“It’s hard knowing who to trust with your personal life. When you cry in your room at night, you don’t always know who to call.”-Lady Gaga. A special thanks to: B Kelly - Editor L Poultney - Sales Director K Mitchell - Journalist C Constable - Journalist S Skaare - Journalist K Godwin - Journalist S Stegman - Journalist A Gill - Quality Checker
The Roundhouse Theatre, Camden, London. A small but iconic venue located in the heart of London’s art and music scene. A venue that has seen legends such as Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd give some of the most memorable performances of their careers. A theatre that was about to experience the creative energy of yet another legend in the making. The Roundhouse was about to become home to the iTunes Festival 2013 with Lady Gaga as the opening artist. When Gaga officially announced her iTunes performance on live radio, there were so many reasons for monsters to be thrilled. Most importantly, it would be the first time that we would be able to hear new music from the album ARTPOP apart from the already released and loved single APPLAUSE and the leaked AURA. Not only would we get to hear the songs, we would also get to see her perform them live! It would only be her second official performance since the BTWB cancelation. With the VMA performance having blown all of our minds, we knew this was going to be unforgettable. Even more exciting was the fact that monsters all over the world could watch the live performance for free. We would all get to see Gaga perform her new songs at the same exact time. Every new lyric, every fan interaction, every time she would swear, every time she would wipe the sweat from her face, we would all get to see it, together. Gaga introduced us to the idea of SWINEFEST on LM.com when she posted lyrics to her new song, SWINE, accompanied by some of her makeup artist Tara’s drawings. There were pink pig noses everywhere. Thanks to Marina Abromavic’s interview in V Magazine, we already knew that SWINE was about a difficult time in Gagas life, one where she had to crawl through the swine of the music industry. The idea that this was going to become the theme of a festival performance wasn’t exactly clear, but we were more than ready to find out what she had in store. Any monster will tell you that ALL Gaga experiences start with waiting. Maybe for a couple hours, maybe overnight, or maybe even for a week. It all depends on how close you want to be to that energy, that aura that surrounds Gaga when she performs. And normally, monsters want to be as close as possible. My story starts from the night before Gaga’s performance. There were about 70 shivering, tired monsters sprawled on the pavement of Camden’s Chalk Farm Road. Sleeping bags, pillows, blankets, and even a duvet or two made Chalk Farm Road look more like the bedroom section in M&S than a cold London pavement. And cold it was. Ok, it was technically still August and it wasn’t exactly Toronto in early February, but it was chilly. People were passing the time in all sorts of ways. Some tried to meet Gaga when she was done with rehearsal, others were entertained by a protestor who was enthusiastically trying to get some, rather unclear, point of view across. A conversation with a lovely homeless lady, Lacee and Asiel spottings, toilet trips, and some last minute SWINEFEST outfit adjustments were just a few of the other events that got everyone through the night and well into the next day. Now, anyone who has queued to see Gaga can tell you that as showtime nears, the anticipation builds. The excitement becomes
palpable. On that September 1st afternoon, standing under the giant poster of Gaga on the Roundhouse Theatre wall, everyone started to get louder, gigglier, and crazier. There was face paint being splashed on some while others got their wigs on straight. Fluorescent colours, glitter, seashells, and even a fibre optic lit vest could be spotted. We were ready. Then came the pig snouts, Gaga’s party favours for us, which pretty much sent the excitement level through the roof. This was it, SWINEFEST was about to be REAL LIFE. The inside of the Roundhouse venue is perfectly small. Any performance you see there will likely be the most intimate you will ever see. The atmosphere was instantly electric as the room filled. It didn’t matter whether you were shoved right up against the barrier or standing at the back, you were a part of the ambiance. DJ White Shadow got down to business with his hair high on his head, glasses on, and laptop at the ready. He got the crowd hyped with a mix of songs, some from his own recently released EP Pussy Drugs Fear, a few crowd favourites, including the highly anticipated Cake Like Lady Gaga. As he left the stage and the wait for Gaga continued, the energy in the theatre was indescribable. Finally a tiny, shoeless figure dressed all in black tip toed out to centre stage. The lights came on and AURA started to play. SWINEFEST had begun. We were all captivated. Not only were we about to see 6 new songs and 2 we already loved, but most of us had not seen Gaga perform live for almost a year. Seeing Gaga happy and healthy, doing what she was born to do, made all of us feel at home. AURA’s flawless choreography and costuming led effortlessly into one of 4 outfit changes that were carried out right before our eyes. As the fabulous Amanda peeled off Gaga’s high shouldered top, Sloane and Montanna got Gaga back into her bejeweled heels. Seeing Gaga on the stage in her heels, her uttering the words ‘there’s no place like home’, had never seemed more right. Next came the 6 new songs. Starting with M-M-M-MANiCURE - an upbeat, fun song with lyrics whose meaning could be left open for interpretation. The rock meets pop meets 80s theme was enough to get everyone pumped and ready for more. The lighting and the confetti were icing on the cake. And to top it all off, Haus member Lacee made her ARTPOP stage debut, shimmying and smiling like only she can. Then came transformation number 2. Venus was reborn. ARTPOP, the song, was upon us. For me, it was a personal favourite. Gaga’s crystal clear vocals were so on point during this song that the whole theatre was in trance, hanging on her every word. In that moment Gaga and monsters, ART and POP really did belong together. At the end of ARTPOP, Gaga got out THE red flannel, the one that we have come to love (some of us rather begrudgingly). Getting ready for the next new number, Gaga did another one of the things she does best- talk. Many of the speeches she made throughout SWINEFEST touched on the fact that ARTPOP was first and foremost to make her monsters happy, but that it is also about trying to do something different. Trying to experiment with types of music that are new to her records. Gaga was building up to the 3rd new song- Jewels and Drugs, which is a rap-pop collaboration with
