Lady Gaga: Queen of Pop

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Lady Gaga: Queen of Pop
Lady Gaga Queen of Pop.jpg
Book cover, UK edition
AuthorEmily Herbert
CountryUnited Kingdom
Subject Lady Gaga
Genre Biography
Publisher John Blake Publishing Ltd.
Publication date
2010
Media typePaperback
Pages288
ISBN 1-84454-963-1
OCLC 515459835

Lady Gaga: Queen of Pop is a biography of American singer Lady Gaga. It was written by Emily Herbert (pen name for the journalist Virginia Blackburn) and published in the United Kingdom by John Blake Publishing Ltd. The book was published by Overlook Press in the United States with the title Lady Gaga: Behind the Fame. [1] Additional versions under the title Lady Gaga: Queen of Pop were published in 2010 by Wilkinson Publishing of Melbourne in Australia [2] and by Gardners Books in the United Kingdom. [3] The book discusses Gaga's early life when she was known as Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta from her birth in 1986, and chronicles her education at Convent of the Sacred Heart in New York, her early visits to nightclubs with her mother to perform at open-mic events, and her brief foray into the Tisch School of the Arts, leading up to her first experience of fame. Germanotta took the name "Lady Gaga" from the song "Radio Ga Ga" by the rock group Queen; she released her first album The Fame in 2008. Lady Gaga: Queen of Pop describes the musician's success in the industry, noting her business collaborations and appearance on the cover of Rolling Stone in 2009.

Contents

Lady Gaga: Queen of Pop received a mixed reception, and a reviewer for the Orlando Sentinel wrote a positive review. The Herald Sun criticized the book's style of commentary and its chronological organization style. A book critic for the St. Petersburg Times wrote positively about the photographs of Gaga in the book. The Phoenix New Times characterized its style as tending towards a positive tone, and compared it to a Wikipedia entry. A reviewer for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune criticized the book for being predictable. Ms. Magazine said that the book describes the musician's business acumen and motivation to maintain control of her image. A reviewer for the Las Vegas Review-Journal wrote that the book presented a detailed biography of the musician.

Author

Emily Herbert is the pen name of British journalist Virginia Blackburn. [4] Blackburn wrote articles about Lady Gaga in publications including The Express , [5] and the Herald Sun . [6] Her biography of Katie Price, Katie and Peter: Too Much in Love, became a number one bestseller in the category of paperback non-fiction. [7] [8] She also wrote Michael Jackson: King of Pop, Kerry: Story of a Survivor (about Kerry Katona), Robbie: A Life Less Ordinary (Robbie Williams), and Gok Wan: The Biography (Gok Wan). [9] [10] Blackburn specializes in celebrity biographies; she motivates herself to write 5,000 words per day. [11] Overlook Press stated it was the first published biography about Lady Gaga. [12]

Contents

Lady Gaga: Queen of Pop has 288 pages, including 32 pages of photographs of the musician. [13] [14] The author compares Lady Gaga to Madonna, writing that both are independent and work to assert control over their futures. [5] The book discusses Lady Gaga's early life and background, including her upbringing in a New York City household with her father, a businessman. [5] Born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta on March 28, 1986, from age 11 she attended Convent of the Sacred Heart high school; [5] the same high school as Paris Hilton. [5] Germanotta was not popular with her fellow pupils because of her experimentation with exotic dance, drugs, and bisexuality. [5] By age 13, she had written her first song and her mother took her to nightclubs to perform at open-mic events. [5] Germanotta gained entry to the Tisch School of the Arts in New York at age 17, but left and started using drugs while performing as a go-go dancer. [5] After a period of difficulty with her father, she ceased this behavior pattern. [5]

Germanotta adopted a new name, "Lady Gaga", which came from the rock group Queen's song "Radio Ga Ga". [5] She learned that with a new identity she could gain attention, which she appreciated. [5] Her first album, titled The Fame , was released in August 2008 and included the hit songs "Poker Face" and "Just Dance." [5] She had an emotional separation from her boyfriend named Luke, who was a heavy metal drummer, but she continued to focus on her music and her work. [5] The Fame became successful worldwide, and Gaga started the group "Haus of Gaga", whose contributing endeavors include sound design, clothing, and stage production. [5] She appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone in May 2009, and performed with bands including Take That and the Pussycat Dolls on their world tours. [5]

