i knew you'd return eventually, you're so desperately predictable Zak.

L.A. REID must be kicking himself.

The record executive signed Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta to Def Jam Records after hearing her sing down the hallway from his office. But Reid, who also signed Avril Lavigne, Usher, Toni Braxton and Pink, dropped the 19-year-old just three months later.

A few years later, the aspiring singer-songwriter broke through worldwide consciousness with “The Fame,” a dance-pop, electro-pop, glam rock album that turned gold a few months after its release.

The girl L.A. Reid had dropped had become a star. She was no longer Stefani, she is now Lady Gaga.

Ripped fishnets

Lady Gaga has become known the world over not just for her number one hits (“Poker Face,” “Just Dance,” “Lovegame”), but also for her wild outfits and theatrical performances.

She didn’t disappoint Manila last Tuesday—she strode out of the plane in a heavily sequined Vivienne Westwood jacket and panties, ripped fishnets and Yves Saint Lauren pumps. Her hair was a mass of messy platinum blonde Marilyn Monroe curls.

A few hours later, at her press conference at Edsa Shangri-La, she looked completely different before the media—trench dress with gold corset detail, black gloves and huge sunglasses that covered half her face. She had on a different wig—blonde with purple streaks and a huge black hair cone.

The actual presscon lasted less than seven minutes, with Lady Gaga struggling to connect the voice to the question—“Where are you dear? I need to look you in the eyes,” she told a journalist.

She changed clothes for her more intimate interviews, to the Vivienne Westwood outfit from the airport, but this time wore her thick blonde hair long, straight, with short purple streaks.

“I look different every 20 minutes,” she said.

Clearly, the girl knows how to laugh at herself. As she sat down for this interview, she said, “We need some drinks or something. Talking about myself all day, it’s boring.”

Lady Gaga has talked about herself a lot the past months; she’s been on the cover of Rolling Stone, Billboard and countless other publications. But people still can’t get enough of her.

She doesn’t mind though. “There’s no such thing as too popular,” she said, laughing.

Burlesque rock show

Success was not instant. Lady Gaga paid her dues. She had stints as a songwriter for musical acts like Fergie, the Pussycat Dolls, Britney Spears and New Kids on the Block. She performed in New York’s Lower East Side club scene. She collaborated with Lady Starlight, another performance artist, in “The Ultimate Pop Burlesque Rockshow.”

Beneath the makeup and glitter is a rich musical history.

Lady Gaga isn’t just pop packaging. She learned how to play the piano at four, started writing songs at 13, and began performing at open mic nights at 14. At 17, she got early admission to New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts where she studied music.

The glitz and the glamor isn’t part of her branding, she says. This is really who she is. “I believe in the glamorous life, I live the glamorous life. I did this before my album was a success. I did this in New York City. I had wigs and makeup and I had my artistic spirit. This is something that will always be with me.”

Through her music, she hopes to encourage people to enjoy life like she does. “My album ‘The Fame’ is about intrinsic fame. It’s penniless and camera-less, it has no agenda. I want everyone in the world to feel just like my friends and I in New York feel—we’re famous without anyone telling us we are.”

Now she is really famous— and things are only beginning for this singer-songwriter.

Lady Gaga kept talking about how excited she was about her arena tour with Kanye West. “I’ve played in arenas before as opening act but this fall, I’m co-headlining with Kanye West. We’re designing the show. It’s going to be amazing. Next year, when I come back to Europe and Asia, I’m going to be in the arena by myself.”

She didn’t know that it would happen sooner than she thought.

Wild crowd

Tuesday night, Lady Gaga played songs from “The Fame” to a wild crowd at Araneta Coliseum. As she played the piano version of “Poker Face,” she told her audience, “I have a confession to make. I’ve cried like six times during this show, but I didn’t tell anybody. And I didn’t want you to read my poker face, but the truth is I love you so so much.”

A few hours later, she posted on Twitter: “just headlined my first arena ALONE, after opening for years. Thank you manila, never forget u. Luv my fans so much, u r the reason I’m here.”

The day before Manila, she was in Korea. The day after, she flew to Singapore for another concert.

She must be exhausted but she seems to be taking fame in stride, and that includes nip-slips and rumors about her being a hermaphrodite.

