Lady Gaga is not original or a trendsetter! There I said it.
"Call me a hater if you want, but mashing together 5-6 images that were controversial and original when they were first done 15 years ago, does not make you controversial or original now. Sorry!"
I tweeted this (@KAGe5242) and put this up as my FB status after I saw Lady Gaga's video for "Alejandro" for the first time this past weekend. As I say in the title of this, it may cost me every gay friend I have (and a few of my straight ones too, you know who you are I won't shout you out) but Lady Gaga isn't a trendsetter, at least not for this video. OK, maybe that's a little harsh, I should say that she's really just a trend re-setter. The video for "Alejandro" is nothing more than a regurgitation of images we've seen from the true pioneers of female pop over the last 15-20 years. I know I may sound like some crotchety old man in saying this (which is really fucked up since I'm only 2 years older than Gaga) but I can literally match Gaga's latest shot for shot with previous videos from the likes of Janet Jackson and Madonna (especially Madonna). Hell, even the song itself sounds like a lazy attempt to re-vamp Madge's "La Isla Bonita".
The video wouldn't have even bothered me that much if not for all the critical acclaim she's been gathering for it being so provocative and innovative. I've had friends tell me that they've never seen anything like it before, such jaw dropping imagery, then I show them 5 of the videos for songs that were on Madonna's "Immaculate Collection" and suddenly "Alejandro" just seems like "Alex". Some friends and critics alike have even tried to down play the similarities between this video and those prior by saying she's just paying homage and updating the looks created by the past pop divas. I can certainly understand that. Hell even Christina Aguilera's new video looks like a softcore Skinimax at 3 AM version of Madonna's "Human Nature" video, but the difference is neither the critics nor Christina are trying to claim this as groundbreaking art. And as for the notion that Gaga is updating and upgrading her predecessors, sorry to tell you but changing a cone bra to a couple of assault riffles isn't really evolution.
Look I like Gaga. I believe she's incredibly necessary for pop music especially female pop music. I find her refreshing and her style while completely random and at times fucking nuts, one thing it is not is boring, that is until now. Lady Gaga's "Alejandro" falls short plain and simple, and she's only got herself to blame (yep can't even blame the label for this one, they wanted to release "Dance in the Dark" as the single). She's continued to top her own antics from award show, to live performance, to music video. But as even Madonna and Janet found out eventually the re-invention machine eventually taps out and you're forced to resort to old tricks (and in this case their someone else's old tricks). Unfortunately for Gaga it happened before she even got to her official second album. I don't doubt that Stephanie will make a glorious come back with her sophomore release and completely mind fuck us all by coming out with an image and style more wholesome and "Girl Next Door" than Jessica Simpson's during her debut release (and really, isn't that the only way she'd be able to shock anyone at this point). But as for "Alejandro" being an innovative piece of art, I'm gonna have to disagree and call it a sad attempt at a sequel of a once great movie franchise (think Rocky V).
Peace Up, Peace Out
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