Gaga came to prominence following the release of her debut studio album The Fame (2008), which was a commercial success and achieved international popularity with the singles "Just Dance" and "Poker Face". The album reached number one on the record charts of six countries, accomplished positions within the top-ten worldwide, and topped the Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums chart while simultaneously peaking at number two on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States. Achieving similar worldwide success, the follow-up EP The Fame Monster (2009) produced a further two global chart-topping singles "Bad Romance" and "Telephone" and allowed her to embark on a second global headlining concert tour, The Monster Ball Tour, just months after having finished her first, The Fame Ball Tour. Her second studio album, Born This Way, is scheduled for release on May 23, 2011.[2]
Life and career
1986–2004: Early life
Lady Gaga was born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta in New York City on March 28, 1986,[13] the eldest child of Italian American Joseph Germanotta, an internet entrepreneur, and Cynthia (née Bissett).[14] She learned to play piano from the age of four, went on to write her first piano ballad at 13 and began performing at open mike nights by age 14.[15] Gaga was raised a Roman Catholic.[16] At the age of 11, Gaga attended Convent of the Sacred Heart, a private all-girls Roman Catholic school on Manhattan's Upper East Side,[17][18] but has stressed that she does not come from a wealthy background, saying that her parents "both came from lower-class families, so we've worked for everything – my mother worked eight to eight out of the house, in telecommunications, and so did my father."[19]
2005–07: Career beginnings
2008–10: The Fame and The Fame Monster
2011–present: Born This Way
Gaga's second studio album and third major release Born This Way, whose title was announced during her acceptance speech for Video of the Year at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards,[90] will be released on May 23, 2011. Its arrival follows the release of its homonymous lead single on February 11, 2011.[91] The previous date for the single release of February 13, 2011, was tweeted by Gaga at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Day, 2011.[92] Described as "a marriage of electronic music with major [...] metal or rock 'n' roll, pop, anthemic style melodies with really sledge-hammering dance beats", Born This Way will be Gaga's third release in three years.[93] She stated, "It came so quickly. I've been working on [the album] for months, and I feel very strongly that it's finished right now. Some artists take years. I don't. I write music every day."[94] With two tracks already confirmed by Gaga – one she has been performing during The Monster Ball Tour,[95] she has referred to the album as "the greatest" of the decade about "what keeps us up at night and what makes us afraid."[96] Likening Born This Way to "bad kids going to church" that are "having fun on a high level",[97] Gaga characterized her new music as "something so much deeper than a wig or lipstick or a fucking meat dress" and upon hearing it, Akon remarked that she will take music to the "next level."[98] On February 13, Gaga performed live for the first time her single "Born This Way", released on February 11, on the 53rd Grammy Awards. She was carried by fashion models through the red carpet in a gigantic embryo-shaped incubator (called "The Vessel" by its designer, Hussein Chalayan[99]), from where she emerged onstage for her performance. The song debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100, being the 19th number-one debut and the 1,000th number-one single in the history of the charts.[100] As well as this, the song debuted at number one in seven other countries and sold more than one million digital copies in five days. Previous to the release of the album, the singer had bought her own unreleased music in October 2010.[101]
Artistry
Musical style and influences
Gaga has been influenced by glam rock artists such as David Bowie and Queen, as well as pop music artists such as Madonna, Britney Spears and Michael Jackson.[28][104][105] The Queen song "Radio Ga Ga" inspired her stage name, "Lady Gaga".[23][106] She commented: "I adored Freddie Mercury and Queen had a hit called 'Radio Gaga'. That's why I love the name [...] Freddie was unique – one of the biggest personalities in the whole of pop music."[105] In response to the comparisons between herself and Madonna, Gaga stated: "I don't want to sound presumptuous, but I've made it my goal to revolutionise pop music. The last revolution was launched by Madonna 25 years ago."[105] Actress and singer Grace Jones was also cited as an inspiration, along with Blondie singer Debbie Harry.[107][108][109]
Public image
Critical reception of Gaga's music, fashion sense and persona are mixed. Her status as a role model, trailblazer and fashion icon is by turns affirmed and denied.[119][120][121][122] Gaga's albums have received mostly positive reviews,[47] with critics pointing out her unique place in pop music, the need for new movements in popular culture, the attention Gaga brings to important social issues, and the inherently subjective nature of her art.[123][124][125] Her role as a self-esteem booster for her fans is also lauded, as is her role in breathing life into the fashion industry.[126] Her performances are described as "highly entertaining and innovative"; in particular, the blood-spurting performance of "Paparazzi" at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards was described as "eye-popping" by MTV.[127] She continued the "blood soaked" theme in The Monster Ball Tour, in which she wore a revealing leather corset and is "attacked" by a performer dressed in black who gnaws on her throat, causing "blood" to spurt down her chest, after which she lies "dying" in a pool of blood. Her performances of that scene in Manchester, England triggered protests from family groups and fans in the aftermath of a local tragedy, in which a taxi driver had murdered 12 people.[128] "What happened in Bradford is very fresh in people's minds and given all the violence which happened in Cumbria just hours earlier, it was insensitive," said Lynn Costello of Mothers Against Violence.[129] Chris Rock later defended her flamboyant, provocative behavior. "Well, she's Lady Gaga," he said. "She's not 'Lady Behave Yourself.' Do you want great behavior from a person named Gaga? Is this what you were expecting?"[130] She later returned to the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards wearing a dress which was supplemented by boots, a purse and a hat—each fabricated from the flesh of a dead animal.[131] The dress, named Time magazine's Fashion Statement of 2010[132] and more widely known as the "meat dress", was made by Argentinian designer Franc Fernandez and received divided opinions—evoking the attention of worldwide media but invoking the fury of animal rights organization PETA.[133] Gaga, however, later denied any intention of causing disrespect to any person or organization and wished for the dress to be interpreted as a statement of human rights with focus upon those in the LGBT community.[134]
Discography
Main article: Lady Gaga discography
- The Fame (2008)
- The Fame Monster (2009)
- Born This Way (2011)
Tours
- The Fame Ball Tour (2009)
- The Monster Ball Tour (2009–11)
Awards and nominations
Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Lady Gaga
No comments:
Post a Comment