happycanadian
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RE: the earlier discussion about whether Gaga can be considered "iconic" or a "legend" at this point in her career ---
i can understand the argument that it's still perhaps too earlier to attribute those particular terms to her. HOWEVER, i have absolutely no doubt that in time, provided she survives the madness of this worldwide craze, we will consider her to be the most exciting pop act since Madonna or Michael Jackson.
obviously, we will compare her to Madonna, MJ, Bowie, Grace Jones, etc etc. that's because she is more than a singer. she is living performance. her look, her music, her stage show, her public appearances, her interviews, all of it. it is a life of performance art. and i think she is already well on her way to earning those adjectives, "iconic" and "legendary" - for being that kind of a performer. when was the last time we had someone in popular music become an INSTANT sensation, but with real substance.
YES, there was Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake and Beyonce. but -- despite their far longer careers ... i don't think any of those artists pack the punch that Gaga does. Britney Spears, though certainly iconic in her own way, is so culturally irrelevant at the moment that to compare them is laughable. and what impact has Britney made on the pop culture landscape? she started the trend of the hot-singer-dancer-pop-performer-who-can't-really-sing-but-puts-out-infectious-dance-tunes-that-keep-her-in-the-spotlight. a trend which has ultimately been a detriment to the industry. and has it ever seemed for a moment that she was in control of her career? that she was calling the shots? she's a product. and it's sad. she isn't an artist.
Beyonce is a DIVA. she's an amalgamation of Whitney (but with less voice and less soul) and Tina (but with less guts). she's the perfect doll of pop-r&b music. but she's not interesting, because she's not controversial. she's nice. and demur. and glamourous. and gorgeous. and hard-working. and talented. and perfect and boring.
but Gaga ... she's exciting. she's the culmination of a century of pop culture. and she's impactful. and on top of it, she's a great singer. a song-writer. and she really is calling the shots in her career. she's an artist. she owns her image, her life, her product, her career. it's HER. and that's why it's empowering to watch her.
as far as LEGENDS are concerned, let's look at some truly ICONIC women of music. i think they can be divided into 3 categories: pop-performers, rockstars, and DIVAS. there's a difference between the three, though some of the more MASSIVE stars fit into multiple slots. here is how i will very generally define the THREE:
1 -- pop-performers -- infectious pop music, re-inventive and varied images and looks, known for controversies. (ie: Madonna, Cher, Cyndi Lauper, Grace Jones)
2 -- rockstars -- pretty self-explanatory. either fronting a band, or solo and turning out killer rock songs and known for their "rockstar lifestyle" (ie: Janis Joplin, Tina Turner, Debbie Harry, Stevie Knicks, Courtney Love)
3 -- DIVAS -- solo acts. strong, focused image. all about THE VOICE and the STAGE PRESENCE. (ie: Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Barbra Streisand, Whitney Houston)
when i think of the past 25 years, the two most LEGENDARY and ICONIC female popular music performers, in my opinion, are Madonna and Whitney Houston. there have been plenty of others, but they're the two that have been the most impactful and influential on other singers and pop culture alike. and Lady Gaga is trying to channel them both, in some capacity.
i think someone like Madonna is both rockstar and pop-performer. that's part of why she's legendary. her lifestyle has been obsessively poured over by the press for the entirety of her career. she's had literally countless hit singles. she's re-invented her image and her style limitless times. she's been a trendsetter from day one and has influenced Gaga in obvious ways. also, Madonna has steered her own career, always. and that's really where i see the similarities as well.
one thing that Gaga has going for her that Madonna doesn't, is that Gaga can SING. she's as comfortable performing "Just Dance" as she is singing a duet with a vocalist like Elton John. that's why it didn't really shock me that she's given so many shoutouts to Whitney Houston recently.
when you think about it,Whitney was really the first black female POPSTAR on a truly international level, (i'm talking mass pop domination from Botswana to Sweden to Chile to Canada, etc) and of the music video generation and so was tremendously influential for breaking down those racial doors. she's basically considered THE best vocalist of her generation, and obviously, her VOICE has inspired most pop or r&b singers after her. and with the attitude and presence, she's certainly a DIVA. and her songs have always had a core message of love or self-worth or independence, etc. can't you imagine Gaga, as a little girl, singing along to "I Wanna Dance With Somebody"! lol. or more recently "It's Not Right, But Its Ok" when she said Whitney helped inspire "Born This Way" - i don't think she meant lyrically. i think she meant that she imagined a DIVA singing the song. a superstar who could make it more than a song, but an anthem. and she imagined Whitney.
perhaps it's too soon to draw comparisons between Gaga and these women. but i sincerely believe she's the most exciting pop act since Madonna and Whitney first exploded onto our pop culture landscape.
i can understand the argument that it's still perhaps too earlier to attribute those particular terms to her. HOWEVER, i have absolutely no doubt that in time, provided she survives the madness of this worldwide craze, we will consider her to be the most exciting pop act since Madonna or Michael Jackson.
obviously, we will compare her to Madonna, MJ, Bowie, Grace Jones, etc etc. that's because she is more than a singer. she is living performance. her look, her music, her stage show, her public appearances, her interviews, all of it. it is a life of performance art. and i think she is already well on her way to earning those adjectives, "iconic" and "legendary" - for being that kind of a performer. when was the last time we had someone in popular music become an INSTANT sensation, but with real substance.
