Before I get a possible high number of "Monsters" getting angry with me, let me start off this blog by saying that I do actually quite like Lady GaGa. She's got some catchy tunes, has a killer voice and is actually pretty talented. I got on the GaGa bandwagon a bit late admittedly, but as her career progresses and as the video for "Born This Way" hit the internet, I couldn't help but think "Hmm..."
I understand that bullying and prejudice is a huge issue. As I am someone who suffered from it from my child years to my teen years along with my best friend, I can say that I truly and honestly relate to a few other people's bullying stories. And I understand. I have nothing against the song; the tune is a bit familiar but it's great to see an artist as big as GaGa take a stand. When you're feeling low - whether that be because of bullying or depression or whatever else - everyone needs a "pick me up" song that helps give them confidence and we all need someone to look up to at some point in our lives. As GaGa has dubbed herself as "Mother Monster", I guess she wants to be that kind of figure for her fanbase. Although obviously every artist/celebrity wants to be a good role model.
So anyway, I have nothing against GaGa or the song. It's the damn video.
Seriously, what is it with her making weird little mini series? These edits don't make it on music channels. Sure if people wanna watch the full thing they can just YouTube it, but it doesn't make it on TV nor is that weird spoken story bit on the radio either. I know it fits in with the storyline of the song and all (well, Telephone didn't exactly fit...) but is it really necessary? Maybe everyone loves them and I'm a minority, but it gets on my nerves a bit. GaGa, just do a music video please? I don't need the weird stuff, and the giving birth bit is not epic or inspirational, it's minging.
Secondly, she sings about gays, bisexuals, transgenders, people who are bullied, those who are black, white, oriental, and everything else. Erm, where are they in the video, GaGa? All I see is a dingy, dark, black background with attractive dancers in barely anything and you in skimpy underwear parading around with all cameras on you. We all know you love attention GaGa, but surely this is the one song where the video should have been focused on those to who it matters to most and not on you, for a change? How amazing would it have been to see all the people she sings about in one video looking happy and accepted? I mean, that's the core of this song, that's what it's all about! "No matter gay, straight or bi, lesbian, transgendered life, I'm on the right track baby, I was born to survive. No matter black, white or beige, chola or Orient made, I'm on the right track baby, I was born to be brave." So tell me, how is GaGa dancing around in tiny underwear relevent to this song at all? This song matters to a lot of people, it's quite clear by the amount of comments on YouTube. Wouldn't it have been more meaningful, more uplifting, more inspirational for people if it had included people like them? Clearly not a lot of people have a problem with the video so maybe I should just shut up, but it bothers me that even though it's a song for others GaGa still takes centre stage.
Take a look at these videos that contain a very similar if not identical message to GaGa's song. The first one is called "Ugly" by the Sugababes. Not the best song in the world in my opinion, but the video is filled with people who have unique skills (and probably bullied and considered freaks because of them) showcasing and celebrating their skills, with the artists themselves joining in with them and having everyone hold up blackboards with the lyrics to the song written on them.
The second one is that famous video by Christina Aguilera, which features several people who are clearly uncomfortable with themselves and how they look, and the torture and shame they go through because they're considered different by society, but pulling through and accepting themselves for who they are, not caring about anyone else. It's a very simple video but works very well and really gets the message across, even if some bits are uncomfortable to watch depending on the individual. I was about 14 when it came out and it was the first time I ever saw a gay kiss!
Even Katy Perry managed to do it better than GaGa with her video for the song "Firework". In this video she showcases parents arguing in front of children, a girl unhappy with her body, a cancer patient, a gay man, someone getting mugged etc. It's an uplifting song with an uplifting video to help people realise that you're worth more than you realise and that you matter.
This also came out when I was at school, round about the same time as Christina's "Beautiful". It's a very emotional and powerful video of the actions of victims who couldn't take more of life or those who were victims to random shootings. It's not exactly in the same boat as the videos above as they're more uplifting and inspirational whereas this one is designed to make you think about your actions and how you treat others, but it's still about the vulnerability of others.