T.I., Too Short and Twista. Live, the song sounded amazing but it seems to be one of the more controversial songs from SWINEFEST, with some monsters living for it and others not so much. In my opinion, any song that can make Gaga come remotely close to twerking is okay by me. Now I’m not sure if this was true for everyone watching at home, but what came next felt like the longest interlude that has ever happened in Gaga history. Luckily, we had Spanky’s UV glow drumsticks to entertain us, shortly followed by Gaga’s beautiful dancers awaiting her appearance in the dark. Finally Gaga enters from the left, saunters past Amanda, and snuggles into her egg shell shaped prop. As the egg shell started to spin around the flash back to 90’s RnB that is SEX DREAMS started to play. Gaga, now in minimal clothing, all leather, fishnets and heels accessorized by a magnifying glass, starts swaying her hips as if the applause depended on it. In what was by far the sexiest performance of the night, Gaga had us all near passing out as she sang, “When I lay in bed I touch myself and I think a you”. SWINEFEST then took a more serious turn when Gaga removed her Venus wig while telling us about the reasons behind using her wigs. She showed us, in her own words ‘what was underneath the wigs.’
Now I’m not sure if this was true for everyone watching at home, but what came next felt like the longest interlude that has ever happened in Gaga history. Luckily, we had Spanky’s UV glow drumsticks to entertain us, shortly followed by Gaga’s beautiful dancers awaiting her appearance in the dark. Finally Gaga enters from the left, saunters past Amanda, and snuggles into her egg shell shaped prop. As the egg shell started to spin around the flash back to 90’s RnB that is SEX DREAMS started to play. Gaga, now in minimal clothing, all leather, fishnets and heels accessorized by a magnifying glass, starts swaying her hips as if the applause depended on it. In what was by far the sexiest performance of the night, Gaga had us all near passing out as she sang, “When I lay in bed I touch myself and I think a you”. SWINEFEST then took a more serious turn when Gaga removed her Venus wig while telling us about the reasons behind using her wigs. She showed us, in her own words ‘what was underneath the wigs.’ With no wig and a white t-shirt, Gaga grabbed her UV glow drumsticks and her bejeweled swine mask and, after telling us in a very emotional speech a bit more about the meaning behind the song, SWINE started. This was one of my favourite monster moments of the entire show. Some of the audience was crying, but as the song’s beat started to kick in, others were screaming and jumping up and down. The speech and the song brought out so many mixed emotions for everyone. Then there was the actual performance. Fluorescent paint, white jump suits,
Swine gas masks, and acrobatics all came together in one perfectly chaotic piece with white canvasses containing song titles and paint being tossed into the audience. And there was Gaga on the drums, looking as comfortable rocking out as she ever has at any piano. It became evident that THIS amazing performance is why it was called SWINEFEST.
As the upbeat music of SWINE came to an end, Gaga, with her real hair and ruby red lips, told us about what she went through during her hip injury. If the speech before SWINE didn’t make you cry, this one will have. The theatre was so silent apart from Gaga’s voice that you could actually hear tears hitting the floor. Then, Gaga sang her heart out. As her fingers slipped seamlessly back onto the keys of her keyboard, she belted out I WANNA BE WITH YOU. A beautiful song dedicated to monsters and those that she has to leave behind when she tours, it was clear by the emotions seen on her face how much this song meant to her. Tears, smiles, the pain in her eyes, this was the most real moment of the night and everyone there felt it. We all knew it was coming to an end, but didn’t want to believe it. SWINEFEST had been all we had hoped for and more, so much more. And then Gaga performed APPLAUSE. It was a celebration of the performances we had just witnessed. As the confetti fell, that inevitable post-concert high began to kick in. The moment where adrenaline, exhaustion, starvation, and pure happiness get all mixed together and it’s hard to form a sentence but you also can’t stop smiling. As the show came to an end, we started to make our way out of the theatre, some of us slowly, some of us reluctantly because we just didn’t want it to be over. The exciting part was that for those who were able to stick around, the final performance of the night was still awaiting us…
So when I left you, we were hungry, excited, exhausted and sad that the momentous performance that was SWINEFEST had come to an end. But there was no time to eat, no time to sleep, only enough time to grab one of the APPLAUSE iTunes t-shirts, find the friends you had lost and head out to the performer’s entrance of The Roundhouse Theatre. Near the entrance, there were only about 40 monsters and 10 paparazzi surrounding the barriers, everyone patiently waiting. Never has a wait been so worth it and I think everyone there would agree. With the temperature dropping and some people not having slept for over 24 hours it was a bit disheartening when a security staff member came out and told the paparazzi it would be about another hour untill Gaga left the venue because she was re-watching her performance and having an after show party. But then, what he said next made those of us who could hear freeze on the spot ‘You are not going to want to miss this.’
