This is the year I did what I wanted instead of trying to keep up with what I thought everyone else wanted from me. At the end of 2014, my stylist asked, ‘Do you even want to be a pop star anymore?’ I looked at him and I go, ‘You know, if I could just stop this train right now, today, I would. I just can’t. [But] I need to get off now because I’m going to die. I think for Adele it is (good enough just being an artist). I think for Bruno Mars it is. But that’s what I learned from working with Tony: If talent isn’t the thing, then you are way off-base. My birthday is in March, so these are the last moments of my twenties. I want to show women they don’t need to try to keep up with the 19-year-olds and the 21-year-olds in order to have a hit. Women in music, they feel like they need to fucking sell everything to be a star. It’s so sad. I want to explode as I go into my thirties.”
— Lady Gaga, reflecting on her career faux pas in an interview with Billboard, which named her “Woman of the Year”
Eddie Poole-Boccio
Everyone has to start somehow. It was fun the first couple of years, but now she has matured and I love her in Hotel. I wish she had more parts like Jessica Lange did. Maybe next season we will see more.
Derek Perron
Her shtick was actually overshadowing her talent
Glendon Robert Frank
I think she’s a genius — she’s an incredible jazz singer
Joey Thompson
Gurl, bye.
Christopher Malcovish
the outrageous antics are what made her fun, now she is a pop Diva who takes herself way too seriously and is BORING. He original music was edgy, fun and provoked thought… now she is crap just like “American Porn Story”. What a shame…
Damon Robbins
Stripped of the glamoratzi, she is a gifted singer,songwriter,actress and an amazing human being….long live Lady Ga Ga!
Darnell Hill
This Lady is so underrated. I hope she knows that so many people love her artistry and big heart
Hanford Searl Jr.
… “Ya gotta have a Gimmick” from “Gypsy.” YouTube it. You’re welcome!
Chris Duffy
A twenty something who stopped to listen to the great advice from elders. Take a hint millennials.
Duke Marine
Um I kinda forgot who she was until that bloody orgy on Ahs…so maybe keep up the outrageousness?
Tim Harbaugh
She knew that all along. But she also knew the formula to write a killer pop song.
Scott Albert Bennett
I love her. Period. I always saw the talent, above everything else.
Szymon Sikora
I literally love her to pieces, not only can she sing, but her music is so meaningful. Even such a song like Just Dance has a meaning behind it… #PawsUp
Richard Bradford
Sick lady.
Timothy Warner
You are something, and I love you with Tony B.
Jonny B. Mitchell
But it was her own. I loved how she had those antics. And I love her still.
AtticusBennett
she’s a tremendous talent. there’s no disputing it. composer, songwriter, vocalist, performer, and on and on.
she is the real deal.
Patrick Cremeans
This writer apparently missed the fact that every one of her albums has plummeted from its predecessor and that she stopped getting #1 singles and Platinum albums just 3 years in to her career.
gaysagainstjenner
She is completely full of it and up her own arse. Woman of the Year? LOL! She paid for this award as Prince tweeted this image on Twitter of a letter from former Billboard employee.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CVWWOwrU4AAxXD7.jpg
gaysagainstjenner
@Christopher Malcovish: And one who pays for awards:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CVWWOwrU4AAxXD7.jpg
William Thomas Bramlett II
But u so need it to keep your monsters interested so…bye bitch.
Yoshi Hil
A truly work of art.
She’s a real artist with real talent.
Erin Capuano
Lady Gaga has always been talented but I think like most women in the music industry they are pressured to be a sex symbol and be outrageous rather than just be themselves. She’s classically trained with on piano and vocally and she showed that on her CD with Tony Bennett and her performance on the Oscars. I would buy any album she put out whether it’s pop or not because she’s so talented and that is what has kept her around so long her talent not the antics.
Danny Adams II
She is unique.
Bobby McGrath
What country is this royal from? Is she on some weird cable tv show?
Milton Appleby
Was never a fan but have turned the tide. She has a voice and the talent to support it. More power to her.
Meronda Trainor
I enjoyed the get ups. She is, in every aspect of the word, an entertainer.
Captain Obvious
Does no one see the irony of her suddenly stripping the antics now that stripping the antics and bashing the girls in the bra and panties on stage is cool/”hip”/”in”?
She’s not doing anything that anyone else isn’t doing. After the glorification and amazing amount of paid marketing for Adele’s suicide album everyone is screaming for female singers to put clothes on.
Nice try though, Gaga, if you really want to stop sounding ridiculous use a real name.
Her star was falling off anyway, changing her schtick(like literally every other female popstar does ever 2 seconds) was bound to happen.
If all the singers were still wearing nude tights and sparkly shoes best believe Gigglebutt would be wearing it too.
Soumen Chatterjee
so is she is going commando
Brian
If she wants to be taken seriously, she needs to stop the semi-nude poses.
John Paramor
But she needed them to become a star. Not because of a lack of talent. She obviously has talent to burn. To be noticed. She is so smart.
Hussain-TheCanadian
I love her, beautiful voice, excellent talent, beautiful husband LOOL – She’s a good actress too, are you all following American Horror Story Hotel?
Isaac Ogle
I bet she wishes she didn’t get all those tattoos now.
Rolando P. Cabiluna
reinvent herself ala Barbra.
Caspian Shields
Wait she never stated that she doesn’t need outrageous antics she states that she doesn’t have to sell out to be an artist.
lauraspencer
@Captain Obvious:
Agree with you!