Reception

Jim Abbott of the Orlando Sentinel described the book as "a breathless new biography" by Herbert. [15] In a review in the Herald Sun, Blanche Clark was critical and said, "Herbert's loose timeline is irritating, as is some of her glib commentary, such as: 'When her parents took her out to restaurants, she would use the breadsticks as drum batons—music was clearly in the blood.'" [16] St. Petersburg Times book critic Colette Bancroft said of the images in the book, "I can tell you lots of the photos are fun, although a few are a little scary, like the one in which she looks like a space alien awaiting a gynecological exam." [17]

Writing for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune , Kristin Tillotson wrote that Lady Gaga: Queen of Pop is a "quickie, predictably vapid bio". [18] Noelle Williams of Ms. Magazine wrote that the book "adds to the already familiar growing-up-Catholic-school-girl backstory new insight into Gaga's artistic vision and business savvy. In an industry in which many women (and some men) are shepherded to stardom with little input, Gaga appears to be completely in control of her image." [19]

Writing for Phoenix New Times , Nicki Escudero compared the book to an entry on Wikipedia. She wrote, "It's sort of like a really expanded Wikipedia entry, if you like that type of thing, though Herbert's voice shows that she's definitely a fan, and the book isn't completely unbiased—it's a very revering [ sic ] tale of Gaga's 24-year-old life." [20] Sharon Galligar Chance reviewed the book for the Las Vegas Review-Journal , and wrote, "Using references from many, many different sources, Herbert has put together a fairly solid biography of the new pop icon". [21] She concluded her review saying, "Although sometimes redundant, Herbert ... does give the reader a full-bodied accounting of the persona behind Lady Gaga". [21]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lady Gaga</span> American singer-songwriter and actress (born 1986)

Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She is known for reinventing her image and showcasing versatility in entertainment. Gaga started performing as a teenager by singing at open mic nights and acting in school plays. She studied Collaborative Arts Project 21 before leaving to pursue a music career. After a contract cancellation by Def Jam Recordings, Gaga worked as a songwriter for Sony/ATV Music Publishing. In 2007, she signed with Interscope Records and KonLive Distribution. Her breakthrough came the following year with her debut studio album, The Fame, and its singles "Just Dance" and "Poker Face". The album was later reissued along with The Fame Monster (2009), which yielded the successful singles "Bad Romance", "Alejandro" and "Telephone".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Just Dance (song)</span> 2008 single by Lady Gaga

"Just Dance" is the debut single by American singer Lady Gaga. She co-wrote the song with Akon and his producer RedOne. It also features vocals from Colby O'Donis and was released on April 8, 2008, as the lead single from Gaga's debut studio album, The Fame. The song was written by Gaga in 10 minutes as "a happy record". "Just Dance" lyrically speaks about being intoxicated at a club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beautiful, Dirty, Rich</span> 2008 promotional single by Lady Gaga

"Beautiful, Dirty, Rich" is a song by American singer–songwriter Lady Gaga from her debut studio album, The Fame (2008). It was released as a promotional single from the album on September 16, 2008. Written by the singer and its producer Rob Fusari in 2006, it is an uptempo dance-pop and disco-funk song that makes heavy use of synthesizers. The lyrics focus on Gaga's experiences as a struggling artist in the Lower East Side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poker Face (song)</span> 2008 single by Lady Gaga

"Poker Face" is a song by American singer Lady Gaga from her debut studio album, The Fame (2008). It was released on September 23, 2008, as the album's second single. It is a synth-pop song in the key of G♯ minor, following in the footsteps of her previous single "Just Dance", but with a darker musical tone. The main idea behind the song is bisexuality and was a tribute by Gaga to her rock and roll boyfriends. The song's lyrics feature various sexual innuendos.

