Since I just started writing my blog, I am taking the first few entries to catch up on some of the main topics of the day. One of the most exciting performers lately has been Lady Gaga.
Lady Gaga is celebrated as a huge commercial success at a time when the music industry is registering record losses. With the advent of iTunes and digital mediums, music today is in a fluid state and the old market methods are not in play anymore. People are rare to buy a CD. It just does not make sense to spend $11.99 on a CD when all you want is that $1.29 hit single. And then if you wait about four months you can get a "hits" CD with 20 hit songs for only $9.99. Even then it is hard to justify a CD purchase. If the only thing you do is load that CD into your iPod and then toss it aside, why not just download the whole thing and not have the waste?
How does this relate to Lady Gaga? She is that rare example of an artist who creates a compelling reason to buy the whole album. And even if you download it off the internet, you probably want to consider buying the whole album. Lady Gaga puts together a collection of songs that all have ear appeal. They together build a cohesive story of sorts and as a conceptual artist deliver a greater over all message. Sure, we all want to sing and dance to Bad Romance.....but that song is just the intro to get you into great gems like Teeth and Monster.
As an artist, Lady Gaga has shown to not be willing to compromise. She refuses to lip-sync her lead vocals. She plays and writes her own songs. She dances and helps create her own choreography. She supports equal rights for all people and is doing great work empowering women.
But, the bottom line on Lady Gaga is that she is fun. Her songs are catchy and infectious. They translate easily to ballads and remixes alike. They are full of imagery and metaphors that allow them to be translated to a persons individual experiences. Her fashions are wild and creative. She is a spectacle to behold. She earns the title of celebrity by playing the game and not being played.
It is great to see a strong woman choosing her own headlines instead of being a victim of them.
The second I downloaded an MP3, the way I listened to music changed forever -- everything became a song-by-song basis and my musician loyalty waned. But a few musicians escaped the new regime, and I still will download anything they do. But they have to be damn compelling! Who thought that a nice Italian girl from Yonkers would have what it takes? Go, Gaga!
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