Some call her unoriginal, some call her crazy, but the one thing most everyone can agree upon is that Lady Gaga is powerful. So who better to grace the cover of Vogue‘s annual Power Issue than the pop star herself? Forsaking her m.o. of incomprehensible dresses and painful-looking headgear, Gaga is photographed in a breezy white gown and subdued pink wig that looks more colorfully roaring ’20s than her usual avant-garde fare. But it’s actually refreshing to see Gaga’s real — albeit heavily makeuped — face not hidden behind couture architecture.
In the article, Gaga talks about her highly anticipated single, which hits radio stations this Friday, David Bowie and rocking out to Beethoven as a child.
On her upcoming single “Born This Way”: “I wrote it in ten f—ing minutes, and it is a completely magical message song. And after I wrote it, the gates just opened, and the songs kept coming. It was like an immaculate conception.”
On her “little monsters” a.k.a ardent fans: “I see myself in them. I was this really bad, rebellious misfit of a person—I still am—sneaking out, going to clubs, drugs, alcohol, older men, younger men. You imagine it, I did it. I was just a bad kid. And I look at them, and every show there’s a little more eyeliner, a little more freedom, and a little more ‘I don’t give a fuck about the bullies at my school.’ For some reason, the fans didn’t become more Top 40. They become even more of this cult following. It’s very strange and exciting.”
On her inspirations: “It’s not a secret that I have been inspired by tons of people. David Bowie and Prince being the most paramount in terms of live performance. I could go on and on about all of the people I have been compared to—from Madonna to Grace Jones to Debbie Harry to Elton John to Marilyn Manson to Yoko Ono—but at a certain point you have to realize that what they are saying is that I am cut from the cloth of performer, that I am like all of those people in spirit.”
On her early experience with music: “I was a strange, loud little kid who could sit at the piano and kill a Beethoven piece. Speaking purely from a musical standpoint, I think I am a great performer. I am a talented entertainer. I consider myself to have one of the greatest voices in the industry. I consider myself to be one of the greatest songwriters. I wouldn’t say that I am one of the greatest dancers, but I am really quite good at what I do. I think it’s OK to be confident in yourself.”
What do you think about the cover photo and article? Do you think Lady G deserves to be the face of Vogue‘s most powerful?
(Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix.)
Photo: Mario Testino/VOGUE
If not for Gaga, Glee, and Twilight, EW.com would cease to exist.
If it bothers you so much why do you continue to come to the site, click on an article about someone you don’t care about and then proceed to comment on it? Just sayin…
Seriously. How hard of a concept is that? like, don’t visit the site if it bothers you so much. Um, duh? Also, GAGA RULES.
i wasn’t aware it was a problem to talk against something you don’t like. this site really is sh*t.
I love the cover! I like how they used the “in” colors for spring, but still made her look like Gaga.
I think she is a very talented performer, and she works really hard to keep things interesting. Love it! Can’t wait for the song and the cd!
Ain’t that the damn truth. Love GAGA—the rest sucks.
Gaga is powerful in her own mind. She also said in this article about herself that she’s one of the best singers and songwriters in music. That’s she is a good dancer. Conceited much. The pictures looks awful. I got to laugh about being cut from the same cloth as Bowie and Madonna. She just rips off of them.
She hasn’t been in the industry a long time, but she has been long enough to get a sense of the industry – she does have a terrific voice and is an excellent songwriter, she has a real talent and should be free to acknowledge that without being “conceited.” When you’ve accomplished what Lady Gaga has in the pop culture world, you deserve the freedom to talk about why. Plus she’s not a great dancer and acknowledged it – good for her!
Used to like her, but she’s tired now because she’s so predictable: make nonsensical or outrageous, but completely scripted, comments, hire funky costume designer, hire publicist who come up with crazy publicity stunts. lather rinse repeat. bored now.
I am sorry for your short attention span. For me, I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!
I loathe this woman. Go away.
No, bill, YOU go away. No one put a gun to your head and made you read the article. As long as she stays healthy, Gaga is not going away, not for decades, as everyone with real expertise in the industry has been saying for three years or more.
Bill, you must be a very bitter old man. She lives, she reigns. End of story.
