In 2008 when Lady Gaga released her debut album, The Fame, and everyone was intoxicated by her hit single Just Dance, it was apparent that she would change everything we knew about the music industry. From her incredibly soulful yet catchy songs to her avant-garde style, Gaga transformed music culture. She went where no artist went before, from unforgettable meat-dresses to wanting to take a ride on a “disco stick.” She was unapologetically herself, and in no time, we were going gaga for Gaga. But recently, our beloved trailblazer has been under the radar. Vanished, even. We became accustomed to her bold presence and fierce singles, and we all felt the gaping hole she left upon us when she disappeared from the limelight. Some of us began to wonder if Gaga was nothing more than a short-lived trend.
Incredibly, Gaga is not only back, but better than ever before. After “going steady” with her boyfriend Taylor Kinney (who recently proposed with the most GORG ring), Gaga has undergone an artistic metamorphosis. She traded in her radio-friendly teenage anthems for some oldies but goldies. That’s right. Gaga and Tony Bennet released an album of re-mastered duet classics, trading in her pop anthems for classic showtunes. Now, I am no music connoisseur, but I can recognize when an album is, for lack of a better word, flawless. That is exactly what these two musical geniuses have achieved. Gaga’s awe-inspiring voice transcends time, teleporting us back to simpler days. She took a polar opposite approach with this album, but listeners both old and young are undoubtedly embracing the Little Monsters hidden in the depths of their souls.
Lady Gaga has, yet again, changed music culture. It’s safe to say that Gaga is embracing the Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta in her. From attending NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts to playing piano since the age of 4, there is no denying Gaga’s impressive musical abilities. But when she first made it big with her unforgettable get-ups and her first-pumping jams, most people were too blinded by her costume-y appearance and bold beats to truly realize how gifted she really is. But Gaga’s undeniable talent is changing the common notion that artists have to be one-note and stick to a certain genre. Like a chameleon, Lady Gaga displays an array of colors, styles, and moods, which takes true artistry.
From club music to your grandma’s favorite Bennet tunes, Lady Gaga has and will always been a true artist. Those who doubt her artistry, especially in her earlier days, simply do not understand what it means to be an artist. An artist pushes the boundaries, expresses themselves in multiple forms, and fearlessly makes statements. Artists like Gaga do not care about following trends or even setting them; these artists are just who they are. Then and now, Gaga has always embodied a true artist. When she performed hits from The Sound of Music during the Oscars, it was evident that no one understood how powerful Gaga truly is until that very moment. But her voice, confidence, and overall magnificence has been prevalent since day one; it was simply harder to see behind all of the different sides of her personality that she chose to highlight.
Gaga is unlike any other musician of our time. She has shown it is never too late to completely change your personal image and become anyone you want. Her vast array of music is just another example of how Gaga is still growing and evolving into an artist that will undoubtedly be an unforgettable and unstoppable force in the music industry. If all of that wasn’t enough, she has shown to all of the insecure, single ladies out there that you can literally wear whatever you want and the right man will still support and love you unconditionally. So, whether she chooses to be Gaga or Germanotta, I will always be a Little Monster.