NastradumasKid said:

Sandino said:

Donna Summer, also had talent. Incredible talent, not mediocre to above average talent like Lady Gaga has shown thus far. When someone has talent and is a pop star fans are more likely to forgive. Dylan can't sing for shit but people can forgive him. Prince says cookie shit from time to time. Don't matter, He's multi-talented multi-instrumentalist witha gift for songwriting. Michael Jackson became an eccentric recluse & possibly worst. But he made Thriller.

Lady Gaga doesn't have an attribute like the aforementioned aside from manufacturing hype, and thus ignoring her negatives isn't warranted.

She is nowhere near the level of those artists you just mentioned. She's has only been out for like what? 2/3 years? (not sure). I'll just sit back and watch how this plays out.

[Edited 6/7/10 0:23am]

I LOVE Donna Summer and she's got a wonderful voice, far and away above GaGa's, but I'm looking at her unsentimentally and don't see the "incredible" talent beyond that. She co-wrote some of her songs - and even wrote a few, too - and she dabbles in the piano, but not in a very accomplished sense. So, if you're speaking of vocal talent, then yeah, Donna's got it nailed. But the overall package, I think the competition is much closer.

[Edited 6/7/10 15:36pm]

VoicesCarry said:

NastradumasKid said:

Okay, but I'm sure there are many pop stars out there that are intelligent.

Many - like who? Please name one. I'd LOVE to hear Britney, Rihanna or any one of the label puppets out there sit down and speak intelligently about the wide variety of topics GaGa has addressed - with quite a bit of wit - in her interviews.

I don't know. Just because I can't think of one doesn't necessarily mean GaGa is the only intelligent artist out there.

NastradumasKid said:

VoicesCarry said:

Many - like who? Please name one. I'd LOVE to hear Britney, Rihanna or any one of the label puppets out there sit down and speak intelligently about the wide variety of topics GaGa has addressed - with quite a bit of wit - in her interviews.

I don't know. Just because I can't think of one doesn't necessarily mean GaGa is the only intelligent artist out there.

I didn't say she was the only one, I said she was the first one in a long time. Perhaps the others are intelligent but simply hide it - I'm not sure, I haven't spoken to them directly - but unlike them, she's not afraid to use her brain in public.

Anyway, I just find it amusing that orgers have been whining forever about acts not singing live, not writing their own songs and not having any sort of musicianship - and she comes along and does it all, on her debut no less - and still doesn't get any credit. I'm happy she's wildly popular because we need more people in the mainstream to move in this direction and fewer Jennifer Lopezes.

[Edited 6/7/10 15:49pm]

VoicesCarry said:

NastradumasKid said:

I don't know. Just because I can't think of one doesn't necessarily mean GaGa is the only intelligent artist out there.

I didn't say she was the only one, I said she was the first one in a long time. Perhaps the others are intelligent but simply hide it - I'm not sure, I haven't spoken to them directly - but unlike them, she's not afraid to use her brain in public.

Anyway, I just find it amusing that orgers have been whining forever about acts not singing live, not writing their own songs and not having any sort of musicianship - and she comes along and does it all, on her debut no less - and still doesn't get any credit. I'm happy she's wildly popular because we need more people in the mainstream to move in this direction and fewer Jennifer Lopezes.

[Edited 6/7/10 15:49pm]

1) Oh okay I see what you mean.

2) I'm sure she may be talented but her music just isn't that great. I just kind of wished she didn't try to recycle the 80s, I find that to be rather annoying and there really isn't any originality with her clothing either.

Why are folks so quick to call every act who 'writes' and can 'play' QUALITY now?

Lady Gaga is the perfect example.

Do I think it's dope she's a pop star who can write and do alternate versions of her songs? Yes. Are her songs particuarly good? Not the ones I know. 'Just Dance' sounds like a Kylie B side of a B side. 'Papparazzi' - really? 'Bad Romance?' Ooh that one tap dances on my last nerve.

