Ga-Ga for Gaga

At the very least, you have probably heard her name. It's almost impossible these days to have any connection to the media and not hear it. You may have caught a few of her tunes on the radio (even, if like me, don't listen to the radio, couldn't really name the songs, or maybe didn't even realize they were performed by her). You've possibly even picked up an urban legend or two about her, or gone so far as to have gawked at her incredibly eccentric dress code, inspired by her friend, Lady Starlight (search "red lace music awards," if you haven't).

Four months ago, I heard her name once in a while, but didn't know any of her music and was frankly bothered by the scent of extreme pop idol status she seemed to be earning. Now, I need to admit to my intimate friends here on the World Wide Web that I am slightly obsessed with Lady Gaga. She deserves every ounce of extreme pop idol status she has earned.

For what it's worth, I still only know two of her songs (Telephone and Paparazzi), but my interest (and admiration) in this nearly-instant sensation comes from much more than "just" her music. Lady Gaga is an example of someone who has created a personal brand empire through her own hard work and determination. She began playing the piano by ear at age four, and by 13 had written her first piano ballad. Now, at 23 years old, she has commanded the rise of a monarch-like media presence and surging fan base in less than 24 months. Since landing on the international scene with the launch of her first album, The Fame (Aug 2008), Gaga has won 54 music awards (according to a tally on Wikipedia), including two Grammys (with six Grammy nominations).

Her music is fresh, fun and lively (and she writes most, if not all of it) with a great mix of meaning. She is an activist and has contributed to raising millions of dollars for a number of causes. Her work has even landed her in the surprising role of creative director for Polaroid. Her skills portfolio seems to include a wide gamut that is serving her well in the fast-paced entertainment world of today.

She's definitely not boring, she isn't without controversy, and keeping with the music world du jour, she certainly isn't without considerable innuendo. That said, she's still very good, and no one can deny that, no matter their Gaga misgivings.

In a recent Advertising Age, cover story, the periodical outlined her incredible rise to global prominence fueled, in no small part, by her business acumen and social media genius. Wielding the powers of the internet, Facebook, Twitter and others as an arsenal at her well-managed hand, Gaga has created an impressive, connected and dedicated fan base of millions. The Ad Age article cites her November Bad Romance music video launch as a perfect illustration of her media control. The video became available first exclusively on LadyGaga.com, causing the Universal Music server to crash, a week-long trend topic on Twitter and more than 110 million views on YouTube. Her most recent video launch, Telephone, has been heralded as a return to music videos as cinema experiences (see MJ's Thriller), rather than the typical song-length artsy clippings of lip-syncing artists traipsing around overly monochromatic, or sickeningly technicolor sets with wind-blown curtains and confusing scene shifts (phew).

In the same Ad Age article, Gaga's manager since 2007, Troy Carter, credits here with control over the vast majority of decision-making in relation to her empire. While his comments hint at a "my way attitude," with the pop princess, who can blame her, it's working terribly well.

In a recent Parade article, American Idol super judge Simon Cowell, when naming Gaga as his number one pick to replace him at the end of this season, called her "the most relevant pop artist in the world at the moment... And I've met her. She is very smart. I like her." Coming from anyone else in his position, that'd be nice, but Cowell, who is known is his day to have made more than one grown man cry, isn't notorious for throwing out loose-lipped compliments.

No matter what your preconceived notion of her may be, Lady Gaga has reached levels in less than two years that many artists have never reached in a lifetime of work, and she seems to be doing it with some staying power. That deserves respect.

At first glance, Gaga has all the surface characteristics of a one-hit wonder, or one of the many shallow pop starlets of our hyped-up world, but with the non-sequitur depth and track record of a true artist, diva (see Christina Aguilera's unexpected rise over Brittany Spears) and long-term fixture. She is genuine, open and real, and stands up for what she believes in. She hasn't been afraid to be an eccentric, young powerhouse risen from an slightly insecure, Catholic school girl, to harness an image and brand of international acclaim.

Where will she be in five or ten years? I don't know. I hope it's still at the tops of the charts, but at the least, I hope she's cemented herself in a place with the likes of Madonna, Michael Jackson, Elvis and Marilyn Monroe--icons whose times may pass, but whose contributions, controversial as than may be, remain timeless.