And then you get GaGa dancing around in her underwear.
Just sayin'.
Showing posts with label Lady GaGa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lady GaGa. Show all posts
Thursday, 24 March 2011
Thursday, 28 January 2010
I am a Monster
Back in late 2008, a new musician came on the scene and everyone raved about her. I kept seeing her name pop up in newspapers and websites, and saw her in outrageous outfits. I remember seeing pictures of her in cold, breezy London wearing barely anything but leotards and thinking the woman was an idiot. I don't often listen to Radio, nor was I often flicking through the music channels and so I had never even heard her music. Oh, and nor did I plan to.
Roll on to March 2009 when I was on my way to a Theme Park with a group of friends. My friend Sara played some of this woman's songs though at the time, I had no idea it was her. I had to admit the songs were catchy - if a little daft - but then I recognised one song. P-p-p-poker Face, P-p-poker Face. I only recognised it because I knew she had a single out and the title was "Poker Face".
I knew then that I was listening to Lady GaGa. Did I know that it was also her singing "LoveGame" and "Boys, Boys, Boys"? No, for some reason it didn't click, but I instantly fell in love with Poker Face and the obsession slowly began to start right in that car.
I can't exactly remember what happened after that. I knew her first single was "Just Dance" and everyone loved that song, so I think I either YouTubed it or saw it on a Music Channel. I then saw passed all the crazy outfits, I saw a performer. I saw an artist. I knew I was hooked when I saw the video for Poker Face, where she sings "And after he's been hooked I'll play the one that's on his heart" and she's strutting towards the camera near the pool.
She was confident, she knew how to create attention. It was like she'd been in the music industry for years. She knows what she wants.
I love the beginning of Poker Face; the single beats at first, then the synths, the "m-m-m-muh" and then the main tune. It creates a build up and the way GaGa comes up from the pool, slides down, and then slinks towards the camera before throwing her mask away is just...well, brilliant. I can't really explain it. The way she's all slow while the music is funky. I love how the camera works as well, where GaGa gets all twitchy. It sort of reminds me of Rihanna's "Disturbia" video, because it's like the topic they're about to sing about is twisted, abnormal. Different.
Then she began to dance to the chorus in some sort of Animé superhero inspired outfit. Dancing is totally my thing, so I was even more impressed when I learned she was a dancer too, and a pretty decent one. The girl's got talent, that I couldn't deny.
Though to be honest, I couldn't really quite work out what the song was about, especially the "bluffin' with my muffin'"
I was pretty surprised to learn that it was about thinking of a different gender or person when making love to your partner. See, a lot of songs nowadays are about love or break ups or heartbreak, and GaGa's songs are in the same topic but she writes from a different perspective. She doesn't go all JLS on us ("Let's just get back together, we should have never broke up. You're telling me how my heart won't beat again. We should have stayed together, but when you left me it stopped. You're telling me how my heart won't beat again.")
Lady GaGa: Well I do have a really big donkey dick.
Look at how they all laugh and have faces showing shock. GaGa didn't say it to be controversial (at least, this is the impression I get) but she was just showing how lame those rumours were and was joking with it. I honestly, truly believe that GaGa is an intelligent lady. Everything she does is for a reason.
I read PerezHilton.com everyday and I came across a clip of Lady GaGa singing an acoustic version of Poker Face in Japan. Y'all know the one I'm talking about, she has a massive elephant on her head (not literally.) I had done no research on GaGa and was even MORE impressed that she played piano (which she's been playing since she was four, I'll have you know) and she completely changed the song. It's not my favourite performance of Poker Face but I certainly viewed GaGa in a different way. When I first heard of her I thought she'd be another popstar people would obsess over for a year and then disappear. This video proved to me how versatile she was and how she really was here to stay.
Yet I was reluctant to buy the album. I loved all her singles (except Paparazzi) and months flew by.
And then Bad Romance came out. Again people raved about it so I had to YouTube it. It was definitely the strangest video yet but I absolutely adored it. The monsters hatching from the eggs and doing weird claw like movements, GaGa in a black underwear set with crystal orbs floating around her, the white set where she does the chorus dance, the strange glittery green outfit, and the red latex outfit at the end.