I don't get the Madonna thing either. Honest to god, if it weren't for the media, I would never have compared Gaga, Britney, Xtina, Pink, or probably even Kylie to Madonna. Madonna has had more top ten hits than the Beatles and Elvis (or is at least tied). She has done so many movies (most of them bad); a 1930s showcase type cabaret record (Im Breathless), played Eva Peron and published books of herself naked. And then did electronica, wrote kids books, and still packed stadiums after age 50, i'd say the only woman to do so since...Tina?

Gaga has has 4-5 big hits. so what the fuck? she honestly doesn't remind me much of M musically, and M was always an 'artist' but always toed the line with her look and never went quite so androgynous/tranny esque, IMO. I think M has done so much more than pop music - what is it exactly that L G has done that is so different from the other songwriters that are new and also performers? Neyo? Alicia Keys? Beyonce? Save Ne Yo I don't like any of 'em...

She really is musically a retread of Elton John, Tori Amos, and Kylie dumbed way down and her image is very Annie Lennox/Boy George/David Bowie/Freddie Mercury, NOTHING new. She plays piano with pop choruses! So the fuck what. And dresses almost as 'weird' as Bjork. Yawn.

She is interesting but that isn't saying much considering whats in the top 40 at the moment. Decent songs, decent pop songwriter (remember she co-writes everything, which is often overlooked or ignored), and she knows what to say, what to wear etc.... she comes across as very calculating and fake in interviews, and she is clearly a product of the times which is fine, but her songs are hardly going to stand the test of time LOL. Again, thats no bad thing either, just keeping things in perspective.

Way too early to say if she will still be popular in say, a decade. Iam sure she will switch it up somehow on her next album, just like Madonna still does. She knows her pop history Iam sure and will be a force in the pop world for at least a few more years....

This is an interesting article on Gaga:

http://www.salon.com/life/broadsheet/2010/05/28/lady_gaga_academic_journal

I kinda like her.

She's very good at marketing herself and actually has real talent to back up the image, but her fame wasn't instant. She was an underground artist for years in NY and didn't go by the Lady Gaga moniker initially. Apparently the moniker was a texting typo from a music producer who helped her write some of her earlier songs. It wasn't until the outrageous image emerged that many media outlets started to notice her. Imagewise, she reminds me of the Naked Cowboy in Times Square. He's not world famous like her, but he sings well and plays guitar well; but, seriously, would anyone really care if he wasn't in his tightie whities? Hell no! Honestly, it's a struggle for me to take her all that seriously because the image overshadows her talent for me at times even when she's doing live acapella performances. I guess I should watch her performances with my eyes closed to truly appreciate her abilities. I did that with Prince and Madonna on several occasions back in the day when their images were annoying to me. I just don't get the greatness of the image. The talent was there long before the image came into play. She'd still be able to sing, play piano, and write songs as this girl:

[img:$uid]http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae133/ladylala_01/lady-gaga-early-concert.jpg[/img:$uid]

To this day, the only song I can stand of hers is 'Just Dance' which I still love. 'Pokerface' makes me want to put a pencil through my ear and 'Telephone' is just to me. Listened to the album and didn't hear anything innovative or amazing on it. It's a typical pop album to me...not terrrible but not great either. Maybe a new album will prove to be more interesting for me because she definitely has skills. All just my

Dreamer2 said:

purplesweat said:

Ok, to answer the question of which pop stars play instruments but hide it, off the top of my head:

Britney - piano - played piano on both self penned songs Everytime and Someday, has never openly played it in performances.

Justin - guitar and piano - he's become more open about it lately, even playing piano in the Dead and Gone video

Nelly Furtado - guitar

Madonna - guitar

None of them are really known for their instrumental skills the way Gaga already is, she incorporated her playing into an MTV Awards performance, I don't recall the last time a pop star did that.

Then add to that others like Beyonce, Xtina and Rihanna who don't play a thing. Bey and Xtina at least have their voices but Gaga has a voice AND an instrument, both of which she puts forward just as much as her crazy image. She reminds me of MJ in that way, the talent AND the image are equal, it's just a matter of which one you choose to pay attention to most.