<i>The Fame</i> 2008 studio album by Lady Gaga

The Fame is the debut studio album by American singer Lady Gaga. It was released on August 19, 2008, by Interscope Records. After joining KonLive Distribution and Cherrytree Records in 2008, Gaga began working on the album with different producers, primarily RedOne, Martin Kierszenbaum, and Rob Fusari. Musically, The Fame is an electropop, synth-pop, and dance-pop record that displays influences from 1980s music. Lyrically, it visualizes Gaga's love of fame in general, while also dealing with subjects such as love, sex, money, drugs, and sexual identity. The album was primarily promoted through The Fame Ball Tour and multiple television appearances, and was reissued as a deluxe edition with The Fame Monster on November 18, 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)</span> 2009 single by Lady Gaga

"Eh, Eh " is a song by American singer Lady Gaga, from her debut album, The Fame (2008). It was released as the third single from the album in Australia, New Zealand and selected European countries, and the fourth single in France. The song is a calypso-styled, mid-tempo ballad, and is about breaking up with one's old partner and finding someone new. The song peaked at number fifteen on the Australian ARIA Charts and at number nine on the RIANZ charts of New Zealand. It proved to be even more successful in Sweden, where it managed to peak at number two on the Sverigetopplistan chart, as well as in the Czech Republic, France, and Hungary, where it reached the top-ten of their respective charts. "Eh, Eh " received Gold certifications for its sales in Australia, Denmark, New Zealand, and the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Fame Ball Tour</span> 2009 concert tour by Lady Gaga

The Fame Ball Tour was the debut concert tour by American singer Lady Gaga, in support of her debut studio album The Fame (2008). North American shows began in March, followed by dates in Oceania and a solo trek through Europe. Dates in Asia soon followed, as well as two performances at England's V Festival and two shows in North America that had been postponed from April. Gaga described the tour as a traveling museum show incorporating artist Andy Warhol's pop-performance art concept. Tickets were distributed for charity also. Alternate versions of the show with minimal variations were planned by Gaga to accommodate different venues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LoveGame</span> 2009 single by Lady Gaga

"LoveGame" is a song released by American singer Lady Gaga from her debut studio album, The Fame (2008). Produced by RedOne, the track was released as the album's third single in North America and Europe and the fourth single in Australia, New Zealand, and Sweden after "Eh, Eh ". "LoveGame" was also released as the fourth single in the United Kingdom, after "Paparazzi".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paparazzi (Lady Gaga song)</span> 2009 single by Lady Gaga

"Paparazzi" is a song by American singer Lady Gaga from her debut studio album, The Fame (2008). It was released as the album's fifth and final single by Interscope Records. Gaga wrote and produced the song with Rob Fusari. The song portrays Gaga's struggles in her quest for fame, as well as balancing success and love. Musically, it is an uptempo techno-pop and dance-pop ballad whose lyrics describe a stalker following somebody to grab attention and fame.

<i>The Fame Monster</i> 2009 studio album reissue by Lady Gaga

The Fame Monster is a reissue of American singer Lady Gaga's debut studio album, The Fame (2008), and was released on November 18, 2009, through Interscope Records. Initially planned solely as a deluxe edition reissue of The Fame, Interscope later decided to release the eight new songs as a standalone EP in some territories. The decision was also because Gaga believed the re-release was too expensive and that the albums were conceptually different, describing them as yin and yang. The deluxe edition is a double album featuring the eight new songs on the first disc and The Fame on the second disc. A super deluxe edition was released on December 15, 2009, holding additional merchandise, including a lock from Gaga's wig.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bad Romance</span> 2009 single by Lady Gaga

"Bad Romance" is a song by American singer Lady Gaga from her third extended play (EP), The Fame Monster (2009)—the reissue of her debut studio album, The Fame (2008). Gaga wrote and produced the song with RedOne. Following an unauthorized demo leak, Gaga premiered the song's final version during the finale of Alexander McQueen's 2010 Paris Fashion Week show in October 2009 and released it as the lead single from The Fame Monster later that month. Musically, it is an electropop and dance-pop song with a spoken bridge. Inspired by German house and techno, the song was developed as an experimental pop record. Lyrically, Gaga drew from the paranoia she experienced while on tour and wrote about her attraction to unhealthy romantic relationships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telephone (song)</span> 2010 single by Lady Gaga featuring Beyoncé

