Lady Gaga’s 2009 Video Music Award Performance (via MTV.com)
Lady Gaga’s performance at the 2009 VMAs completely blindsided me, a performance that could only be described as “opera.” It may make me in the minority, but the story, artistry, interpretation, and vision of it were so strong that I’ve been thinking about it ever since.
The performance coincides beautifully with the piece Out Magazine had with her recently, that seems to be one of the most revealing and thoughtful articles about the performer. It really relays a lot of what I believe about her, that she’s more than just a pop performer, but a highly intelligent, methodical performer AND businesswoman…
Every appearance and every utterance is a tightly choreographed performance. “I’m a method actress,” she says proudly. “I studied Stanislavski for six years.”
“I believe in living a glamorous life and I believe in a glamorous lifestyle,” says Gaga. “What that means is not money or fame or prestige. It’s a sense of vanity and glamour and subculture that is rooted in a sense of self. I am completely 100,000% devoted to a life of glamour.”
“Lady Gaga is more like a collection of quotes than a singular performer,” Los Angeles Times music critic Ann Powers recently wrote. “Every move she makes, every crazy ensemble she wears, can easily be traced. She’s a human mash-up, a sample bank, recycled and reused.” As Gaga herself puts it: “You’re only as great as your best references,” …. “There’s an art to fame. Even in the most humiliating and defaming moment of your life, you’re still ready for the camera.”
As Powers put it, “the split between ‘real’ and ‘fake’ seems to have closed. This isn’t because the quest for authenticity has been abandoned. It’s because, for artists like Gaga, fake has become what feels most real.”
“Nobody gives a shit what is really going on — everyone wants me to tell them a story. Art is a lie, and every day I kill to make it true.”
Love her or hate her, j’adore Gaga.
Quotes via Out.com.
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
I think she is GENIUS. Her whole schtick is to examine the modern aspect of famewhoring while simultaneously being extremely successful doing that exact thing.
PLUS she writes and produces all her own songs, which is infrequent at best for women in pop music, stages all her own performances, and is a good singer to boot.
I’ll take her esoteric and insanely fabulous analysis of fame over Britney’s whining any day. Love love love her.
I am so with you on this! Lady Gaga is amazing. The music, the outfits, the personality, the music videos, the performances! Everything is a big fancy show.
And she’s extraordinarily talented, writing not just for herself but for other artists too!
I love her. Her music does nothing for me, but she is herself a work of art, and by Jove, she is a goddess.
Everyone in the music industry is so mind numbingly dull now, thank god for her!
Fucking legendary.
She is so fierce and fearless, I’m just crazy about her.
.-= Annie Spandex´s last blog ..How To Make Tank Tops Out Of T-Shirts (Without Touching A Sewing Needle) =-.
I LOVE her.
.-= WendyB´s last blog ..Lick It Up, Baby. Lick. It. Up. =-.
Lady Gaga is a true artist and her performance at the VMA’s was amazing.
.-= Carly´s last blog ..Hello world! =-.
Her music doesn’t do a lot for me, but I do think she’s a really fabulous lady! Like Leigh said, it’s really unusual to see a woman in pop music who writes & produces her own things, and she’s obviously a savvy businesswoman.
.-= Michelle´s last blog ..Looking Forward to Fall =-.
J’adore as well. I love how she references a huge bank of things before her and that she does it all intentionally. She’s amazing.
.-= Alicia´s last blog ..So predictable… =-.
If anything, she commits FULLY to her art. You just have to admire the hard work she puts in to being the best that she can be :) Hope you’re having a beautiful weekend dear!
.-= dapper kid´s last blog ..Sunday Viewing: Keith Floyd =-.
I’ve only recently come to appreciate the magic that is Lady Gaga, and I now ADORE her! Her music and the way she performs it is truly legendary.
.-= x Corrine/Frock & Roll x´s last blog ..End-Of-Relationship Blues (How To Deal With A Break-Up) ? =-.
yup. pretty awesome.
.-= Mary P.´s last blog ..Can’t talk now. Boss fight. =-.
These quotes are fantastic. I truly admire her and what she does. She is never boring! But, what is great about her is that her over-the-top style isn’t meant as a cover for a lack of talent — she actually has the talent to go with it, too! This is what pop music is meant to be!
You completely took the thoughts right out of my head! I’ve had to defend my love of Gaga against my indie-snob, musical-elitist friends :) …she is unpredictable and theatrical and who can resist some drama?
.-= Ciara´s last blog ..Claw Polish =-.
Lady Gaga had stolen my heart long before i saw the quotes in this post, but I love her even more now! She really is wonderful – a true performer and a true artist, in my opinion more so than any other performer(s) since the spice girls! I’m not joking, btw – I think the Spice Girls (or their management) may not have had the most musical talent, but they were certainly fun, pop-culture defining and entertaining – and isn’t that what pop music is all about? I love it – great post!!
bisous xx
.-= Alana Ekerplay´s last blog ..Make-Over!!! =-.
Ciara, I totally agree! People get so caught up in their musical judgements… sometimes you need to accept it for what it is!
Alana, I’m so glad to share with you! It’s great to chat with others who love Gaga as much as I do, who see the strokes of brilliance, especially when so many others don’t know what to think of her! I definitely agree we haven’t had any pop-defining/changing artists in a long time…god the Spice Girls were AMAZING!
Tara, I agree! Her talent is truly amazing, and I love that she has such a mind to back up the talent.
Dapper, yes! It seems like so many artists don’t commit even a fraction that she does… so to see someone so engrossed in it is inspiring (for me at least!).
I love all of you for sharing the enthusiasm for her, whether its her music, her talent, her business skills…