She's a petite, platinum blonde with a mighty big voice. She's the Blondie of this generation, mixed with an originality that evokes Grace Jones. Her style, her talent, her performances all make Lady Gaga one unique performer. Her single, Just Dance, catapulted to number one this summer on iTunes dance downloads. So the anticipation is high for the release this week of her CD, The Fame. And if you came to Windy City Gay Idol, you were lucky enough to see her perform and possibly meet her. She is the real deal.
Amy Matheny: So much has happened with your career since you were here performing at Gay Idol in June!
Lady Gaga: It's been really amazing! The record really took off in Europe so I've been traveling Internationally and the record's gone number one in a few places. Now I'm back in New York and I'm not leaving until it is number one here.
AM: Some people think you just burst on the scene, but you've been doing this a long time. Where are you from and what are your musical roots?
LG: I'm from New York, born and raised, and I dropped out of college when I was 19. I'd already been playing out in New York since I was like 15 years old. I'm a songwriter and a singer and a performance artist, and I just hustled. I played every club, I interned for music companies, I worked at bars, I go-go danced—I did anything and everything I could do to be around music and promote my music. I just hustled it up for years and now I'm still hustling, but I'm hustling from a different place.
AM: The new CD is The Fame. Now you're on the precipice of it all. Is that the viewpoint of the CD?
LG: Well the viewpoint is kind of a mixture of things—a lot about my life in New York and my journey and, you know, the album is really about New York. It's about pop culture; it's about being young and loving fashion and the fame is something that I sort of discovered … that it's not given to you—it's something you can take on your own. The concept of the album is really saying that it's something you can have … . [ just by ] saying that it, [ it's ] yours. You can embody [ fame ] . It's also something the media gives to you. And that's me, that's my life. I'm just a girl from New York who wanted to be a star, so I did it!
AM: You have a performance-art style about you, something we don't often see. Were you influenced by performers like Bowie, Grace Jones and Blondie?
LG: Sure! You just named three of them, and Prince, I got recently into ( inaudible 7:12and ( 7:13 ) I just focus in on the way that we can and ( inaudible 7:18 ) Queen. That's how I got my name was from Freddie Mercury … .so I really am fascinated by artists. The music is just one of the layers. They are all performers … it's so beyond just the scope of the album and I love it because when people hear my music they always say 'O my god, I saw the video and it completely changed what I thought.'
AM: You are such a visual performance artist and, sometimes, the visual makes up for what people lack vocally. You're strong in both areas. Is that why the gay community locks on to you and embraces you? You also say you're taking over the world one sequin at a time.
LG: You know, I started out, I'd say, better as a singer. Then I got better as a songwriter. Now I'm getting better as a creative singer/creator. I mean if you could imagine somebody that does nothing but make music and art all day, that's just who I am. So I'm growing and I'm changing and I just really appreciate my gay fans really, really, they know everything about me as an artist. They're loyal. The gay community is much smarter a lot of ways, musically, than any of my other fans because they know the references. They're watching a show and they know why I'm wearing a hood, they know where the disco stick reference came from, they're really in tune with culture and what I'm trying to do and it's just awesome and amazing! Every time I go to a gay club I see lightening bolts drawn on their faces and I am like, 'I'm home!'
AM: You performed on the Miss Universe Pageant, and on my favorite summer show, So You think You Can Dance, I was so super-thrilled … . and now you're on tour with New Kids On The Block. How amazing!
LG: It's really incredible! With touring [ now with New Kids ] … before in Europe and, in the U.S., clubs clearly it's just a different environment. Now I'm in an arena. I'm in a space where people know the record and it's still a hustle but it's a different kind of hustle. So it's really awesome, I'm doing things in the show that I've never been able to do before. I'm really pushing myself creatively. I feel so, so blessed.
AM: When you're writing your songs they're very autobiographical. Beautiful Dirty Rich seems to be perspective of being in that very adult club world at a very young age.
LG: Oh, absolutely! That record is a very autobiographical record and it's actually one of the oldest songs on the album. I wrote it a couple years ago living in New York. That for me was our anthem. That's the song that I wrote as the anthem for all my friends, all the artists that I knew. It speaks to this concept of the Fame really strongly in the lyrics cause it says 'we're beautiful and dirty rich but we got no money.' So it's all about the way that we dress, the way we walk, the way that we talk about our art and our passion. The song is about it not mattering about how much money you have or where you're from or your status as an artist. It's all about your core, what you believe in and your passion and your fashion and all that stuff. I'm positive that I never would have written that song had I not grown up as fast as I did in New York City.
AM: I heard that you were working with Britney Spears. Is that true?
LG: Yeah, it's true. As of right now it looks like one of the songs I did is going to be on her album and possibly another one, so I'm really excited.
AM: Who are the people/ artists you want to work with?
LG: There are a ton of artists I'd like to work with and honestly there [ are ] a lot of artists that I am sure that my fans would not believe that I would want to work with but I really would … .
AM: Do shock us! Tell us who?
LG: I'd like to write for some of these teeny bopper groups like the Jonas Brothers or Miley Cyrus. I love writing pop records. It's always fun to write songs for artists that are truly different than you and really stretch you and what you can do. Then again, I'd like to write for Madonna, I'd love to write for Grace Jones and I'd love to write with the Scissor Sisters.
AM: I love them!
LG: I could go on and on ... Marilyn Manson, that's one who I'd love to do.
AM: Marilyn Manson hookin' up with Gaga. That would be a concert!
LG: Holy shit!
AM: Well, it's really exciting! We can't wait! Gaga, hope to see you back in Chicago many, many times.
LG: I'm coming soon!
The Fame is in stores now and watch for Gaga on tour with New kids On The Block. For more, visit ladygaga.com .
