POP IDOL

“I think she’s perfectly aware, in the same way that Boy George was at his peak, that a lot of people think she’s completely ridiculous,” says British gossip blogger Mr Holy Moly. She seems more aware than most of how to control what people are writing. “She avoids the need for celebrity blogs to make stuff up by simply being better than we could ever make up. Who would have dreamt up a meat dress? To be honest, the most annoying thing about being one of the people making a living taking the p*ss out of Lady Gaga is that it’s all pretty irrelevant when you hear the music.”

Well this is the thing. Lady Gaga makes very good pop, from the immaculately constructed hookathon of Poker Face to the more sober tones of killer ballad Speechless. And then there is Bad Romance, the single greatest cultural achievement of the 21st century.

Between them these songs have helped change the sound of global pop music over the least few years. “When there’s a hit record A&R people are always are going to say, ‘I’d like a song for my artist like that’,” says Geffen A&R Jordan Jay, who’s worked with The Saturdays and The Wanted. “[Moroccan producer/songwriter] RedOne has got a specific sound and after Gaga I’m sure he got offered every act in the world – Gaga’s had a huge impact on current trends in music, particularly in America where she’s helped to bring a predominantly European sound to US radio.”

Gaga is not alone in her efforts. Coming from very different angles will.i.am and David Guetta have both thrown electronic music at the charts and made it work, but not with the panache or passion of Lady Gaga.

Read the final part of Gaga here

Words: Peter Robinson

Picture credit: Josh Olins

Gaga: Part 3