“YOU ARE NOT GOING TO WANT TO MISS THIS.” Over hearing this actually sent my heart racing but my mind was blank. I had no idea what to expect, nor would I have ever guessed it if I had tried. Over an hour later things started to stir. Security started to line the barriers, their fluorescent vests blurring together as a
result of my exhaustion. We were very sternly told that because we were in a residential area we were not to make a lot of noise.
ALMOST INSTANTLY EVERY MONSTER THERE WENT DEAD SILENT.
Almost instantly every monster there went dead silent. We weren’t going to miss this chance. Suddenly, amidst the strobe light like flashes of the paparazzi’s cameras, Gaga teetered out on her Omar Angel Perez Stillett”O” heels, clinging to Peter and Robert for support. The first thing I noticed about her was the pair of clear rimmed Kaleidoscope H0les glasses, which appear to be a favourite of Gaga’s, perched delicately on the end of her nose. As I forced my eyes away from her face, it was her hair that next caught my attention. She was wearing the short blonde wig that has been described as everything from resembling Bowie’s hair to resembling Mrs. G’s locks. As I stare at the wig, I can only think of Princess Diana and the words ‘I’m every icon’ echo through my head. And then, as she walked closer to us, it finally hit me, her dress. Initially all I could see was a swirl of white geometrical shapes and rainbow edged bubbles.
What slowly became apparent was the intricate nature of this TechHaus in collaboration with Studio XO piece of fashion technology. Swirls of a flexible white material wrapped around a white leotard to create the look of a one shouldered dess concealed the necessary equipment to allow the dress to blow bubbles on its own. Although a much more ligthearted piece of art than the VMA 2009 dress that bled on its own, the concept was equally stunning.
‘SHE’S BACK’ With Peter and Robert towering over her petite frame it was difficult to clearly see Gaga at first. Slowly, Gaga made her way down what was once a driveway, now transformed into a catwalk. Her audience were eerily silent as she began to pose. It was so silent, I swear you could hear the bubbles poping out of her dress one by one. The snapping of the paparazzi cameras in the silence took me straight back to the Paparazzi video as the headline ‘She’s back’ flashed through my head. Even the paparazzi were relative-
ly quiet, with only a few cheeky comments- “Mario Testino aint got nothing on me”- perhaps being one of my favourites. As Gaga left the security of her body guard’s arms, she began to ‘pose for the Gods’. Peering over the edge of her prismed glasses lenses she eyed up her audience. As she turned towards her monsters, the glasses came off and her green eyes pierced through ours as she subtly made eye contact. Im fairly sure that at this point if the cameras had been turned on us, the image would have simply been a row of monsters silently standing with their jaws hanging open. Every element of that moment had come together so perfectly it could only be described as one of Gagas best performance art pieces and we were lucky enough toLahore that moment with her.