She addressed this issue at Araneta Coliseum, also while doing the piano version of “Poker Face”: “You know someone asked me recently a very strange question. They said, Lady Gaga, do you have a d*ck? And I said, yes I do and it’s much bigger than yours.” The audience went wild.

The relentless screaming at the concert proved one thing: Lady Gaga’s fans will embrace her and her music, no matter what tabloid fodder people can dig up.

The world will keep waiting for the next hit, next show, next outfit, next wig.

“I will be ever-changing and you will all be watching.”

What are your pre-concert rituals?

I like to warm up my voice and I stretch. I listen to heavy metal music and dance around in my underwear.

Where do you get your ideas for your songs?

I have lots of different ways that I get inspired. When I’m falling asleep, I have visions, when I’m falling asleep I hear melodies and I hear lyrics. If I’m really good about it, I wake up and I record them.

Where do you get your inspiration?

All over. This is a good example (points to her fake mugshot photo). I don’t know if you remember the photos of Paris Hilton and Nicky Hilton and Lindsay Lohan with coke on their nose. Those girls were my inspiration. I was reading tabloids as if they were textbooks. This also has a bit of Courtney Love vibe to it. There’s an art to fame. I get inspiration from all over. That is what inspired the Paparazzi video.

You seem to be really passionate about your family—do you still have time to be with them?

I haven’t seen them for a while but my family is my heart and soul. I’m very family-oriented. They’re very proud of me.

Do they still get shocked by the things that you do?

No. What’s so funny is that my father loves it now. Before, I think he was worried for my sanity more than anything. They love my marbles now, they love my crazy marbles.

How about your grandmother?

The story I tell about my grandmother is true. My grandmother’s blind—she had a tumor years ago and when she had surgery, she woke up and couldn’t see anymore. Over time, she developed the ability to see in certain spots and colors. But she can only see light against dark so when I wear no pants with black leotards, she can see my legs. She would watch TV or my grandfather would put her on the Internet and she’d say, “Oh I can see her legs, there are her little legs.” It was like this funny sort of cute thing—I wear no pants so my grandma can see me on TV. It’s true.

You’re very comfortable about your body. Were you ever insecure about anything as teenager?

I was a girl just like everyone else. I had a lot of insecurities. I was made fun of a lot in school. I didn’t have a lot of friends. I always have a laugh with the Haus, my creative team, because I say nothing has changed. They say, what do you mean? Being a pop singer, as we start going to more and more awards, because I’m not friends with celebrities and I don’t really like celebrities, I still feel like the weird girl in high school.

In a way I think some of them are a bit afraid of me. In another way, I don’t know if they just don’t like me. I still feel like the misfit in high school who’s really into theater or art. I just feel like I have a bit of a complex sometimes.

Can you tell us about your Filipina best friend?

I’ve known her since I was four. Interestingly enough, we just came from Korea and my other best friend is from Korea. Neither of them has been to Korea or the Philippines – they’re American girls but their families are from Korea and the Philippines. My girlfriends and I grew up very strong and dedicated women. We believe in empowering ourselves as feminine beings. We always lived our lives as if we were beautiful and dirty rich even though we had no money.

How possible is it to be 100 percent original?

It is difficult to be original all the time. But the challenge of an artist for myself is to be contextually different. For example, leather and bondage is not a new sexual thing for women, Madonna did it. She will forever be the one who did it and broke through.

But I love bondage and I live in leather and lace and I won’t deny myself my right to express that. But the challenge is to do it in a new way and in a new context and say something different.

What would it take to compete with you as an artist?

I don’t think anyone can compete with me. I don’t think I can compete with anyone else. I am myself and I’m a very passionate and devoted artist. I’m just excited that everyone loves so much the album I wrote.

When did you realize you had made it?

I felt famous five years ago, you just didn’t know about it.

What was it like to pose for Out magazine?

Amazing. Ellen von Unwerth is a very good friend and she is one of the most talented photographers on the earth. She brings out a femininity in me without putting bows and pink and taking all my makeup off which is always what people wanna do when they take pictures of me. “We wanna see the real you,” well news flash, f--- off, this is the real me. I am my wigs. I am my makeup. If you come where I live, this is who we are. And Ellen shoots me with all my makeup on in all my monstrosity and she makes me look like a woman.

Who are you wearing now?