This totally marketing and PR 101. Love how she is about to be 30 and she wants to separate herself from pop. Her team realizes that her niche audience isn’t going to age with her and she needs to find a new market. This has been obvious with her albums not selling well. Her singing at the Oscars (Julie Andrews she is NOT) and partnering with Tony Bennett is such an orchestrated moved to give her “cred” and bring her to the attention to an older audience since she lost her young fans.
The past couple of years everyone has compared Gaga to being the new Madonna. I don’t think at this rate she is going to have a career spanning 4 decades like Madonna.
sportsguy1983
It is hard to take someone as ridiculous as her as a serious artist.
Craig Bankert
It was her outrageous antics that got her noticed. Now that she is a megastar she can afford to be normal.
martinbakman
The Billboard article is a good read.
Gaga will be 30 years old soon. Performers that don’t evolve are the ones that risk appearing ridiculous.
She’s a great talent and has been an advocate serious about making a difference.
tricky ricky
@Rolando P. Cabiluna: I never thought of Streisand as reinventing herself. She’s kind of been the soundtrack of my entire life from the 60’s when I was in grade school and on.
Irene Gorman
I’m not a fan of Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett is someone my dad is a fan of. Yet I want to get their Christmas album.
Grant Baldwin
Glad she recognizes she can do what she wants and how she wants it to be a success. If she wants to be over the top doing pop great, if she wants to duet with Tony Bennet great. If she goes solo wonderful. She is not a one trick pony show like some other famous singers.
Topher Levín
It’s like you don’t even know her story. She did need the antics, because people would not pay attention to her at first without it. That’s her own story in her own words.
Scot Walker
Never liked Gaga before…..now that she’s just being herself. I love her, such a talented person. I truly enjoy her now
Fausto
The thing is she’s always been talented. Now you’re just saying she’s talented because she’s singing in the “appropriate way” instead of seeing her creativeness and talent from the beginning. She shouldn’t have to conform to a type of singing to be labeled as talented
Doug Bowser
She kinda does….
Ahliyon King Ciccone
Best comment & well said ! —-
“The thing is she’s always been talented. Now you’re just saying she’s talented because she’s singing in the “appropriate way” instead of seeing her creativeness and talent from the beginning. She shouldn’t have to conform to a type of singing to be labeled as talented”
jag4313
I have always loved her music and voice but hated the theatrics. I’m hoping this means she is moving on from them. I just want to hear her voice, not be distracted by a space egg or meat dress.
Timothy Ronald Pell
Her best song was Just Dance. She desperately had to find that again.
retrocub
Yawn.
Eric Storm
…….now that she’s already successful, so what does it matter what she gives her fans?
Sebastián Gaspar
She’s very talented but her outrageous antics were part of who she was, she shouldn’t leave that behind, without that she’s another pop starlet
Phillip Donkin
So now she is Barbra Streisand?
Guy068
@Erin Capuano: Exactly. At least she didn’t go the Minaj route and put out softcore porn…
Christian Pedraza
Oh she’s so gonna bring the crazy antics for her next release, don’t fool yorself! “Her talent” wasn’t enough fot her to be noticed and it won’t make her last neither too, you’ll see.
Pistolo
Now when is she going to realize being a melodramatic, desperate narcissist who’s always speaking in platitudes is something her career doesn’t need?
Erika Alaiynne
She is gorgeous, funny, real, and mad talented. I’m happy to see her happy, and I hope she keeps making music.
Taskebab
She needs a “Ray of Light”-esque album to jumpstart that pop career again
Cagnazzo82
Talent sells itself. Adele has proven that. End of story.
That said, songs like Paparazzi from Gaga’s early explosion will always remain guilty pleasures.
Wish her all the best. She made the late 2000s fun.
Jack Anthony Owen
Amen to that!
DarkZephyr
@GayGainerStJenner: Meh, I will always love Lady Gaga. She has been on the side of LGBT people for a very long time. I won’t ever forget that.
stranded
It’s no different than what Madonna did. I’m not saying that to throw shade at all, but both these artist have followed the same path. I mean Like A Prayer was a mega hit, then Madonna pushed the limits with Exotica. Gaga’s Born this way was a mega hit and she followed that with Art POP. In both cases they pushed the limit until there was nothing else to push and anything to try and top it would be stale. So Madonna did Bedtime stories and focused on acting. Gaga did Cheek to Cheek, and acted in American Horror Story. Both made an effort to change the exaggerated persona they created for themselves. Is it selling out or growing up?
abhaychacko
Why the hell do the people refer to her former fashion sense as her “career faux pas”? unsure emoticon For God’s sake those things have some significance too! She did give a serious *thought* behind donning those costumes n make-up in her music videos!! And THEY WERE APTLY WONDERFUL! Is our perception of art so limited?? Aren’t we all fuckin hypocrites?!!
abhaychacko
Why the hell do the people refer to her former fashion sense as her “career faux pas”? :/ For God’s sake those things have some significance too! She did give a serious *thought* behind donning those costumes n make-up in her music videos!! And THEY WERE APTLY WONDERFUL! Is our perception of art so limited?? Aren’t we all fuckin hypocrites?!!
Charles
Well to be honest this is extremely disappointing. After the meh album artpop I was waiting for the glory that was the fame monster again but this current album is not doing it for me. I’m happy for her that she’s found her way but I don’t think I’ll be going with her moving forward.
And what’s with all the cynicism? People are making seem like she’s being fake or something, just goes to show that celebs can’t will. If she dresses crazy she’s an attention whore, yet when she declares she won’t do it anymore it’s still for attention?