“what was once a driveway, now transformed into a catwalk”
Between the powerful witches, flying monkeys, and magical (and oh-so-glamourous) ruby slippers, The Wizard of Oz is perhaps one of the most memorable fantasies in movie history. How fitting, then, that Lady Gaga, with her infamous quotes about preferring fantasy over reality, should choose to recreate the magical story of Dorothy in Oz! On September 9th, Gaga transformed the studio at New York’s Good Morning America into an other-worldly land - complete with its very own yellow brick road - to perform her latest single, ‘Applause’. As fans might recall, this GMA performance wasn’t the first time we saw Lady Gaga reference Dorothy and the land of Oz. Those who attended the Monster Ball tour, in either of its two versions, might see thematic connections between Dorothy’s adventure and the story that played out each night on Gaga’s stage. While Dorothy followed the yellow brick road seeking a beautiful place with the power to grant her and her friends their deepest wishes, Gaga and her gang danced their way down the ‘glitter way’ in search of the Monster Ball, a place where every person is accepted and loved for who they are (and isn’t this, indeed, something each of us desires?). Where Dorothy met challenges in the form of the Wicked Witch of the West, Gaga had to overcome the Fame Monster in order to reach her destination. Just as Dorothy encouraged her friends to feel good about themselves regardless of their level of intelligence or courage, Gaga and her dancers encouraged fans to feel confident regardless of identity, physicality, or criticism. The parallels between the Wizard of Oz and the Monster Ball painted a picture of Gaga as a sort of modern day Dorothy, navigating her way through the fantastical world of fame, clashing with proverbial media ‘witches’ who attempt to knock her off the path to success, and meeting an eclectic group of admirable individuals (Haus members, collaborators, and even us monsters) along the way. This idea of Gaga as Dorothy was unearthed from the Monster Ball days especially for September’s GMA rendi-
tion of ‘Applause’. Besides the fact that this performance continued the era-hopping theme begun by Gaga at the VMAs in August, the show was unique in several ways. Firstly, it was one of her smallest television performances (aside from those in which she took to the stage solo), featuring only herself, four dancers, and (much to little monsters’ delight) wig stylist Frederic Aspiras’s dog Fozzi as Toto. The most defining and arguably cutting edge aspect of the performance, however, was the manner in which Gaga included her fans as an actual part of the spectacle. She is by no means the first musical artist to involve fans in some way while putting on a show, but in true Gaga style, she has taken the idea of fan participation to the next level. We were first introduced to the concept of Gaga fans becoming a tangible part of a performance at the iTunes Festival in London, where Gaga sang Swine while her dancers helped the audience paint on canvas stage props, creating what she referred to on Twitter as ‘live art’ (Lady Gaga, August 28th, 2013). This process went above and beyond past fan involvement, where Gaga chose fans from the audience to stand on stage with her while she sang. Instead, larger parts of the audience were transformed from passive consumers of the performance into active producers of some aspect of the show, helping to determine how the performance was carried out. During September’s GMA appearance, Gaga once again turned to her fans for help, this time in bringing the story of Oz to life.
Before the performance even began, Gaga gave instruction to those planning to attend GMA by requesting on Twitter that they dress entirely in black (Lady Gaga, September 8th, 2013). Upon their arrival, fans were given headbands fashioned to look like stylish poppies, reminiscent of the ‘deadly poppy fields’ that threatened to put Dorothy and her friends to sleep, in effect luring them away from their goal. This is not to say that the fans at GMA represented distraction, or that Gaga conceptualizes her fans as something that might lure her from success. Instead, it seems that the poppy field was the simplest way to continue including fans in her performances, thereby establishing a more dynamic real-life relationship with them, similar to the one she has cultivated onl-
line through social networking platforms like Twitter and LittleMonsters.com. At GMA, fans actually became a part of the set, helping Gaga to visually establish the story being told on stage. Delving into deeper meanings, perhaps Gaga’s adornment of her fans in poppy head pieces signifies a reversal of the purpose that the poppies served in the Wizard of Oz. Rather than attempting to drag her down and stall her, like the deadly poppy fields, Gaga’s poppies provided her with encouragement and applauded her success. This symbolic reversal achieves two things within the performance. At the same time as it hints visually that the poppies did not actually overcome Dorothy, allowing the full story to be told in a condensed time period, the transformation of the poppies from a threat to a positive support system signifies Gaga’s own process of overcoming obstacles that threatened to end her journey, and even changing the opinions of some who doubted her along the way. Regardless of interpretation, it is undeniable that Gaga is setting new precedent, at least in her own career, when it comes to interacting with and seeking the input of her fans. If recent performances are anything to go by, the ARTPOP era promises to change the manner in which fans experience Lady Gaga and her music during live shows. Performances like ‘Gaga in Oz’ at GMA hint at new possibilities for what going to a concert entails. No longer will we sit back and simply witness the spectacle. Gaga has helped her fans evolve from screaming spectators into artistic collaborators. Let’s hope that the exciting idea of sharing a more dynamic live experience with Lady Gaga, and also with each other, becomes a new norm! By: Courtney Constable (courtneydconstable@gmail.com, @_court_ney_, www. courtneyconstable.com)