YES, there was Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake and Beyonce. but -- despite their far longer careers ... i don't think any of those artists pack the punch that Gaga does. Britney Spears, though certainly iconic in her own way, is so culturally irrelevant at the moment that to compare them is laughable. and what impact has Britney made on the pop culture landscape? she started the trend of the hot-singer-dancer-pop-performer-who-can't-really-sing-but-puts-out-infectious-dance-tunes-that-keep-her-in-the-spotlight. a trend which has ultimately been a detriment to the industry. and has it ever seemed for a moment that she was in control of her career? that she was calling the shots? she's a product. and it's sad. she isn't an artist.
Beyonce is a DIVA. she's an amalgamation of Whitney (but with less voice and less soul) and Tina (but with less guts). she's the perfect doll of pop-r&b music. but she's not interesting, because she's not controversial. she's nice. and demur. and glamourous. and gorgeous. and hard-working. and talented. and perfect and boring.
but Gaga ... she's exciting. she's the culmination of a century of pop culture. and she's impactful. and on top of it, she's a great singer. a song-writer. and she really is calling the shots in her career. she's an artist. she owns her image, her life, her product, her career. it's HER. and that's why it's empowering to watch her.
as far as LEGENDS are concerned, let's look at some truly ICONIC women of music. i think they can be divided into 3 categories: pop-performers, rockstars, and DIVAS. there's a difference between the three, though some of the more MASSIVE stars fit into multiple slots. here is how i will very generally define the THREE:
1 -- pop-performers -- infectious pop music, re-inventive and varied images and looks, known for controversies. (ie: Madonna, Cher, Cyndi Lauper, Grace Jones)
2 -- rockstars -- pretty self-explanatory. either fronting a band, or solo and turning out killer rock songs and known for their "rockstar lifestyle" (ie: Janis Joplin, Tina Turner, Debbie Harry, Stevie Knicks, Courtney Love)
3 -- DIVAS -- solo acts. strong, focused image. all about THE VOICE and the STAGE PRESENCE. (ie: Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Barbra Streisand, Whitney Houston)
when i think of the past 25 years, the two most LEGENDARY and ICONIC female popular music performers, in my opinion, are Madonna and Whitney Houston. there have been plenty of others, but they're the two that have been the most impactful and influential on other singers and pop culture alike. and Lady Gaga is trying to channel them both, in some capacity.
i think someone like Madonna is both rockstar and pop-performer. that's part of why she's legendary. her lifestyle has been obsessively poured over by the press for the entirety of her career. she's had literally countless hit singles. she's re-invented her image and her style limitless times. she's been a trendsetter from day one and has influenced Gaga in obvious ways. also, Madonna has steered her own career, always. and that's really where i see the similarities as well.
one thing that Gaga has going for her that Madonna doesn't, is that Gaga can SING. she's as comfortable performing "Just Dance" as she is singing a duet with a vocalist like Elton John. that's why it didn't really shock me that she's given so many shoutouts to Whitney Houston recently.
when you think about it,Whitney was really the first black female POPSTAR on a truly international level, (i'm talking mass pop domination from Botswana to Sweden to Chile to Canada, etc) and of the music video generation and so was tremendously influential for breaking down those racial doors. she's basically considered THE best vocalist of her generation, and obviously, her VOICE has inspired most pop or r&b singers after her. and with the attitude and presence, she's certainly a DIVA. and her songs have always had a core message of love or self-worth or independence, etc. can't you imagine Gaga, as a little girl, singing along to "I Wanna Dance With Somebody"! lol. or more recently "It's Not Right, But Its Ok" when she said Whitney helped inspire "Born This Way" - i don't think she meant lyrically. i think she meant that she imagined a DIVA singing the song. a superstar who could make it more than a song, but an anthem. and she imagined Whitney.
perhaps it's too soon to draw comparisons between Gaga and these women. but i sincerely believe she's the most exciting pop act since Madonna and Whitney first exploded onto our pop culture landscape.
haha!
). There will probably be a new person that comes along to flame Gaga pretty soon... since your post will be covered by 2 or 3 pages 