It's all quite weird, it doesn't necessarily make sense but it's one hell of a video. GaGa's performance is just top notch. She's so confident in what she does, she really is truly an artist and I greatly admire her. I don't care what anyone says. And the "Rah, rah, ah-ah-ah, roma, roma ma, GaGa, ooh lala, want your Bad Romance" is probably one of best catch lines I've ever heard.
Ever since this video I searched her a lot more, YouTubed interviews to see what she was like as a person. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that she is a genuinely nice young woman (even offering sweets to the kids on the Paul O'Grady show) and really interesting. I really enjoyed this interview she had with Alex Chung. She talks about Bad Romance and her take on the video, what Bad Romance means plus a lot more.
This is also a really special interview she did with Ellen DeGeneres, as she talks about the fashion she wears, what her past was like and why she wrote "Speechless".
The same with Speechless: everyone was talking about it and I knew I had to listen to it. The first time I heard it was actually on the Royal Variety Performance TV show. My family aren't really a fan of GaGa but I loved how it was her at the piano and just singing. You could really concentrate on how beautiful her voice was and just listen to the lyrics. I won't post the Royal Variety performance video because I think this video is better than that one.
She looks so emotional which just makes her and the song just a whole lot more human.
As soon as I heard that song on the Royal Variety I YouTubed all the songs from "The Fame Monster" and found myself listening to them on repeat and practically everyday.
I don't really know why I resisted buying her album for so long, but I did. Now I have "The Fame" and "The Fame Monster" and I absolutely adore both albums.
Her first album is a lot more poppy with a mix of dance and r'n'b (Just Dance, Poker Face, Nothing Else I can Say, Starstruck, Fame) but her second is a lot darker lyrically and more electronic. I highly recommend both.
Oh, and GaGa is a good person, too. The money that would be made from merchandise and ticket sales would go towards Haiti. In this performance of "Speechless" (which was posted on PerezHilton.com) GaGa announces that "her little monsters" made over half a million dollars for the Haiti Charity. How amazing is that? I also recommend watching the video because of how the audience interacts with the song. (song starts at about 3:00)
Officially proud to say that I have become a GaGa Monster.
Roll on to March 2009 when I was on my way to a Theme Park with a group of friends. My friend Sara played some of this woman's songs though at the time, I had no idea it was her. I had to admit the songs were catchy - if a little daft - but then I recognised one song. P-p-p-poker Face, P-p-poker Face. I only recognised it because I knew she had a single out and the title was "Poker Face".
I knew then that I was listening to Lady GaGa. Did I know that it was also her singing "LoveGame" and "Boys, Boys, Boys"? No, for some reason it didn't click, but I instantly fell in love with Poker Face and the obsession slowly began to start right in that car.
I can't exactly remember what happened after that. I knew her first single was "Just Dance" and everyone loved that song, so I think I either YouTubed it or saw it on a Music Channel. I then saw passed all the crazy outfits, I saw a performer. I saw an artist. I knew I was hooked when I saw the video for Poker Face, where she sings "And after he's been hooked I'll play the one that's on his heart" and she's strutting towards the camera near the pool.
She was confident, she knew how to create attention. It was like she'd been in the music industry for years. She knows what she wants.
I love the beginning of Poker Face; the single beats at first, then the synths, the "m-m-m-muh" and then the main tune. It creates a build up and the way GaGa comes up from the pool, slides down, and then slinks towards the camera before throwing her mask away is just...well, brilliant. I can't really explain it. The way she's all slow while the music is funky. I love how the camera works as well, where GaGa gets all twitchy. It sort of reminds me of Rihanna's "Disturbia" video, because it's like the topic they're about to sing about is twisted, abnormal. Different.
Then she began to dance to the chorus in some sort of Animé superhero inspired outfit. Dancing is totally my thing, so I was even more impressed when I learned she was a dancer too, and a pretty decent one. The girl's got talent, that I couldn't deny.