“A lot of people ask me…what does ARTPOP even mean…what I tell them is when we come together, me and my beautiful fans, we belong…so if we can belong together maybe then my dream will come true and art and pop can belong too”. The ARTPOP album cover, created by Lady Gaga and artist Jeff Koons, was not just released on iTunes or as an artwork piece on social media. Instead it was unlocked in sections by fans tweeting with the hash tag iHeartARTPOP. Through this process, Gaga created an interactive experience between artist and fan, which we have seen her do several times already throughout the ARTPOP era. This inventive way to release material engages the audience, builds suspense and anticipation, and breaks down boundaries between the artist and the fan in a very unique way. As the album cover was released piece by piece, it was fragmented in such a deliberate way that one cannot help but analyze the significance of its’ appearance. The overall fragmentation in general speaks to the fragmentation that Gaga herself has spoken about in relation to her identity. She has eluded, in her music and other contexts, to this feeling of being split; a dichotomy that she has felt and has perhaps had difficulty reconciling. The shattered look of the background suggests that she felt this shattering, or perhaps a clash of identities, within herself. This can be interpreted in both a positive and a negative light. The feeling could be one of being broken, but also might represent an obliteration of damaging thoughts from the past, allowing for a rebirth (a recurring theme that we will address later in this article). Besides the shattered appearance of the background, the fragmented nature of the images and text is likely a representation of the fragmentation she feels within herself. She is the tortured artist that creates, dreams, and possesses an artistic brilliance, but she lives the demanding life of a pop star, which doesn’t often allow that kind of free thinking necessary to contemplate deeper artistic meanings. Gaga has tried to exist simultaneously as an artist and as a pop music icon, but has openly struggled with their coexistence. The key contrast here, however, is that while she is showing us her fragmented nature, so is also embodying the idea of cohesion between two worlds or ideologies. The cover visually confronts us with a blending of past and present, light and dark, and the seemingly unrelated ideas of art and pop coming together to create a new art form. Is this not very mantra she is trying to bring forth with ARTPOP; that these fragments can come
together to create beautiful and cohesive work of art? While we acknowledge that image itself feels chaotic, we believe that’s the intention; the chaos speaks to the nature of the inner workings and thoughts of the artist. The cover is a bombardment of images, sounds and ideas all colliding with the brain. It gives us insight into the organized chaos that exists within Gaga’s heart and mind. Monsters have often heard the adage that Stefani is Lady Gaga and Lady Gaga is Stefani, but we have only recently been introduced to the idea that the two might coexist seamlessly in the public sphere. This presents one of the key aspects in which Gaga has differentiated ARTPOP from her previous musical eras. Even this early in the new era, we have seen the fascinating process of art and pop coming together so explicitly within her work. At the same time, we have also witnessed an unprecedented coming together of Stefani and Lady Gaga, the likes of which we were never previously permitted to experience. Within the ARTPOP album cover, Gaga and Koons have taken two background images (the content of which we shall also discuss) and made them alternate between black and white (dark) and color (light). This juxtaposition of light and dark was also a key theme used in the the official music video for ‘Applause’. In the video, Gaga was very deliberate about which images were dark (black and white) and which were light (color). The brunette girl practicing choreography on the mattress is presented in black and white, and is clearly representative of Stefani (the early artist). As the video progresses, the character of Venus emerges in color with her lighter hair and her stripped down bikini attire. The insecure and overshadowed girl of her past contrasts against the birth of this confident and vibrant goddess of love, who is ready to embrace her art. This doesn’t necessarily communicate a message of triumph over the past (dark) in order to move on to the future (light), but rather the blending of the past with a new outlook on the future, an evolution that combines aspects of each identity. Gaga seems to have gone back to her roots as an artist and really embraced certain aspects of who she was before the Lady Gaga that we know and love. It appears as though Gaga has undergone a period of self-exploration throughout the process of creating this album, and this has allowed her to reach a place where she feels more peace and cohesion within herself despite the chaotic nature of her life and the fractured existence of Stefani and the Gaga of previous eras. The background of the ARTPOP cover visually presents fans with the fact that Gaga has found a way for Stefani and Lady Gaga to coexist as she navigates the world’s of art and pop. The actual images used in the cover’s background to create the contrast between dark and light are also significant. Within the dark segments, we see the statues Daphne and Apollo. This sculpture tells a story from Greek mythology, in which Apol lo was shot through the heart with the arrow of Ethos. This arrow incited his love for the maiden Daphne, who ab horred him. In his admiration, Apollo chased Daphne, causing her to beg her father to change her form before Apollo could catch her.
