Lady Gaga Is Not The Messiah - I really like the way you think of Gaga as a post-modernist. Personally, I did a paper on her for an aesthetic course it was “Lady Gaga and CAMP” and it was then that I realized there’s so much more to her than just catchy tunes and I don’t mean it as a fan, but the whole concept of Gaga is quite interesting in various perspectives, it’s nice to see there’s someone else out there talking and thinking about it =)

and this is not her church.

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I want your love, and all your lovers' recommendations

Only gods are worshipped unconditionally. People have to earn their love.

And Lady Gaga is only human - without question both deservedly famous and polarising, talented and fallible.

She attracts more fawning fanboyism than any artist with only two albums deserves, and just as much uninformed criticism from those who underestimate her.

So welcome to the middle - where we want the best from her... but good or bad, we'll take everything for what it is.

I'm 20, straight and Australian; part-time metalhead/pop fan, full-time music obsessive. I'm writing about every Madonna single here: The comparisons aren't entirely valid, but no one is more important than Madonna in understanding what Lady Gaga could be.

You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, my personal Tumblr and Last.fm, or harass me via email at richaod AT gmail DOT com.

Mon Sep 27

crazybutlovely asked: I really like the way you think of Gaga as a post-modernist. Personally, I did a paper on her for an aesthetic course it was "Lady Gaga and CAMP" and it was then that I realized there's so much more to her than just catchy tunes and I don't mean it as a fan, but the whole concept of Gaga is quite interesting in various perspectives, it's nice to see there's someone else out there talking and thinking about it =)

Thank you! To be honest, I think most people consider her a postmodernist, though they might not be too familiar with the concept…

Funny, the one aesthetic I truly have never understood is camp - which may be something to do with my straightness? But I’d love to hear your thoughts on the topic! I instead consider my appreciation of pop music part of a strong feminist streak… but I wonder, if other straight guys are the opposite - not openly feminist - is that a barrier to appreciating Lady Gaga?

I guess, in order to become more than a casual listener, one’s respect for Gaga has to outweigh peer opinion (if it’s negative, or strongly heteronormative). I might actually have to test this equation out.

Ironically, and though it’s far more trivial, becoming an open pop/”female music” fan was like my own little coming-out experience. It’s amazing how being both an open metal/rock/indie/electronica AND pop fan is outright viewed as odd… as if those aesthetics can’t overlap at all. Same way I often hear Gaga described - how “weird”, especially her twisting of sexuality, is automatically a bad thing.

Sorry for the total diversion! But I’d love to hear more - all the responses have been great so far!