Influences come from everywhere

When I first met "Lady Gaga", (still Stefani at the time), she was as typical as I was. I walked into my uncle's studio in Parsipanny, NJ, he wanted to introduce us to his newest artist. She sat there with her long brown hair, tank top, short athletic shorts, and tube socks. My sister, dad and I sat there listening to her belt her beautiful music while playing the piano. My dad joked that if she ever won a Grammy she would have to thank him. She complied. <--Before her blonde wig and outrageous outfits. my aunts house, livingston nj

Fast-forward 3 years and my sister and I were less than impressed by GaGa's new image. When she first came on the scene and I heard her new single "Just Dance", I hated it! I didn't know where her pureness went, or her piano, or her natural look. She became a character, a person on stage who no longer represented an inspiring artist in a small studio in NJ. But since I heard that first single, it has now all come together. She IS a character, but an amazing one at that. She is changing the way of music, and performing. During class today when we were talking about Klaus Nomi and Leigh Bowery, images of GaGa kept coming to mind. When learning about the history of artists, today's artists make more sense. She isn't just a new pop star that radiates a drag queen persona, or an over the top drama queen, she has taken influences that other artists have been to afraid to pursue. She is changing the way our music is shaped and she is reaching back in history to identify with these performance artists.

Part of new hysteria that goes along with Lady GaGa, is her fashion choices. Did we not discuss the same thing for Leigh Bowery today? Over the top, absolutely out of the ordinary, fashion that becomes who they are.

Trust me, I don't go around saying I know Lady GaGa, I just got really excited making a connection between her performances and what we are learning about. It actually makes me appreciate her more.