This comparison became really evident in watching the HBO Lady Gaga concert special the other night after not catching it when it debuted last May.
Aspects of LG directly appropriated from Madonna:
- A multitude of androgynous dancers, primarily decked out in leather with props accentuating their genitals/nether regions/etc. See below:
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| via Flickr/TJ Sengel |
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| via Flickr/Crazy-Heart |
- Emphasis on costume changes, rather than musical quality.
- Dramatic, onstage appeals to disenfranchised audience members, including homosexuals, outsiders, loners, and others. In fact, by labeling these audiences as "little monsters," Gaga is actually out-Madonna-ing Madonna, creating a tighter bond between herself and her fans.
From a historical perspective, Gaga is just another in a long line of performers who continually change persona, looks, and actions to appeal to fans. The difference between these earlier artists, however, is that Gaga operates in a culture that demands this change faster -- as if each costume change provides her with an additional opportunity to reinvent herself.
In the current environment, year-to-year or album-to-album change is too slow. For Gaga and the next iteration of her, and the next iteration of her, transformation before a fickle audience occupies the blink of an eye.
Sitting on the couch watching the HBO concert, my wife asked, "Don't they realize that Madonna already did all this stuff decades ago?" Unfortunately, the answer is that they don't. Historical context is in short supply in today's culture, a sad fact that most popular culture enthusiasts must face.
Without historical insight, therefore, "Mother Monster" seems new and fresh, even though it seems little more than a direct ripoff of "The Material Girl," simply delivered to a new generation of fans.