"Telephone" is a song by American singer Lady Gaga from her third extended play (EP), The Fame Monster (2009)—the reissue of her debut studio album, The Fame (2008). Featuring American singer Beyoncé, it was released as the EP's second single on January 26, 2010. Gaga and Rodney Jerkins wrote and produced "Telephone", with additional songwriting by LaShawn Daniels, Lazonate Franklin and Beyoncé. Gaga originally wrote the song for Britney Spears, who recorded a demo. "Telephone" conveys Gaga's fear of not finding time for fun given the increasing pressure for her to work harder as an artist. Musically, the song consists of an expanded bridge, verse-rap and a sampled voice of an operator announcing that the phone line is unreachable. Beyoncé appears in the middle of the song, singing the verses in a "rapid-fire" way, accompanied by double beats.

"Speechless" is a song by the American singer Lady Gaga from her extended play (EP), The Fame Monster (2009). The song was written by Gaga to convince her father to undergo open-heart surgery for his malfunctioning aortic valve and remind her younger fans to appreciate their parents. "Speechless" is about Gaga's fear of death. A rock power ballad, the song has elements of 1970s rock, blues rock, glam rock and country music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dance in the Dark</span> 2010 single by Lady Gaga

"Dance in the Dark" is a song by American singer Lady Gaga from her third extended play (EP), The Fame Monster (2009)—the reissue of her debut studio album, The Fame (2008). It is about a woman who prefers to have sex in the dark as she is insecure in her body. Having met such women while working on the MAC AIDS Fund, Gaga said that the song is not about freedom, but rather the assurance that she understood their feelings. A Europop track, it contains retro and new wave music influences, and begins with a stuttering introduction. It includes a spoken interlude, where Gaga lists famous dead people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alejandro (song)</span> 2010 single by Lady Gaga

"Alejandro" is a song by American singer Lady Gaga from her third extended play (EP), The Fame Monster (2009)—the reissue of her debut studio album, The Fame (2008). Written and produced by Gaga and RedOne, it was released on April 20, 2010, as the third single from the EP. Interscope Records intended the track "Dance in the Dark" to be the EP's third single after "Alejandro" initially received limited airplay, but Gaga insisted on the latter. A synth-pop track with Europop and Latin pop beats, it opens with a sample from the main melody of Vittorio Monti's "Csárdás". The song was inspired by Gaga's fear of men and is about her bidding farewell to her Latino lovers named Alejandro, Roberto and Fernando.

"Teeth" is a song recorded by American singer Lady Gaga. The track appears on The Fame Monster (2009), her second major release and her third EP. The song was written by Gaga, Taja Riley, Pete Wyoming Bender, and Teddy Riley, and produced by Gaga and Teddy Riley. It has an oral theme and has been called a "perverse" march and an ode to sadomasochism. "Teeth" peaked at number 107 on the UK Singles Chart and received a mixed reception from critics. Gaga performed the song during The Monster Ball Tour (2009–2011) and her 2017 Coachella set. In 2013, Riley sued Gaga for US$500,000 and punitive damages over the songwriting credits, saying he was not given 25 percent of royalties as he had been promised.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You and I (Lady Gaga song)</span> 2011 single by Lady Gaga

"You and I" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Lady Gaga, taken from her second studio album, Born This Way (2011). She also co-produced it with Robert John "Mutt" Lange. The track samples Queen's "We Will Rock You" (1977) and features electric guitar by Queen's Brian May. Gaga debuted "You and I" in June 2010 during her performance at Elton John's White Tie and Tiara Ball. Footage of the performance appeared on the Internet, and positive response encouraged her to include the song on her setlist for The Monster Ball Tour. She later performed the song on Today to a record crowd in July 2010, and on The Oprah Winfrey Show in May 2011. On August 23, 2011, Interscope Records released the song as the fourth single from the album.