Granting her wish, Daphne’s father transformed her into a tree. Heartbroken, Apollo vowed to tend to the tree for eternity, and it is said that the leaves on the tree have never decayed as a result of his care. The inclusion of this image in the background of the ARTPOP cover brings forth the theme of unconditional love. Gaga may have chosen this piece for the cover in order to represent the unconditional love that exists between her and her fans, as well as how that love has inspired her current movement. Gaga has spoken during interviews about society’s desire to see the decay of the superstar, and with the image of Daphne and Apollo she has chosen to references the idea that unconditional love might prevent the decay of that which is loved. In order words, the unconditional love of the fans (Apollo) will prevent the decay of the object or our love (Gaga). The colored segments in the background of the cover depict the painting The Birth of Venus by Botticelli. It depicts an image of a goddess emerging from a shell in the sea. Here again we see this theme of rebirth, which is perhaps representative that Gaga feels a sense of rebirth with this new era. According to scholars, Venus embodies two purposes. First, she existed as an earthly goddess who inspired humans to physical love by virtue of her visceral emerging from nature and the see. Venus was a heavenly goddess who was thought to have inspired people’s intellectual love . It has been said that looking at the Venus would elicit at first a physical response to the image, and then allow for a more spiritual understanding of beauty, lifting the mind to the realm of divine love. This goddess emerging from the sea is likely the representation of Gaga emerging from her injury and her embracing her beauty, both physically and intellectually/artistically. It is interesting and ironic that Gaga has often presented herself naked or provocatively dressed, and yet her presentation of herself as Venus in recent public appearances has elicited the most explicit recognition of her physical beauty. The way that Lady Gaga looked as ‘Seashell Girl’ (her pop manifestation of the art world’s Venus) at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards was one of the most commented on aspects of the entire show; we can recall the attention paid to her rear end by audiences and the media alike. It is interesting to note that this is the same rear end that she has been showing to fans throughout her career, and yet it wasn’t until her naked body was presented through the persona of Venus that it was embraced as artistic and beautiful. Perhaps the most eye-catching aspect of the ARTPOP cover is foreground. Here we see a stripped down, naked sculpture of Lady Gaga, created by artist Jeff Koons. The sculpture’s nudity is deliberate, representing Gaga in her simplest form; this version of her lacks all of the trimmings of the fashion world, upon which pop stars are so often judged. It is also notable that Gaga and Koons chose to immortalize Gaga through the creation of a sculpture. Rather than using modern digital media, as Gaga so often does for her artistic projects, Koons created an actual statue, a physical recreation. This resurrects an older
form of art and brings it into the realm of pop culture, exposing a new generation of potential art lovers to the beauty of non-digital artistic expression. This act of going back to the roots of art speaks to Gaga’s desire to converge old with new, art with pop. In addition to being stripped of couture in this sculpture, Gaga has also been stripped of color. Not only does this cause a stark visual contrast between the sculpture and the background, allowing the re-created Gaga to stand out, but it also presents Gaga as a blank canvas. The only thing that she has chosen to include is her original wig; the long platinum blonde hair, the blunt bangs, the first look that was easily recognized as being associated with “Lady Gaga”. This seems to show an embracing of the past and the acknowledgement of how the previous eras, and each of her past identities, have enabled her to become what she is now. The fact that Gaga and Koons have created a sculpture speaks to idea of the immortalizing of Gaga. This once again hearkens back to the idea that society desires the decay of the public figure, and it would seem that through this collaboration, this physical manifestation of the coexistence of art and pop, she has achieved a number of things. First, the statue enables Gaga to transcend the limitations placed on the pop star, breaking down the boundaries between the pop singer and the artist. Second, it overcomes the idea that Gaga as a social icon will eventually decay, eroded by criticism and defeated by fame. The collaboration between Koons and Gaga is, in itself, a merging of art and pop. They have shown that these two worlds can not only co-exist, but can co-create in order to form a new world of ARTPOP. Finally, the audience is presented with Jeff Koons’ brightly colored and mirrored Gazing Ball, sitting in the very forefront of the cover. The position of the ball at the very center presents it as the final layer in the process of merging art and pop; we began with two classical art pieces, which were overlaid by the re-creation of a pop icon, and we are now confronted with the piece that completes the evolution. The Gazing Ball reflects the image of those who look into it, allowing them to see themselves as a part of the new ARTPOP phenomenon they are witnessing. The Gazing Ball contrasts with the Greek and Roman art to visually illustrate a lyric that has already become one of Gaga’s most iconic, despite being new: “pop culture was in art, now art’s in pop culture in me”. The art world has already embraced pop culture through the work of artists like Andy Warhol and even Koons himself, but now Lady Gaga has reversed the dynamic relationship and encouraged pop culture to embrace art, using herself and her career as the medium. Perhaps, as we look into the Gazing Ball, we might consider the possibility that fans like us are the final phase in the evolution for art and pop culture? The more we become involved in things like ARTPOP’s album cover release, the more we play a dynamic role in the way that Lady Gaga seeks to change the way we think about art, pop music, and ourselves.