Though to be honest, I couldn't really quite work out what the song was about, especially the "bluffin' with my muffin'"
I was pretty surprised to learn that it was about thinking of a different gender or person when making love to your partner. See, a lot of songs nowadays are about love or break ups or heartbreak, and GaGa's songs are in the same topic but she writes from a different perspective. She doesn't go all JLS on us ("Let's just get back together, we should have never broke up. You're telling me how my heart won't beat again. We should have stayed together, but when you left me it stopped. You're telling me how my heart won't beat again.")
Lady GaGa: Well I do have a really big donkey dick.
Look at how they all laugh and have faces showing shock. GaGa didn't say it to be controversial (at least, this is the impression I get) but she was just showing how lame those rumours were and was joking with it. I honestly, truly believe that GaGa is an intelligent lady. Everything she does is for a reason.
I read PerezHilton.com everyday and I came across a clip of Lady GaGa singing an acoustic version of Poker Face in Japan. Y'all know the one I'm talking about, she has a massive elephant on her head (not literally.) I had done no research on GaGa and was even MORE impressed that she played piano (which she's been playing since she was four, I'll have you know) and she completely changed the song. It's not my favourite performance of Poker Face but I certainly viewed GaGa in a different way. When I first heard of her I thought she'd be another popstar people would obsess over for a year and then disappear. This video proved to me how versatile she was and how she really was here to stay.
Yet I was reluctant to buy the album. I loved all her singles (except Paparazzi) and months flew by.
And then Bad Romance came out. Again people raved about it so I had to YouTube it. It was definitely the strangest video yet but I absolutely adored it. The monsters hatching from the eggs and doing weird claw like movements, GaGa in a black underwear set with crystal orbs floating around her, the white set where she does the chorus dance, the strange glittery green outfit, and the red latex outfit at the end.
It's all quite weird, it doesn't necessarily make sense but it's one hell of a video. GaGa's performance is just top notch. She's so confident in what she does, she really is truly an artist and I greatly admire her. I don't care what anyone says. And the "Rah, rah, ah-ah-ah, roma, roma ma, GaGa, ooh lala, want your Bad Romance" is probably one of best catch lines I've ever heard.
Ever since this video I searched her a lot more, YouTubed interviews to see what she was like as a person. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that she is a genuinely nice young woman (even offering sweets to the kids on the Paul O'Grady show) and really interesting. I really enjoyed this interview she had with Alex Chung. She talks about Bad Romance and her take on the video, what Bad Romance means plus a lot more.
This is also a really special interview she did with Ellen DeGeneres, as she talks about the fashion she wears, what her past was like and why she wrote "Speechless".
The same with Speechless: everyone was talking about it and I knew I had to listen to it. The first time I heard it was actually on the Royal Variety Performance TV show. My family aren't really a fan of GaGa but I loved how it was her at the piano and just singing. You could really concentrate on how beautiful her voice was and just listen to the lyrics. I won't post the Royal Variety performance video because I think this video is better than that one.
She looks so emotional which just makes her and the song just a whole lot more human.
As soon as I heard that song on the Royal Variety I YouTubed all the songs from "The Fame Monster" and found myself listening to them on repeat and practically everyday.
I don't really know why I resisted buying her album for so long, but I did. Now I have "The Fame" and "The Fame Monster" and I absolutely adore both albums.
Her first album is a lot more poppy with a mix of dance and r'n'b (Just Dance, Poker Face, Nothing Else I can Say, Starstruck, Fame) but her second is a lot darker lyrically and more electronic. I highly recommend both.
Oh, and GaGa is a good person, too. The money that would be made from merchandise and ticket sales would go towards Haiti. In this performance of "Speechless" (which was posted on PerezHilton.com) GaGa announces that "her little monsters" made over half a million dollars for the Haiti Charity. How amazing is that? I also recommend watching the video because of how the audience interacts with the song. (song starts at about 3:00)
Officially proud to say that I have become a GaGa Monster.
