In Defense of Lady Gaga

                If popular opinion means anything then Lady Gaga is either the best and most important pop-singer since Madonna or a trashy, shallow, overindulgent, bizarre, egocentric nymphomaniac with male genitals.

 Maybe it shouldn’t be a surprise that someone as relentlessly outrageous as Lady Gaga has garnered somewhat of a, shall we say, polarized reputation.  That seems to be what she set out for. Yet, for all the debate on her dress, her theatricality, her genitalia, one question seems to me unanswered: is she actually good?

Well, the answer is yes. She is very good, especially compared to her competition (pop divas like Katy Perry, whose music more often than not makes me want to go Vincent Van Gogh on myself.)

Lady Gaga is an anomaly among pop artists; one that sings live, writes and records, designs costumes, styles photo-shoots, and choreographs dances. She even sings her songs live, which wouldn’t be a miraculous achievement if we weren’t still in the age of Ashley Simpson, etc. If you have trouble thinking of another recent pop star that is so creatively involved in his or her music career, it’s probably because there aren’t any.

One of Gaga’s most focused creative outlets is her image. Like David Bowie with Ziggy Stardust and The Beatles with their Sgt. Pepper alter egos before her, Gaga has crafted a distinctive persona that, for all its theatricality, seems to be totally in her control.

Compared to most pop divas, we know almost nothing about Gaga’s personal life, all we know is what is presented to us, and what is presented is a well crafted mix of individualism and satire aimed at fame and the opulence that comes with it.

I prefer Scott Plagenhoef’s (Pitchfork.com) interpretation of the artistry of the Lady Gaga persona: "she alters whoever Lady Gaga the Pop Star might be into any number of female types-- at times recalling Britney Spears, Madonna, an anime character, Angelique, Christina Aguilera, and Amy Winehouse. In that sense, she's a perfect 21st century pop icon-- a regular person willing to manipulate herself into whatever it takes at any given moment to be a star.”

Yet, what for me sets Lady Gaga above so many other pop artists out there is (surprise) her music. Though her technical skill is often glossed over because of the techno nature of her music, the fact remains that this girl can sing.  Anyone in doubt need look no further than the acoustic version of “Poker Face” (with wonderful piano playing by Gaga herself) or better yet the ballad “Speechless,” one of Gaga’s absolute best tracks that is surprisingly old fashioned in its preference of melody and technique over the sound and fury of loud techno beats.

 Lady Gaga at her best is far more nuanced, subtle, and ambiguous than her detractors care to acknowledge, especially remarkable since she works in the pop music business. I don’t think there is a pop artist working today that has as much fun with genre as Lady Gaga does.  A genuine excitement and love of music is palpable as she blends artists, styles and periods with a wonderful twist to make music that is as unique as it is danceable. In one of Gaga’s most adventurous songs, “Teeth,” Gaga creates a thumping, frenzied mix of gospel music, classic and modern R&B, and of course Euro-pop. 

In “Alejandro” Gaga uses genre ironically to make a delightful parody of ABBA with its overblown Europeanism and campy sound. Although this mockery of all things European may be biting the hand that feeds her stylistically, the fact that she wrote a satirical song alone indicates ambition and, yes, sophistication beyond most mainstream pop stars today.

To be clear, I consider there to be two Lady Gaga’s, and only one has earned my esteem. First, there’s the Lady Gaga of The Fame (her debut): the Gaga of “Just Dance,” and of course such stuttering smashes as P-P-P-Poker Face and Pa-Pa-Paparazzi. Secondly there’s the superior Gaga: my Gaga, the Gaga of The Fame Monster.

 In this latter album Gaga reaches a level of maturity and innovation that was largely absent from her earlier work. This is most evident in the album’s lead single, the apotheosis of Gaga-ism, “Bad Romance.” From the torrential and soaring highs of the chorus to the icy bridge to the low-frequency of the new wave beats and Gaga’s multifaceted voice, “Bad Romance” triumphs as a rare kind of song, one where every verse, every line seems to be another hook.

Yet “Bad Romance” is also a song of surprising subtlety replete with various allusions that add to the depth and texture of the piece. The song’s famous chant is an allusion to Boney M.’s chorus chant in “Rasputin” (“Ra Ra Rasputin”).  Gaga’s referential dexterity only continues throughout the duration of the song with references to the great film director Alfred Hitchcock (“I want your psycho, your vertigo stick”).  These allusions add to the world of sexual malaise that Gaga portrays in this song and throughout The Fame Monster. 
 

The Fame Monster as a whole works so well as a concept album since from the start it creates a powerful, distinctive, and in a weird way profound vision of human sexuality. Opening with the diseased desire of “Bad Romance,” the album delves into more ambiguous waters as Lady Gaga explores the loneliness and emptiness that can come with lust. “Don’t call my name,” the chorus of “Alejandro”, resonates throughout the album as in the opening of “Monster” and throughout “Speechless.” The symbol of speechlessness creates a grander vision of human relationships that finds authentic connection impossible in today’s world. One can argue as to how effectively Gaga executes this vision, but the ambition is indisputable and deserves credit.

Lady Gaga’s music is not sexual just to be perverse or to sell more albums. Songs such as her “So Happy I Could Die” are not overshadowed by their explicitness but rather benefit from it in creating a profoundly memorable portrait of erotic loneliness and narcissistic malaise. 

Is Lady Gaga a great pop artist? No— at least not yet. However, with a voice as original and in charge of her craft, such a fate is not out of her reach. Even at her most indefensible, there is something special about her brand of pop that keeps “LoveGame” from being just another pop sex romp and makes it something more. I’m not exactly sure what it is sometimes, all I know is her beats are truly sick.