14 DAY TRIAL // Lady Gaga usually gets people polarized about what to make of her, but the truth of the matter is that, whether she’s seen as just a showoff who has brought little to the table in terms of music achievements or as the next huge pop icon, 2009 was entirely her year. MTV, for one, is convinced of this, naming her the Woman of the Year, ahead of the likes of Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Britney Spears and Miley Cyrus.
Gaga’s influence on the scene this year transcends the realm of music: by taking deliberate risks as regards her image, she has successfully constructed a larger than life persona, one that could never pass by unnoticed in a crowd, even if the biggest stars of the universe were summoned in the same place at the same time, MTV says. By using fashion as her weapon, Gaga has monopolized the media, thus drawing attention to what lies behind her unique style: an amazing performer and a very talented singer.
“New York native Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta began the year as a hot hopeful and will end it as one of the biggest pop stars in the world. And there’s no one who challenged, provoked, entertained and, well, titillated us over the past 12 months quite like she has. Her debut album, ‘The Fame,’ was released on October 30, 2008, but MTV News was on the case early, and when we spoke with her four months earlier, her vision was clear even then,” MTV says of the decision to name Gaga the most influential female artist of the year that’s about to end.
“Gaga truly made her mark in 2009 as the most remarkable pop star – and possibly the most memorable fashion figure – to come along in many, many years. She has proven herself to be both a songwriter and musician of unusual talent, - thanks in no small part to her primary producer / co-writer RedOne, whose pumping beats and soaring synthesizers drive many of her best songs – and a media-savvy public figure of equal skill. She’s both a classic pop star and one very much of the moment: Her music is dance-pop in format, but with a pop flair that stretches across many different genres and generations. Her message is provocative but positive, and she’s smart enough to engage her audience (with tweets and constant reminders of how much she loves her ‘monsters’) and still always keep them guessing,” MTV goes on to say.
Whether all music lovers agree with MTV’s statement that Gaga’s talent is genuine and time-defying, like was the case with Madonna before her, one thing is for sure: Lady Gaga was a name few have not heard throughout 2009. And that alone should count for something.