BY @sassfrass55 @_court_ney_ @freebitchtv
T
heir work can have diverse and unexpected outcomes, says Penny Martin, referring to Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. The pair of photographers goes by Inez and Vinoodh and has been working together since the late 80’s but became popular in the early 90’s. Inez and Vinoodh were both born in Amsterdam, Netherlands in the early 60’s and met at The Art Academy in Amsterdam. A short time later they began working on masterpieces that people had no idea were coming. Some people know them for their earlier work, but most people now know them for their iconic work with the icon herself, Lady Gaga. They have produced a tremendous amount of art with Gaga since early to mid 2011. One of the first works was the V Magazine Asian issue with a three-headed Gaga that was accompanied by a fashion film of the photo-shoot, which was something still slightly new for the Little Monster community. Everyone was ecstatic to see Gaga behind the scenes, and to see the movement behind the incredible photos. After that photo-shoot, their collaborations with Gaga quickly escalated. The next fashion film they directed with Gaga was the Mugler fashion film in May of 2011. Shortly after the film, the Yoü and I album artwork was released along with the Yoü and I music video. Inez and Vinoodh however did not direct the music video but directed the stunning fashion films that spawned off of the music video itself. They were called the Haus of Ü films. Each fashion film as we now know features a character from the Yoü and I music video. The characters being Yüyi the mermaid, the Barn Hooker, the Mother, Jo, the Bride, and the Nymph, all which are visually stunning and entertaining to watch. Gaga gets so into charac-
ter (which is no surprise), and the viewer feels as if they are watching a mini film and not just a behind the scene photo-shoot. The pair has shot many brilliant and striking magazine covers, but what everyone has been talking about recently is all the work and collaborations for ARTPOP. Before “Applause” was released Little Monsters were patiently waiting all over the world for any sign of ARTPOP, until one day the fan base had been “kick started” again, and had seemed to come together and come back to life. That day was the release of a picture of Gaga with a white and clear mask on. The photo was nothing but a promotion for ARTPOP, but that single mysterious photo shot by Inez and Vinoodh created so much conversation over the upcoming album and an astounding “family” reunion for the fan base. Quickly after the release of that one photo, Gaga fans were getting new photos left and right tweeted from Mother Monster herself. Without a doubt, the iconic photos left the fan base questioning what was coming up. Each photo Gaga tweeted was basically a countdown to the release of Applause. Then came the much anticipated day, the release of the music video. It was the first music video Gaga had released close to two years, so Monsters were eagerly and anxiously waiting to see what was in store. Not everyone may like the content of the music video, but it is safe to say that most can agree it was shot very well, and was directed by none other than Inez and Vinoodh. Inez and Vinoodh understand Gaga and Gaga understands them. They work well together and just know how to express exactly what they feel and what they want to portray to the viewers. The photographers have offered so much to the Little Monster community and their work is always more than magnificent and compelling. Inez and Vinoodh love working with Gaga will continue to do so. In an interview with thecollectiveshift.com, Inez talks about Gaga and says, “She’s an incredible human being and she knows exactly why she’s here. ARTICLE BY KALA GODWIN
What starts out as rock pop track about vanity soon transgresses to a song of a greater meaning. One of Gaga’s posts from Instagram over a year ago states that she ‘Places new meaning on that which already exists.’ MANiCURE is the perfect song for duplicated meaning; its even in the title. The title suggests a song about lipstick and glamour (which at first it is) but it changes from this to a track about love. The lyric “Save me, cause I’m addicted to love.” shows the vulnerability of Gaga and how she needs a man to cure her obsession to love. Adele commented on Twitter: “@ladygaga mermaids for life! Brilliant as always thank you for a wonderful night! #MANiCUREisthebest.”
It seems like Adele wants MANiCURE to be the second single from ARTPOP as do many monsters. The track is currently second to Sex Dreams on Gaga’s tweet poll. As radio friendly as it is the song creates a duplicate meaning about obsessive love and a woman’s passion for looking perfect. The sexy choreography also fit perfectly with the song and proved that the song could potentially be a great hit not only for fans but for the public as it is super radio friendly and infectious on the brain. “PUT YOUR HANDS ALL OVER MY BODY PARTS” I’ll do it Gaga. *raises hand*
The title track of the album coming 11/11. The eponimous song has a chilled out and fantastical feel to it. The alter ego of Seashell girl fits perfectly with the song and the underwater projections mentioned by Gaga on Twitter can be heard in the backing music. ARTPOP is a song of possibilities; “We could, we could, belong together.” The song has definate undertones of Gaga’s creation process; the starting over after each album and the knowledge new experience creates is evident in the lyric: “Free my mind, ARTPOP. You make my heart stop.” The lyrics for ARTPOP were in fact some of the first lyrics monsters received as Gaga instagrammed an image with the lyrics of the chorus last August.
One of the lyrics refers to her earlier songwriting days: “The melody that you choose, can rescue you.” This reference I believe is to do with Poker Face and the melody in that song that catapulted Gaga to a higher state of fame. The high pitched notes during the chorus have become a fan favourite as well as the lyric which shows Gaga’s true love of music. “I try to sell myself but I am really laughing, cause I just love the music not the bling.” With the actual album only weeks away, the question is not will but how long before Gaga makes our heart stop with ARTPOP.
The only collaboration we got to experience at iTunes festival was Jewels and Drugs featuring TI, Too $hort,Twista and DJ White Shadow. It is definitely not a typical Gaga track and the collaboration is very refreshing and fierce. Don’t worry though monsters, it still has the controversy of Gaga. A song titled Jewels and Drugs is one that the media would scrutinise Mother Monster to high heaven with if it was released as a single. The song however is a feel good song with rap verses almost unhuman; Gaga even asked the rappers if they breathed through their ears whilst rapping. Gaga’s recent creative substances have been evident in her songwriting as ‘softcore’ drugs are being referenced a lot more in this album; there’s even a song called Mary Jane Holland due on ARTPOP. Gaga shows her musical talent in this song that she can master any genre of music. During a recent question and answer session on twitter Gaga claimed that Jewels and Drugs was infact one of her favourite song on the upcoming album.
