like the stuff that takes a while to grow on you. I thought Bad Romance was great until I heard the chorus. She does have some okay lyrics, but the choruses really ruin it all for me. Too ABBAesque.

I'm not quite sure how she's the most influential artist in the world. As far as I can tell she hasn't influenced a lot of people in Sub-Saharan Africa, Antarctica or the Middle East.

BklynBabe said:

& Who exactly was the last person in the realm of music that's come along with a monstrous identity and mindset & renovated pop culture the way she has this past year?

JesusFreak said:

...like I JUST said, everything she has done was done in the 80's she hasn't "renovated" a thing....more like recycling. But she is talented and has made it work, so kudos to her for success.

BklynBabe said:

I know JesusFreak meant "innovated", but, damn, "renovated" fits perfectly in Gaga's case.

And I'm glad Cyndi's truuuue colours are shiiiinin' through! I see her truuuuue colours! And that's why I looooove... her
[Edited 4/29/10 13:31pm]

Gaga is sooooo renovative.

Identity said:

I met my boss too.

^
! ! !

Cinnie said:

she neither innovates nor renovates...she makes Beyonce look original sometimes.

Renovate? Damn.

Timmy84 said:

maybe he meant....rejuvenated
not that she's done that either....

LOL, she only released two albums yet they call her the most influential artist in the world

Great artists take years and years to start to influence people, Its Just too early.

Most influential artist in the world? The state of the music world is a lot worse than I suspected. What exactly is she influencing? Her music is forgetable and her style? Well, Grace Jones, Dale Bozio et al. have done it before with some innovative musical muscle to back it up and hell even Madonna did this whole "look" in 2004. "The Beast Within," anyone?

So for originality on her look this flavor of the month gets a 0. As for her music, who the fuck are we kidding? It's very weak dance music. If the hype machine had not intervened we'd still be debating the merits of Britney, Beyonce, Shakira, Chrystina, et al. insert dive of the month here...

Behold, Madonna, does "weird," in 2004!


[Edited 4/29/10 16:50pm]
[Edited 4/29/10 16:57pm]

I've noticed that when people don't have much to say, they use words like influence and relevance rather than popularity..

TonyVanDam said:

LOL!

for 2010? yeah, i'd say.

NastradumasKid said:

1) She is the most influencial artist RIGHT NOW (meaning 2009-2010). Her music did change the charts, where shit-hop is not the hottest thing anymore, everyone is jumping on her pop/electronic bandwagon like it or not (just listen to the latest Christina Aguilera). And she is the first artist to have such a successful year in the UK charts since Madonna 1985. That said however, in the wider context of things has music has not been original, nor groundbreaking (although thankfully she isn't a straight rip-off of any artist either)
2) The person who said she hasn't influenced anyone in Antarctica... who was the last artist to influence the penguins?
3) I find it strange Cyndi Lauper paid a tribute to Gaga. Is she for real?
4) I do like Gaga but I have a feeling that her sound will become so mainstream that in few years we will be cursing her and wish the shit-hop would come back
[Edited 4/29/10 18:17pm]

jiorjios said:

The eletropop wave has been ruling the radio and charts long before Gaga hit the scene with 'Just Dance.'
[Edited 4/29/10 18:55pm]

Layzie said:

Layzie said:

I was talking about the BB Hot 100. Granted I wasn't listening much to current music around 2008 thanks to tinnitus issues but I don't recall it being big on the BB Hot 100 prior to Gaga. I remember Flo Rida and that kind of crap being big at that time. The european charts is a different kind of thing though but I wasn't refering to that

On a second thinking yeah, there was Kanye West doing pop and Rihanna becoming big with non-shit hop music but still there is something different about Gaga I guess... Those artists did begin their careers with hip-hop or hip-hop influenced music, Gaga didn't
[Edited 4/29/10 19:13pm]

As it was pointed out, synth pop has been popular since the '80s, it has an up and down swing and yes it was popular before Gaga came on the scene.

No hate over here good for you gaga.*Listens to the fame monster*