RAH RAH OOOH LA LA
Late fan here—but I do hope she manages to put out an album this time and not 3-4 great singles plus a bunch of dreck about money, fame and more money.
This is at least the third Lady Ca Ca story posted in the music section of EW in just the past 24 hours. Enough already.
She’s releasing a new single and promoting a new album. It won’t go away. Time to get over it
More likely it is time for all the masses to get over this woman and her totally unexceptional “music.” That so many people crave every little bit of detail about her including her sex life (see yesterdays EW post) is a very sad commentary on our society.
She’ really isn’t a very attractive woman is she? But her look is certainly unique. At least she has the confidence to not run for plastic surgery to look like everyone else in the music biz.
And what happened to her eyebrows?
She has had some plastic surgery to alter her looks some.
What? You wanna show that you’re good at counting? Or you check out EW.com multiple times for music info? Because how many people really pay attention of the time and date of an article getting posted?
I’d hit it.
I wouldn’t hit it with yours!
She’s great – and she knows it. I do think modesty and humility are important virtues, but Gaga is one of a kind! Can’t wait to see her at Staples – and on her birthday too! Rock it, Momma Monster!
I love her music, and I’ve been to one of her shows and she is fantastic, but seriously, what is she talking like that for? She’s got talent, she doesn’t need to tell us all about how wonderful she thinks she is, let us decide for ourselves. The way she is talking about herself is not attractive.
She works at Staples? I gotta go pick up some lithium batteries too.
She should use some of her money to get a nose job, it’d help her looks tremendously.
Some say both she and Lea Michelle have a nose for controversy…
*crickets*
Maybe you should first send her a picture of yourself, so she knows what perfection looks like…
This
I LOVE that she doesn’t change her face. I hate that men like you think women should BUTCHER themselves for your benefit.
I don’t think anyone should change themselves to fit another persons ideals, but if you feel plastic surgery will improve you go for it, obviously she is not swayed by yolur opinions and is making millions without your input
why? i think she has a great nose…and her face is beautiful.
I’m not so chuffed with her mainstream music but the persona is pretty spectacular.
This woman is nothing but a Madonna/Cher/Elthon John wannabe. For her to say that she has one of the greatest voices, she must be deaf from both ears that she can’t hear herself. There’s nothing original about her.
There’s nothing original about your snark!
good one…
Gaga is living her dream. She doesn’t even know/care that you exist, Liz.
well guess what?! madonna has been around for nearly 30 yrs and I never heard her say she was great or that she had a great voice. Didn’t she say in Larry King many years ago that she didnt get in this industry b/c she had a great voice? That’s humility. It takes you a long way. Lady Poo Poo here has only been around for 3 and she’s think she’s savior to the world. REad the article and you’ll know what I’m talking about.
That’s not humility, Liz, that’s self-actualization. Madonna DOESN’T have a great voice. But she IS a great, provocative performer, which is why she’s been around for so long. Give it 30 years. I am sure you’ll still be hating how famous Gaga is then, too.
Madonna got in the industry not because of her voice, but because of her p#$&y, you dumbass.
Actually she is a classically trained musician. She has what it takes to last. Confidence. Madonna had haters too, and she’s still filling stadiums. The glitz and glamour appeal to a certain audience, she knows that and markets herself weel. but the talent is there. Google “Stephanie Germanotta”…you’ll see it.
Cher, Madonna, and Elton are 3 very different artists. If you think she is ripping them all off, then that means she isn’t copying any one of them.
She’s only on the cover of Vogue b/c the magazine’s sales are down and they need to place whomever is hot right now to get those sales going.
Oh Liz. Honey, look around. EVERY magazine only puts famous people on the cover – it’s called being in business. Magazine sales are down and every magazine out there, including EW, is scrambling to put whatever on the cover they think will sell. TRUST ME – the Lady GaGa EW cover is just around the corner. Why do you think EW has done all of those Lost or Harry Potter covers? They think it will help sell their magazine.
Now that you’ve been educated you can move along and go spread your hate on a different blog.
Liz, that’s a new concept. I never heard of anybody using someone’s who’s hot at the moment to sell something. That blows my mind that people would do that!! No one’s ever done that before!! Can you believe it?? Using someone who’s hota at the moment on your cover just to sell more copies of your magazine!! Inconceivable!!