This is Vivienne Westwood. My hair is by an amazing Korean hair designer. I have lots of wigs. I must have 30 wigs. It’s very funny to me because in pop music culture, it’s very taboo to discuss hair extensions and wigs. Lots of female artists wear them but make an effort to hide them. I’m very proud of my wigs. I believe they all deserve the chance to shine. I have names for all of them.

What do you call this wig?

This is Korea.

Are you comfortable with being called a shock artist?

I don’t think shock is negative. Shock for me is not something I’m in control of. It’s you. The audience is in control. Which is perhaps why fans love my show so much. It’s as shocking or not shocking as they choose to make it.

To be perfectly honest, I think work that’s not provocative is boring. Provocation is not limited to just sexuality and nudity, it’s also political, religious, it’s defining what it means to be a lady. It’s up to my fans, they tell me who I am every night.

What’s the most boring thing about you?

There’s nothing boring about me. Except I think that some people think that I’m doing lines of cocaine in my dressing room right before I go onstage. Truth is, I’m doing sit-ups and I’m praying and warming up. That’s the most boring thing about me.

What makes you go gaga?

I love pop culture and I love my fans. I’m really happy to be here in Manila.

Among all your male leads in your music videos, who was the best kisser?

I liked the chick in The Love Game video.

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Manila goes gaga over Lady Gaga

By Jenni Epperson
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:45:00 08/14/2009

Filed Under: Music, Celebrities, Entertainment (general)

ARANETA coliseum was packed with an audience that delivered almost as much va-va-voom as Lady Gaga did.

The screams were numbing as they pierced through the music, pausing at the right time to listen to Gaga’s amazing voice.
Boy, did she put up a show – all costume changes, dance moves, that bike, a bubble-filled lucite piano and hot male dancers!

She started the show with “Paparrazi” and everybody in the stadium sang their hearts out. “I’m your biggest fan I’ll follow you until you love me, pa pa paparazzi.” Then, she literally came out of the box to deliver the rest of her songs, and not once did she let us down.

Lady Gaga, known for her provocative moves (has anyone ever seen a piano played with both hands and feet?), also bewildered the audience with what sounded like sexual moans.

With the little space she had, she performed her up-tempo dance moves dressed in ’70s pop glam outfits and signature tanga. The new Pop Princess was ultra-sexy in her nude latex bikini, while also wowing the audience with her powerful pipes.

She rendered an acoustic “Poker Face” wearing a show-stopping Hussein Chalayan bubble dress, before ending the show with the original version of the chart-topper.

Lady Gaga couldn’t help repeating over and over how much she loved Manila, and said she cried six times throughout the first few songs because of the audience reception.

It didn’t look like she wanted to leave (we wish she didn’t). Still, she left us with a “See you next year, Manila!” Which is more than enough to keep us wanting for more.

In honor of Lady Gaga, I brought Disco Sticks (available at http://cuteture.multiply.com) to share with Gaga fans during the show. Here we go...

“Let’s have some fun, this beat is sick
I wanna take a ride on your disco stick
Don’t think too much, just bust that kick
I wanna take a ride on your disco stick..

----------------------

Gaga fever online

By Pam Pastor
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Last updated 03:14:00 08/15/2009

The Internet has really changed everything – even the way we enjoy concerts. Those who weren’t lucky – or fast enough – to get their hands on tickets get blow-by-blow updates on sites like Twitter and Facebook, thanks to members of the audience who couldn’t keep their hands off their mobile phones. If we want to relive moments of the show we’ve seen, all we need to do is go on Youtube and watch videos of the concert. Photos from the show are also uploaded on the same night—on Facebook, on Multiply, on fan blogs.

This was the case with Lady Gaga’s concert. And the best part, we didn’t have to try to figure out if Lady Gaga enjoyed the show as much as she did – she told us so on Twitter just a few hours after she took a final bow: “Thank you Manila, never forget u. Luv my fans so much, u r the reason I’m here.”

Below is a compilation of Tweets and Facebook posts on the night of the concert:

Tatin Yang: Watching Gaga tonight? Wear deodorant, win a friend.

Tatin Yang: Just got to our seats—Lady Gaga concert aka Fasyunan 2009 slash General Assembly of the Beckylou Bongga Chapter.

quarklovesyou: This is the longest time period I’ve ever heard a thousand people scream simultaneously, continuously.welcome to Manila, Gaga.

