Lady Gaga and the art of fame

In less than two years Lady Gaga has evolved into a kind of uber-celebrity. Everywhere people are talking about her, and most of them agree that this is not due to her music. It seems like in the last few years the concept of celebrity has gone through a vast change and that it is not so much about the quality of the art anymore that catapults individuals into the stratosphere of stardom. The cultural product, be it film, art or music, has degraded into a bracket that legitimizes the media frenzy and celebrity status of a person only.

In some cases this is more obvious than in others. Michael Jackson, for instance, was an incredible, almost superhuman figure, but he also revolutionized the music and pop culture of the 70s. Nevertheless, it seems like the real art form of the 20th century is the art of fame, which Andy Warhol seems to have anticipated with his concept of 15 minutes of fame for everyone.

Although she is only 23, Lady Gaga seems to have cracked the magic formula of the art of fame, which, in its essence, is nothing more than the celebration and adulation of her self. And it’s no coincidence that Lady Gaga is always talking about herself as a fame monster, which she is constantly morphing into, be it on stage, in her public appearances or in her music videos. She unbashfully presents her ugliest side, dressed up in bizarre costumes and masks and showing off her most outrageous poses. It seems like Lady Gaga knows very well that repulsion also causes fascination. We can’t tear our eyes away from beauty, and even less ugliness, and so she hypnotizes the public with her fantastic imagery, which sets her apart from all the other pop artists that are around right now.

This talent incorporates her, whether you like it or not, into the list of the biggest pop stars. The girl has done her homework and learned from stars like David Bowie, Madonna and Michael Jackson. They all share the ability to destabilize our aesthetic and gender specific perceptions. They all are subversive rebels; maybe not the best singers or musicians, but definitely all of them are fame monsters. Michael Jackson has probably set the most negative and sad example, taking the concept to the reality of his private life and becoming a monster of fame persecuted by the press, not for his success, but for his bizarre public appearances and his deformed face.

This spring Lady Gaga will continue her „The Monster Ball Tour“ and will perform in Paris the 21st of may. For all of her craziest fans or just the curious, rent apartments in Paris and don’t miss this incredible show.

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