"Electric Chapel" is a song recorded by American singer Lady Gaga for her second studio album, Born This Way (2011). Written and produced by Gaga and DJ White Shadow, the recording premiered on Facebook gaming app FarmVille, as did the album's fifth single, "Marry the Night". Gaga revealed on Twitter that "Electric Chapel" was written in Australia and finished on her tour bus in Europe. She recorded it channeling the vocals of bands like Duran Duran, and singers Cher and Billy Idol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joanne (Lady Gaga song)</span> 2017 single by Lady Gaga

"Joanne" is a song recorded by American singer Lady Gaga from her fifth studio album of the same name. It was released as the album's third official single on December 22, 2017 in Italy, and a piano version, titled "Joanne ", followed in the rest of the world on January 26, 2018. The track was written and produced by Gaga and Mark Ronson, with additional production from BloodPop. Inspired by the singer's late aunt, Joanne Germanotta, the song became a focal point for the musical direction of the album. Gaga intended the song to have a healing effect for those dealing with loss and pain.

Cynthia Louise Germanotta is an American philanthropist, activist and entrepreneur. She is the president of the Born This Way Foundation, which she co-founded with her daughter, the singer Lady Gaga, in 2012.

References

  1. ↑ OCLC   515459835
  2. ↑ OCLC   505912810
  3. ↑ OCLC   491966133
  4. ↑ Blackburn, Virginia (January 17, 2010). "Katie Price's life? It's a price worth paying". The Observer . Archived from the original on November 4, 2013. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Herbert, Emily (February 18, 2010). "Lady Gaga – I've always been a freak". Daily Express . p. 24.
  6. ↑ Herbert, Emily (March 7, 2010). "The lady who is sending us gaga". Herald Sun . p. 90; Focus. OCLC   22992790.
  7. ↑ "Bestsellers". The Times . August 22, 2009. p. 12; Section: Features.
  8. ↑ "Books: The Observer Bestsellers List Week Ending 26 September". The Observer. October 4, 2009.
  9. ↑ Clee, Nicholas (August 22, 2009). "Between the lines". The Times . p. 12; Section: Features.
  10. ↑ Sexton, David (July 23, 2009). "A cash machine". London Evening Standard .
  11. ↑ Goodman, Matthew (May 9, 2010). "Celebrity sagas: as instant as noodles". The Sunday Times . p. 6; Section: Business.
  12. ↑ "Lady Gaga". Madata.GR (in Greek). February 6, 2010. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  13. ↑ Kellogg, Carolyn (February 4, 2010). "Lady Gaga bio is on the way". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on February 8, 2010. Retrieved February 17, 2010.
  14. ↑ Jones, Anthony (February 5, 2010). "First Lady Gaga Biography Releasing In March". All Headline News . Archived from the original on December 3, 2010. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  15. ↑ Abbott, Jim (May 20, 2010). "Gaga goes to the book club". Orlando Sentinel . Archived from the original on June 8, 2011. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  16. ↑ Clark, Blanche (March 20, 2010). "Look different, sound similar". Herald Sun . p. 22; Section: Books; F – Weekend Edition. OCLC   22992790.
  17. ↑ "We'll just look at the pictures". St. Petersburg Times . March 11, 2010. p. 2B.
  18. ↑ Tillotson, Kristin (March 12, 2010). "Goo-goo for Gaga, but how long?". Minneapolis Star-Tribune . Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  19. ↑ Williams, Noelle (March 11, 2010). "Is Lady Gaga a Feminist or Isn't She?". Ms. Archived from the original on June 8, 2011. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  20. ↑ Escudero, Nicki (April 20, 2010). "Lady Gaga Book a Glowing Look at the Young Star's Life". Phoenix New Times . Archived from the original on July 27, 2012. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  21. 1 2 Chance, Sharon Galligar (April 29, 2010). "Lady Gaga subject of biography". Las Vegas Review-Journal . Archived from the original on June 8, 2011. Retrieved June 5, 2010.

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