PerezHilton: Lady Gaga is a trending topic! Fabulosity!!!!

Joseph Pascual: scared everyone at the Upper Box by dancing and screaming, sorry! Gaga kasi.

Mirochka Cua: thank god Lady Gaga performed the dance version of Poker Face

davanita: pre-gaming before lady gaga was a good idea. had just enough buzz to enjoy the strip show.

turbochicken: is drunk on @ladygaga

piamagalona: We’re home! Great show, Lady G

Mimi Tiu: can still hear Lady GaGa in her head singing, “Bang, bang! We’re beautiful and dirty rich!” Indeed, we are.

Fozzy Castro: is envious of everyone who got to go Gaga.

Ram De Vera: I lost my voice (again)! But it’s all worth it! Galing mo teh! Gaga ka nga!

Wanggo Gallaga: just had an intensely religious experience. He is now the High Priest of the Church of Gaga.

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Look Gaga


Philippine Daily Inquirer

Last updated 03:10:00 08/15/2009

“WE ARE all famous,” LADY Gaga said calmly at her August 11 press conference. Dressed in khaki trench coat, shiny gold bustier and black statement heels, the pop icon glided onto the stage and stopped for pictures doing fashion’s infamous hands-on-the-hips, clavicles out, and pursed-lips pose.

Yes, in lieu of a smile, Ms Gaga posed for all photos in such manner – a definite indication that her fashion and music are not anti-thetical. That, and the huge black cone atop her blonde locks, the black shades she wore inside a hotel ballroom at five in the afternoon, and, well, pretty much all her videos and photos.

At a time when “budget,” “cheap” and “recession” were all the buzz words, perhaps Lady Gaga’s approach to fashion is well embraced and emulated because it doesn’t give in to the dictates of the economy.

She’s bold in sequins, leatherette, jewelry, gloves, and boots—worn all at the same time—and she doesn’t know moderation. She even dances with a flower embellishment on her shoulder. Beat that, Carrie Bradshaw!

But it could be that the high-cut leotard and defined shoulders are, in fact, her signature look. Who else dares go through Immigration in a “tanga”? Only her!

How to get the look?

Hit the nearest dance clothing shop for a leotard. Hello Danskin and Yvonne’s. But if you’re not too keen on baring some leg (or lots of leg), pile on all Lady Gaga’s key style elements as much as you wish.

In her case, it truly is the more the merrier. As as she loves to say, “My friends and I always lived life fabulously, even when we weren’t earning!”

LOL I knew I'd come back too.
Well, I lasted about a week or something.
Last time I left I lasted about 3 hours then returned.

erm, i'm not. wtf are you talking about?

I love the Porter and Capaldi shoot! :love:
She looks well lush.

So, is this Hit Mixes EP real or what then? It was Amazon so I'm assuming it is, they never lie, do they?
And have you guys pre-ordered Gaga's 2010 calendar from HMV yet? I can't wait to get it! It's released on 7th September anyway.

Paparazzi at #13. :bawling:

All of the copies of The Fame were on the floor in Asda yesterday. So was Gossip Girl Season One. :(

OMFG. :shocked:
That's devestating. Who would do such a thing?!
They probably did it 'cos of thd hermaphrodite thing.
I feel like battering the animals that did this with the CD now.

i just lovee lady gaga x

Yay! Another Gaga fan! I love you for loving Gaga.
What's your favourite Gaga song?

Maybe they just fell ;) i doubt it was done with any malice..

oh&why the tears over Paparazzi? it was hardly going to climb.

oh&&grr i think im going to have to get 2 calendars next year cos I have my heart set on the twilight one but I just know the GaGa one will be amazing.

Zac, no1curr's about it falling. Not even Gaga.

Is it true she has balls?

I saw a video of her on BBC3 and she had balls hanging down.

Well I don't really care about Paparazzi failing that much now but imo it was the best single she had released so far but who cares anyway, we're getting LoveGame! :bigsmile:

I love how The Fame is always lurking around the top 10 in the album chart and it never leaves.

And Gary and Michael, what's your fave Gaga song?

