Lady GaGa aka Stefania Gabriella Germanotta has dazzled the dance music scene with her new album ‘The Fame’ with its booty shaking hits like “Just Dance” and “Poker Face.” Hustling the streets of NYC her whole life, it’s no surprise this blonde bombshell has brought major grit and glamour to her dance floor friendly songs. If you haven’t heard of her yet, check her out now as I predict she is here to stay alongside the best. And apparently I’m not alone: The New York Post called her the “Future of Pop” and Us Weekly called her “Pop’s New Dance Diva” while comparing her to Madonna. Throughout all this hype, Lady GaGa remained refreshingly grateful and honest during our candid interview. I hope you enjoy her answers as much as I did conducting the interview.
Killahbeez: Tell me a little bit about yourself.
Lady GaGa: I’ve been working on this album for over two years now and am grateful that it has finally gotten to this point.
KB: What got you into singing and song writing at such an early age?
LG: Well I started piano at the age of 4 and started writing at the age of 13. At 16 my mom would help me so I could get into certain clubs to play and I just hustled you know. I dropped out of college early and started sending out my demos that I made out of my room. From there I started go-go dancing and really working the club scene to get out there.
KB: You have a keen fashion sense. Do you feel that fashion is an integral aspect of your music or music in general?
LG: For sure. The fashion, the technology and just being innovative with what people are hearing and seeing are a big aspect of my music. I want people to go to my show going “What the fuck was that!?” In other words it’s like a pop show fit for a museum. Everything we do is completely spur of the moment. I don’t usually know what I’m wearing until it gets delivered an hour before the show and it’s usually stuff you can’t just get anywhere.
KB: What are your top 3 clothing and shoe designers?
LG: For clothing I would say Chanel, Maison Martin Margiela and Thierry Mugler. For shoes I would pick Christian Louboutin, Marni and I have to say again, Chanel.
KB: Where do you get your inspiration for your music?
LG: For music pretty much New York, parties, pop culture. I’m really inspired by all the energy they give.
KB: How did the NYC scene influence your music growing up?
LG: Oh it totally did. Everything about my music is attitude and lifestyle. I would be a completely different artist if I didn’t have New York.
KB: It’s been rumored that you have collaborated on Britney Spears’s track “Quicksand” from her upcoming album Circus, can you confirm that?
LG: Wow, how did you find that out already (laughter)? I can confirm that I worked on a track but not which one.
KB: What was it like working with Britney Spears for you?
LG: I never got to work with her directly in the studio because I was in Europe. I would have loved to produced the vocals for her but I wasn’t in the studio. I’m excited to work with her more closely in the future though.
KB: Your upcoming tour is with New Kids on The Block. Were you a big fan like most of us in the Nineties? How does it feel to be touring with them at this point in your life going almost full circle in a way?
LG: Oh my god, I was HUGE fan! I mean I had the “I love Johnny” t-shirt and everything. It feels amazing. It really, really was hard not to be star struck even though I know them as friends now, to see them on stage still gets me super excited.
KB: Who would you like to collaborate with in the future?
LG: I would love to work with Marilyn Manson. He is such a visionary and his work is really artistic in the same vain as what I do. I would love to work with someone who has the same philosophy as I do.
KB: What would you advise to your fans who are interested in singing and song writing? Any words of wisdom?
LG: Two pieces of advice: 1) Go buy the book “Letter to a Young Poet”. Read it 100 times and in the deepest hour of the night, ask yourself if you would die if you were forbidden to write. 2) Live your life within quote that book unquote, since it has strong philosophies I agree with about art. Everything in there is true, you will find your dreams.
KB: Do you find it any different getting into the music scene as a female?
LG: Well when you are female and you are blonde and pretty, people assume you don’t know shit. It takes a minute to earn your intellectual space as an artist, especially when you’re a woman like me who likes to do it in her underwear.
KB: What’s the worst trend in music these days? Favorite trend?
LG: Least favorite is the “I don’t care trend.” Like “I don’t care how I dress at award shows and I don’t do interviews” type attitude. I’m enjoying seeing artists that work really hard and are doing something really serious in their arena.
KB: Can you name a few of those artists that you enjoy right now?
LG: I really like M.I.A. and Britney. In some ways, she (Britney) has to fight harder right now to get people to take her seriously but I have a feeling she will be making a comeback in the next year with some serious pop music.
KB: Any last words to your fans?
LG: Thank you to my fans and I love you! You are so loyal to me and I will stay loyal to you. Keep your eyes and ears open because I will be making a lot of things happen soon!!!