Sex Dreams is a song all about sexuality and devious thoughts. Gaga said during an interview that the concept for the song arose when she was on tour. Her gay friend woke up and told Gaga about his sex dreams that she featured in. The track has a forensic crime feel about it; this was shown through the magnifing glass during the performance at SWINEFest. The lyric “Let’s white glove the bed.” also adds to the mystery. I’m sure the video for this would be very mysterious with a lot of murder and sex; what else would you expect from Gaga after all? Sex Dreams in fact is still leading in Gaga’s twitter poll for the next single. Recently pop star Rihanna tweeted to Gaga lyrics from Sex Dreams making fans go crazy at a possible collaboration (the tracklisting suggested otherwise). We are sure that the video for Sex Dreams would be very controversial and sexy; who doesn’t want that from Gaga? The big hair matched the sexy choreography with Gaga parading her tiny body around the stage leaving many monsters in a state known as a ‘Gagasm’. Yes. A monster orgasm. So the question is monsters; are you ready for a sexually fueled murder scene as a possible setting for a video? I think I am.
I wanna be with you is a love song for two specific people; Taylor and Monsters. The song is the classic heart breaking ballad monsters have longed for since ‘Speechless’ on The Fame Monster. As Gaga sat at the piano applying lipstick monsters got to experience a song that is undoubtedly about life on tour. The lyrics suggest that Gaga will forever be eternally heartbroken; when she’s on tour she longs for Taylor, when she’s not she longs for us. The line that broke every monsters heart watching was the line “Thanks for taking me back.” I’m sure there isn’t a monster in the world that didn’t choke up. The value of youth and celebration of life can be found in the lyric: ‘let’s celebrate the fun of being young, I don’t wanna grow up.’ The Peter Pan allusion is another representation of Gaga’s obsession with Disney. The line within the song “get the bad guys gun.” Caused some concern for monsters; was there an incident backstage we didn’t get to find out, or is this in relation to the events of Jakarta. The song is a true ballad that monsters can play when they are lonely and want to feel loved. I can’t wait for the actual studio version of this song; I hope it is the same tempo and style as the song played at iTunes. This song is one for the fans and I believe is the Speechless of the ARTPOP era.
Swine was approached by the revelation of Gaga without her wigs. She was stripped bare. What followed was arguably one of the most emotional speeches Mother Monster has delivered to us. She explained the rise of her success and alluded to some tragedy that has happened. Some monsters speculated the possibilities of sexual abuse whilst others suggested severe drug abuse or an abortion. But Gaga never confirmed anything as she ‘didn’t want to be a downer.’ A choked up Gaga stated that she was around adults, and she thought that what they were doing was normal, but it wasn’t she said. The opening acompanied with a piano background showed how ballads can be transformed into a funky pop song. Electronic beats took over and Gaga started an energetic pop track that got the whole audience dancing. Many believed that the song was the subject of Perez Hilton; however her speech prior to the performance suggested otherwise. The speech allowed alternative interpretations of other Gaga songs such as Just Dance and Monster which have lyrics that suggest sexual abuse. Gaga has not commented on this and we are not confirming anything, it is just an interpretation. However I believe that the song will be amazing on the album and one that will get many feet tapping and people dancing in the clubs.
AURA LYRIC VIDEO considered a strong contender to be the next single though many feared that it was not radio friendly enough to be a good choice. While The early weeks of October have been nothing short of pure excitement and pandemonium for it did not make the cut to be the next single Monsters everywhere. Within just days of each Aura announced to be the opening song for the ARTPOP album and it now has its own special other the ARTPOP album cover and track list lyric video just in time for Gaga’s acting debut were released and following shortly after was the announcement for the next single, Venus on in Machete Kills. Set to the song Aura, the film October 27. In addition to all of this excitement depicts scenes from the movie along every and the anticipation for the October 11 release major character and the actual lyrics appearing in large western style font. The entire video of the Robert Rodriguez action film, Machete Kills, fans were give one more surprise; The changes from scene to scene much like a classic spy film along with bright splashes and distorMachete Kills- Aura Lyric Video. tions of color that also give the video an almost Aura, since its demo leak a few months ago, psychedelic feel. The video compliments the quickly became one of the fan favorites and harsh, blaring sound of the song in every way spread like wild fire even being played one a handful of radio stations around the world while still maintaining the songs edgy lyrics and at times satirical quality creating an overall within hours of leaking out. It became the opening song of Lady Gaga’s performance for very fun and exciting video. Swinfest at the iTunes Music Festival and with its heavy pulsing mix of dance and electronic sound and harsh yet exciting lyrics it was By: S. Stegman
GAGAMAGAZINE DOES NOT CLAIM COPYRIGHT FOR ANY IMAGES SHOWN WITHIN THIS PUBLICATION