Ew no. There's pictures all over the internet with a tampon hanging out of her vag and I've seen a picture which shows her vag too.
And have you seen the LoveGame video?! She's wearing leotards and there's clearly no balls, same with the Poker Face video too. So no, she isn't a hermaphrodite.
When will these rumours go away?

I have found something interesting about her:

http://i32.tinypic.com/4vmurl.png

Agree or disagree ?

Lady Gage is the future by the way. :thumbs:

^Hell to the no. I liked Gaga, but before she was mainstream and everyone acted as if she was next in line to be Jesus. She's overrarted now and the 'art' shiit is slowly wearing thin because it's no excuse for some of the things she's tries to get away with.

I just saw this post on Expose and I agree greatly. (the Britney comparisons are because it was on a Britney forum. I'm not trying to compare them)

OH NON YOU DIDN'T !

Britney being the most powerful woman on Earth ? Let me thing of the real one...Angela Merkel, the German chancelor. And the most influential woman on Earth is Oprah Winfrey.

I didn't even read furhter than this because it completely shows how the poster is an ignorant jealous bitch.

Pffft. I don't agree with any of that shxt off Expose.
And it is art, she knows how to pull off pretty much everything whether it's a dress made entirely out of hair or fire coming out of her tits. She knows how to put on a great show and is the best thing to happen to music and fashion for ages.
People just hate her out of jealousy. :bored:

1.If GaGa's music is bland and medicore then it says more about Britney's music than it says about her considering GaGa's at #1 meanwhile Britneys hovering around somewhere outside the top 40.
2.Well its true,she is artist and im glad shes making a big deal about it because there simply arn't enough artists in the pop industry.
3.I think she will match Britneys iconic status,infact I think she'll smash in to pieces.
4.Britney was never the most powerfull woman in the world & Beyonce is much more powerfull than her.

He didn't say Britney IS the most powerful woman on the planet, he said she was. Which is a proven fact because in 2001/2002/2003 it was revealed Britney was the most powerful celebrity on the planet.

and lmfao, OK KKBL. We'll see about that.

1. Just because a song is number one doesn't mean it's a work of art. Gaga is the result of trend, right now her music is doing well because of the fad surrounding her. Where were all her current fans when Gaga was struggling to even chart anywhere last year? It took Just Dance almost a year just to get noticed.
3. I hope to speak to you in 2019 when Lady Gaga has sold over 95 million albums and is one of the famous celebrites ever/in the world.
4. Proven fact that she was by Forbes back in 2001-2003. Which the post said she was, then fell and is slowly climbing back up again.

1.I think the OP was reffering to her outfits when he took the mick of her "this is art" statement & I dont think GaGa has ever claimed her music is art.GaGa was certainly not struggling last year.This time last year she was already #1 in Australia and Canada.It didnt take JD a year to get noticed,it took it a year to get released.
2.I never said anything about 95 million record,i was talking about iconic status.anyway it'd be impossible for anyone to sell even close to that much in this climate.
3.OK,well I was wrong there but I dont think she'll ever get close to that again,not with everyone knowing about her breakdown.the public dont take her seriously anymore.

Oh gawsh. :sleep:

I love them both and I do believe Gaga is an artist, and a very good one at that. She is very intelligent and very well educated. However, I do agree she will never reach the success that Britney has had or is having now.

Britney has actually sold 180 million records, 95 million of those being albums and just over one billion bottles of perfume, giving her the most popular celebrity fragrance line in the history of the world and the third most successful fragrance line ever. She is one of the most powerful people in the world, no doubt. When she shaved off her hair, she sent the world into uproar. She was the main talking point of 2007 and the beginning of 2008 and now she is on a sell out world tour. She is still as relevent as she was 11 years ago, if not more. She has the power to do anything if she really wanted. Whereas, if Gaga shaved her head people would just say 'Oh, it's her weird fashion sense' and wouldn't bat an eyelid.

However, I do believe that Britney takes her fame for granted more than Gaga. And that Gaga is more articulat. Saying that, certain things Stefani have done have just been utterly ridiculous (ie. the gimp mask, kermit the frog outfit) which are just pathetic and attention seeking. But I still think she was intelligent to think of those ideas.

I like Britney way more, but Gaga is my second favourite. :tongue:

~THE QUEEN HAS SPOKEN~
~BOW~

ily Michael