“I guess this is how people felt about Madonna?”
I think it’s bigger than that. And more special. After 10 years dominated by female pop idols who were sexual on accident or made up to embody the tired virgin slut aesthetic here we have some one who is all about transgressive female sexuality, theater, kitsch, and fame. It feels more honest, like “Yes, I’m Gaga and I want to be famous. This is me covered in blood wearing antlers.” And we’re like, “Dope. I’ll download this now.”
Yayyyyyyy.
Although I am not a fan of Lady Gaga’s music, I’ve conceded to be a fan of the Lady Gaga “concept” in the past. In so many ways, the spectacle had become so very Guy Debord: “All that was once directly lived has become mere representation.” I can get a little bit Situationist when the moment strikes.
But “Telephone” is an example of the signification losing its meaning, where the acts of so-called transgression no longer produce the intention that Gaga had presumably hoped for but reveal an unintended narrative: For example, the product placement for Miracle Whip might be construed as kitsch, but the Virgin Mobile posturing enforces the dominant discourse of consumerism and signifies bourgeois greed instead. (Unlike OK Go, I’m pretty sure she didn’t need the financial help to produce this video.) Or the idea that Lady Gaga would paint the logo of a British grindcore band on her leather jacket might have been subversive if she were a fan, but as it stands, the Doom logo only signifies a well-researched wardrobe department. And when Lady Gaga says “motherfucker” uncensored, it’s a welcome display of female masculinity and a tinkering with mainstream gender conformity. But when Beyoncé says “motherfucker” — and gets beeped out — we understand that Mrs. Carter is a lady, and it’s heteronormative business as usual.
Putting all that aside, I’m aware that Lady Gaga is only 23 years old, and when I was that age, I also believed that symbols were inextricable from their literal conceits. I also anticipate that Gaga has the promise to create more authentically thought-provoking work in the future — perhaps when she has more experience with the seditious ideas she’s trying to engage with. But it’s important that we don’t give her any more credit than she’s earned, nor should we appoint her a fully-realized artist. In spite of her exciting potential, Lady Gaga is still the naïve pop singer who recently shared this exchange:
Who were your glamour icons growing up?
I would say Leigh Bowery, Klaus Nomi, David Bowie, Grace Jones.They all turned artifice into the sublime. How important is artifice to you?
Artifice, as in artificial?No, as in a construct, a stratagem.
I don’t know, that word implies artificial to me.