Playing Instruments is the key word here .....none of the artist you have listed can really play an instrument that's why they hide it!

Britney pleaszzzzz....

Madonna pleaszzzz..... come on...really ...

Look you don't have to love or like Ga Ga to see she can play

I never said they were good, they could easily improve, my point is they don't put it at the forefront of what they do. It's more like a hidden talent, if you're a hardcore fan, you might get to see them play on tour but otherwise...

It's like if MJ pulled off some amazing choreography in Thriller, showed us what he's really made of, then suddenly after that every video he did was the standard "pretty girls in the club, lots of close ups on star's amazing body, money and drinks" etc It's stupid for stars to have this talent but not use or improve it!

MJ made sure everyone knew what a spectacular dancer he was and put every ounce of talent he had right smack in front of us, so even the biggest hater of him as a person still couldn't doubt his star power. GaGa is the only pop star in a long time to do the same, IMO. Only her image is more distracting and I don't think she realises how much attention it takes away from her music.

and why the fuck do some people on here think she puts her piano music up there with the rest of the stuff she does? ALL of her big songs are done using synths she didn't compose..if she was as forward as that as with anything else, it would be most of her songs plus her big ones like Alicia keys

True but she performed Speechless with Elton John at the Grammys and almost every time she does an interview she performs an acoustic version of whatever single is out at the time. She hasn't lately because she's on tour.

---

But seriously, everyone here needs to stop judging artists by the singles they release. Most of the time the label has a huge say in what gets put on radio and the label always goes for the safest, more generic stuff (Gaga wanted Dance in the Dark as next single, label wanted Alejandro).

Sometimes you have to dig a little deeper to find out more about the artist, rather than just watching one video or occasionally turning on the radio and deciding based on that.

[Edited 6/8/10 21:25pm]

VoicesCarry said:

laurarichardson said:

You know hip hip horray that she plays an instrument and writes her own songs. What difference does it make if it sucks!!! and really is not all that different from other dance artist. Someone else said how is she doing anything different from Kylie Mignoe or Maddonna.

You don't like her music. That's really what it comes down to. But a lot of people do (clearly).

[Edited 6/6/10 23:14pm]

We will see how long that last.

But seriously, everyone here needs to stop judging artists by the singles they release. Most of the time the label has a huge say in what gets put on radio and the label always goes for the safest, more generic stuff (Gaga wanted Dance in the Dark as next single, label wanted Alejandro).

Sometimes you have to dig a little deeper to find out more about the artist, rather than just watching one video or occasionally turning on the radio and deciding based on that.

to be fair, if they were so passionate about the style they want to really play they could have signed to a smaller record deal that would let them do the things they wanted to

obviosuly they'd rather reach an audience that they juxtaposingly have no interest in entertaining ?(because of the most of public's disregard for true talent and skill)

probably for $$$

I don't get it as an artist or anything else.

Shes one of the few people who can actually write a song outside of country and hip hop. She plays instruments and she loves the shit out of her fans. Plus shes exciting with her clothes and image. Shes the new Madonna for those tired of the old Madonna (or not), you can have them labelled as Lady Gaga's mother or Madonna's daughter.

I think this connection is made, because both are of Italian ancestry (Madonna's mother was actually Quebecois), love sex and sing about it, dance provocatively, make catchy electro pop, nurture other artists and have a HUGE gay following.

Zinzi said:

But seriously, everyone here needs to stop judging artists by the singles they release. Most of the time the label has a huge say in what gets put on radio and the label always goes for the safest, more generic stuff (Gaga wanted Dance in the Dark as next single, label wanted Alejandro).