No, that means she is copying ALL of them.
I love how people say things like this, as if once something’s been done once, it can never be done again. If you apply this type of thinking to other genres of music, then there could only be one of everything: one folk-singer type with a guitar and a mic, one hip hop artist, one soul diva, one metal band, etc. That would really be entertaining, huh?
Good point Angie!
She writes her own songs….Compose the music herself WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT people! She is a TRUE TALENT! Finally, pop culture crowned someone who is TRULY worthy of the adulation!
She doesn’t write or compose her money totally herself. Ask Rob Fusari about why he sued her.
I did mean music. Rob Fusari was behind her image and music. She didn’t give him the credit that he deserved.
Madonna hasn’t Donne anything bigg at all she’s not a queen of pop if she was shed still be making music
I read the article. She’s a conceited bastard.
I read it too and I agree, no drop of modesty whatsoever.
You can’t even punctuate your sentences correctly.
it’s a conceit if it is not true! Au Contraire She is EVERYTHING she claimed to be!
Even if it’s true, humility is a virtue. Besides, she ISN’T all that.
All you haters: EW writes about what is popular in entertainment at the time. Do you not get that? That means Glee, GaGa, Twilight, etc. You don’t have to like everything, and you don’t have to read everything, so quit complaining!
What ever gimmick works. People follow, she makes outrageous money for that gimmick…that’s life I guess.
no matter how hard she tries… she will always be generic and manufactured. another marketing abortion willingly swallowed by idiot americans to perpetuate a cycle of garbage music made and played for non-thinkers.
Hey, Tim! I went through a goth period, too! Looks like you’re still stuck.
This made me happy
Would hate to see your idea of “original.” Who would that be? The Black Eyed Peas? I doubt you know what original is.
Tim… will buy… Lady Gaga.. CD… and videos… and other consumer products… packaged… for general…Bieber… love… Tim…aghhhhh… BREAK FREEEEEE!! EGYPT!!!!
Very funny, B, very funny.
Attention all of you haters:
Please – go see this woman live. She is exciting, new, refreshing, extremely talented, Obviously caring and concerned about her fans and the people, and one Rocking babe. She has learned from all of those that came before her, and expanded on it. If you don’t like her – fine. Just don’t disrespect her by writing crap.
Your TIME has passed, tune into you am radios and expire at the old folks home.
Or just go away. Lady Gaga is here – to stay.
Bye now. Change your depends.
If listenin’ to The Who, The Rolling Stones, Led Zepplin, Dire Straights, etc. and thinkin’ Gaga is weird puts me in depends, bring it on! I’ll crap my pants the rest of my life before I compare that woman to any of those amazing musicians!
You do realize that Led Zepplin stole most of their music, right? Sure, they’d occasionally credit their sources, but most of the time they just stole from Blues musicians.
It doesn’t necessarily mean you wear Depends. Just means that VH1 is a little to new school for you. And your t#$s are probably hanging down over your belly right now. You old.
I don’t think you should be able to comment on “those amazing musicians” when you can’t spell their names right. Led Zeppelin. Dire Straits. Come on.
I would love to see her live but te thing is I don’t like all of her songs.
Plus I’m broke.
A girl with a super hot body, but with an ugly face. As compared to the Cleveland Brown’s uniform: Great uniform, ugly helmet. She should always wear her “helmet.”:)
Let’s see your face, Will.
Sorry: not nice:( She got famous for wearing helmets and showing the bod though. I say stay with what works. I’m usually nice but can’t believe her comments. I’ll be nice again.
Will, does that mean you’d like her “little weiner” too? she must tuck…
There’s nothing weird about this look at all, it’s basically a 20s silent film star glamor rehash.
No 1920′s silent film star looked like an ugly man in drag.
It is hard to respect people like you who think looking like the opposite sex is supposed to be a bad thing. Gaga probably couldn’t care less. Gender/sexuality is getting more fluid and androgyny is getting more popular. It is completely ignorant of you to call people out on not conforming to traditional roles/appearances.
Don’t be a drag (GaGa) just be a queen (Britney)
you see when you use Gagas lyrics which are pretty smart and inventive (which is something britney could never do)to bash britney you and britney are the ones that fails.