Monday, 4 January 2010
Koda Kumi - Can We Go Back
As some of you are aware I have been a fan of Koda Kumi since she sang the theme song for the popular game Final Fantasy X. Through YouTube and Wikipedia updates I have been able to listen to her songs and continue following her.
For those unfamiliar with Miss. Kumi, she has released 7 studio albums with an 8th on the way, 4 Compliation albums with a 5th also coming soon and 7 number 1 singles.
Koda Kumi has been writing/co-writing her own songs for a good few years now and it's fair to say she's a very busy lady. Back in late 2005/early 2006 she did a project where she released one single every week for 12 weeks and she done extremely well, and has been doing well since. With her growing popularity, she has managed to win awards such as "best video", "best album", "best artist", and has even won awards for "best style" and won the title of "Nail Queen". Freakin' Nail Queen guys. (Truth be told, her nails are art, though her real nails must be dying underneath...!)
She has covered a range of music styles such as Pop, Hip-Hop, R'n'B, Dance and even Rock. Love her or hate her, you can't say she's boring. Some say she's the Lady GaGa of Japan and I can see where they're coming from - although her outfits and stage shows aren't as (excuse my choice of wording) weird as Miss. GaGa's, Koda Kumi isn't afraid to play with her sexuality, clothes, hair, music and indeed...nails.
And last but not least, Koda Kumi and Lady GaGa together!
Koda Kumi's latest single from her latest album "Universe" is called "Can We Go Back" and is one of her rock attempts. I think it's one of her best vocals and check out the video below - there's a dance routine about halfway through that's rather Michael Jackson in fashion and choreography. The song and the dance break don't entirely go in my opinion - I'm not sure if the dance break is part of the song or something implimented into the video, but heyho.
Anyway, here is the video for all you J-Pop geeks, and the two videos below are her other attempts at the Rock genre. Unfortunately for some reason everytime I post a video that works on YouTube it says the video can't be played due to terms of violation when I post this blog, so I'll have to give you the links instead, I'm afraid!
Koda Kumi - Can We Go Back (2010)
Koda Kumi - Selfish (2005)
Koda Kumi - Ningyo Hime (2007)
For those unfamiliar with Miss. Kumi, she has released 7 studio albums with an 8th on the way, 4 Compliation albums with a 5th also coming soon and 7 number 1 singles.
Koda Kumi has been writing/co-writing her own songs for a good few years now and it's fair to say she's a very busy lady. Back in late 2005/early 2006 she did a project where she released one single every week for 12 weeks and she done extremely well, and has been doing well since. With her growing popularity, she has managed to win awards such as "best video", "best album", "best artist", and has even won awards for "best style" and won the title of "Nail Queen". Freakin' Nail Queen guys. (Truth be told, her nails are art, though her real nails must be dying underneath...!)
She has covered a range of music styles such as Pop, Hip-Hop, R'n'B, Dance and even Rock. Love her or hate her, you can't say she's boring. Some say she's the Lady GaGa of Japan and I can see where they're coming from - although her outfits and stage shows aren't as (excuse my choice of wording) weird as Miss. GaGa's, Koda Kumi isn't afraid to play with her sexuality, clothes, hair, music and indeed...nails.
And last but not least, Koda Kumi and Lady GaGa together!
Koda Kumi's latest single from her latest album "Universe" is called "Can We Go Back" and is one of her rock attempts. I think it's one of her best vocals and check out the video below - there's a dance routine about halfway through that's rather Michael Jackson in fashion and choreography. The song and the dance break don't entirely go in my opinion - I'm not sure if the dance break is part of the song or something implimented into the video, but heyho.
Anyway, here is the video for all you J-Pop geeks, and the two videos below are her other attempts at the Rock genre. Unfortunately for some reason everytime I post a video that works on YouTube it says the video can't be played due to terms of violation when I post this blog, so I'll have to give you the links instead, I'm afraid!
Koda Kumi - Can We Go Back (2010)
Koda Kumi - Selfish (2005)
Koda Kumi - Ningyo Hime (2007)
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