Sometimes you have to dig a little deeper to find out more about the artist, rather than just watching one video or occasionally turning on the radio and deciding based on that.

to be fair, if they were so passionate about the style they want to really play they could have signed to a smaller record deal that would let them do the things they wanted to

obviosuly they'd rather reach an audience that they juxtaposingly have no interest in entertaining ?(because of the most of public's disregard for true talent and skill)

probably for $$$

Gaga WAS a smaller label, indie artist for a while, she has hundreds of pre-Gaga songs, all very Beatles-esque and rough. Obviously, that direction/sound wasn't what she truly wanted to do, though. There's nothing bad about wanting to be a world famous artist and achieve the most success she possibly can as an artist.

purplesweat said:

Zinzi said:

But seriously, everyone here needs to stop judging artists by the singles they release. Most of the time the label has a huge say in what gets put on radio and the label always goes for the safest, more generic stuff (Gaga wanted Dance in the Dark as next single, label wanted Alejandro).

Sometimes you have to dig a little deeper to find out more about the artist, rather than just watching one video or occasionally turning on the radio and deciding based on that.

to be fair, if they were so passionate about the style they want to really play they could have signed to a smaller record deal that would let them do the things they wanted to

obviosuly they'd rather reach an audience that they juxtaposingly have no interest in entertaining ?(because of the most of public's disregard for true talent and skill)

probably for $$$

Gaga WAS a smaller label, indie artist for a while, she has hundreds of pre-Gaga songs, all very Beatles-esque and rough. Obviously, that direction/sound wasn't what she truly wanted to do, though. There's nothing bad about wanting to be a world famous artist and achieve the most success she possibly can as an artist.

but she'd want to achieve that success as her 'true' musical persona

i know she was on smaller labels, but switching to big corporate ones that treat singers like toys? nah

laurarichardson said:

VoicesCarry said:

You don't like her music. That's really what it comes down to. But a lot of people do (clearly).

[Edited 6/6/10 23:14pm]

We will see how long that last.

At this rate .....it's gonna be a long time, clearly she rocking POP music right now, the less talented artist like CA, M.I.A, Katy Perry.....

Are worried and so they should be, she clearly drawing a line down the middle .......

Look Madonna could not wait to jump on stage with her and give her "Madge" blessing ...Why? because she is what she always wanted ....someone who could carry the flame forwards....

Britney fell off, Pink still trying to find her core fan base, CA ...well nuff said about her

Unless Ga Ga kills her career with drug's she will be around for a very long time she not 100% bubble gum pop so she will not sell as much as some of these artist in the first part of her career, and the CD industry is dead in the US so she won't sell as much as Britney or MC did.

But she is the biggest force in POP music right now, she's mega big i can see her breaking future tour ticket sales records with ease...

Zinzi said:

purplesweat said:

Gaga WAS a smaller label, indie artist for a while, she has hundreds of pre-Gaga songs, all very Beatles-esque and rough. Obviously, that direction/sound wasn't what she truly wanted to do, though. There's nothing bad about wanting to be a world famous artist and achieve the most success she possibly can as an artist.

but she'd want to achieve that success as her 'true' musical persona

i know she was on smaller labels, but switching to big corporate ones that treat singers like toys? nah

Who are we to say how she'd want to achieve it? Gaga IS her now, it's not something that ends once she's off stage, even her family doesn't call her Stefani any more. She found herself IN Lady GaGa.

I just hate her hits and the lame 1990s house-style production that underpins them.

Still the ultimate proof that she has talent for me is this:

http://www.youtube.com/wa...r_embedded

This suggests that her career may take a different turn for the better and even perhaps for the best once she and others get tired of the high-fashion thing

I wish people would stop calling Lady Gaga "the new Madonna" There will never be a "new Madonna",just like there will never be a "new Michael Jackson" or a "new Prince".Legendary artists can't de duplicated or replaced.Furthermore,it's important for artists to carve out their own identity....the way that Prince,MJ and Madonna did.It doesn't do Gaga any good to be constantly compared to Madonna.

SoulAlive said:

I wish people would stop calling Lady Gaga "the new Madonna" There will never be a "new Madonna",just like there will never be a "new Michael Jackson" or a "new Prince".Legendary artists can't de duplicated or replaced.Furthermore,it's important for artists to carve out their own identity....the way that Prince,MJ and Madonna did.It doesn't do Gaga any good to be constantly compared to Madonna.

