Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Lady Gaga revels in deception and disguise. She sings about love and yet her songs have a strangely distant,almost clinical quality about them. Its part of the persona shes created the petite creature with a big voice,precariously balanced on armadillo heels,wearing strange hats and sunglasses. She only occasionally seems human like when shes prancing about in a barely-there costume made out of crime-scene tape in the video of her monster-hit Telephone.
Maybe monster is the right word. Its the issue shes addressing throughout in her sophomore album how things you thought you could control take on a life of their own. Her debut album,which she prematurely called The Fame,has been transformed into The Fame Monster,now that the world is in awe of her mad-hatter persona. This is an album about the dark side of love a beloved boyfriend turns into a heart- and brain-chewing zombie in Monster.
Theres nothing saccharine about Lady Gaga. Even when she says I want your love in Bad Romance,one can hear her sneer as if she knows shes a fool for believing in love. Shes got a versatile voice and knows how to harness the potential of vintage songs by artists ranging from ABBA (Alejandro) to Madonna (Monster). Just dont make the mistake of thinking this is another dance album. Lady Gaga has deeper,darker things to say.
pooja.pillai@expressindia.com