True.

a

purplesweat said:

Zinzi said:

but she'd want to achieve that success as her 'true' musical persona

i know she was on smaller labels, but switching to big corporate ones that treat singers like toys? nah

Who are we to say how she'd want to achieve it? Gaga IS her now, it's not something that ends once she's off stage, even her family doesn't call her Stefani any more. She found herself IN Lady GaGa.

well the first small record deal with heavy piano music showed that that's how she originally started,she was struggling so she changed her image,you might as well say that for people who pretend to be something they aren't just to get more ''friends''

anyway i'm not bothered about this thread any more

moving on..

SoulAlive said:

I wish people would stop calling Lady Gaga "the new Madonna" There will never be a "new Madonna",just like there will never be a "new Michael Jackson" or a "new Prince".Legendary artists can't de duplicated or replaced.Furthermore,it's important for artists to carve out their own identity....the way that Prince,MJ and Madonna did.It doesn't do Gaga any good to be constantly compared to Madonna.

It really doesn't.

Anyone see Sir Gaga flipping the bird at CitiField yesterday?

http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2010/06/10/2010-06-10_what_a_lady_gaga_flips_the_bird_at_mets_game.html

uPtoWnNY said:

Anyone see Sir Gaga flipping the bird at CitiField yesterday?

http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2010/06/10/2010-06-10_what_a_lady_gaga_flips_the_bird_at_mets_game.html

I saw the picture. Apparently she's been flipping the bird at the paparazzi all week lol

estelle81 said:

She's very good at marketing herself and actually has real talent to back up the image, but her fame wasn't instant. She was an underground artist for years in NY and didn't go by the Lady Gaga moniker initially. Apparently the moniker was a texting typo from a music producer who helped her write some of her earlier songs. It wasn't until the outrageous image emerged that many media outlets started to notice her. Imagewise, she reminds me of the Naked Cowboy in Times Square. He's not world famous like her, but he sings well and plays guitar well; but, seriously, would anyone really care if he wasn't in his tightie whities? Hell no! Honestly, it's a struggle for me to take her all that seriously because the image overshadows her talent for me at times even when she's doing live acapella performances. I guess I should watch her performances with my eyes closed to truly appreciate her abilities. I did that with Prince and Madonna on several occasions back in the day when their images were annoying to me. I just don't get the greatness of the image. The talent was there long before the image came into play. She'd still be able to sing, play piano, and write songs as this girl:

[img:$uid]http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae133/ladylala_01/lady-gaga-early-concert.jpg[/img:$uid]

To this day, the only song I can stand of hers is 'Just Dance' which I still love. 'Pokerface' makes me want to put a pencil through my ear and 'Telephone' is just to me. Listened to the album and didn't hear anything innovative or amazing on it. It's a typical pop album to me...not terrrible but not great either. Maybe a new album will prove to be more interesting for me because she definitely has skills. All just my

DAMN SHE WAS SOOOOOO MUCH FINER AS A FUCKING BRUNETTE !!!!!

rlittler81 said:

SoulAlive said:

I wish people would stop calling Lady Gaga "the new Madonna" There will never be a "new Madonna",just like there will never be a "new Michael Jackson" or a "new Prince".Legendary artists can't de duplicated or replaced.Furthermore,it's important for artists to carve out their own identity....the way that Prince,MJ and Madonna did.It doesn't do Gaga any good to be constantly compared to Madonna.

True.

True, looks like Ga Ga could be more talented than Madonna, early days yet but the signs look good

It would be very hard for anyone to beat MJ or Prince as they are both natural raw talent, madonna does not have a raw talent so no problem in anyone who works hard to replace her ..

I'm not a huge fan but I like some of her stuff. I like her music a lot more than some of the other current big pop stars (Beyonce, Rihanna, Katy Perry et cetera).

badujunkie said:

estelle81 said:

[img:$uid]http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae133/ladylala_01/lady-gaga-early-concert.jpg[/img:$uid]

DAMN SHE WAS SOOOOOO MUCH FINER AS A FUCKING BRUNETTE !!!!!

Okay the 19 year old version of her body don't hurt either