Critical Approaches to Gender and 21st Century Pop Music

The Guardian asked in 2010 if Lady Gaga is "a feminist icon." Kira Cochrane's column answers in the affirmative, noting how Gaga reveals the "sham" of performed femininity, while Hadley Freeman responds briefly that Gaga is nothing more than a copycat.

This artical discusses how Lady Gaga carefull creats her image through social media and youtube, this has enabled her to be so successfull. Lady Gaga is a brand and herself and her team work hard at promoting the brand.

I thought I would post this as it was menitone in class. This is a clip of Lady Gaga at a festival, she gets of the motorbike a shows what appears to be a penis. What do you think was this just a publicity stunt?

I thinks it's really interesting that Gaga decided to use the critism against her and make it work for her image.

I honestly feel so weird having watched this 5 or 6 times looking for a penis. Honestly, I think it was just her underwear, but even if it was a publicity stunt, it was done in Gaga style.

This is interesting. I read Gaga's tweet as kind of an ownership of stigma, like a "it's dangerous to hang out with me, look what happened to Miley" -- but that it's totally fine for what happened to Miley, because she chose to do it. Perhaps this is what Bauer and Halberstam are both getting at: our abilities to choose, and re-narrate stories.

A retelling of CInderella using only Beyoncé songs. Entertaining!

I love this! I think its a brilliant piece of convergence of classic storytelling and modern music. It's entertaining, clever and a really interesting way of interpreting a fairytale and making it relevant to pop culture and music.

An interview with Lady Gaga about her fashion and image

Interesting photo post on Rolling Stone that sums up what we've discussing in terms of Cyrus being objectified and viewed only through the lens of her Disney past.

Another post from Rolling Stone this time a recent photo shoot. Interesting to see visually how Cyrus is flaunting her new edgy, grunge look.

Wow, I didn't even know she was going to be on the cover. It's especially interesting how, in one of the photo captions, Cyrus herself points out that there was a double standard at the VMAs.

I don't know if you guys heard this (actually I might post it) But because of her performance at the VMAs, Vogue withdrew Miley's chance to be on their cover in... November/December because of how disgraceful it was.

Cover of We Can't Stop that is interesting in its representation of black people. Links to what was discussed in class, in Cyrus' video the balck women are used as props in this video they play a much more active role.

This video is fascinating -- it seems to not only speak to Cyrus's original video, but also the Pixies video we watched the first day of class (I'm thinking of the scenes of bathing in milk and fruitloops). A perhaps reclaiming of black bodies and spaces?

Joining Leeds University and Edinburgh University, Derby and West Scotland University have both decided to ban Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" because they perceive the lyrics to promote rape 

6 days before the release of her new album 'Bangerz', MTV are running a 60 minute documentary on Miley Cyrus. As well as documenting her life off-stage, MTV is also hoping to discover the reason behind MIley's sudden image transformation and her thoughts behind her more recent series of controversial actions. (Trailer included in link)

I found this article interesting not only because we have been discussing Lady Gaga as a class but this article was literally posted yesterday stating how Lady Gaga's new song isn't something to brag about and as a culture we will move on once the next shiny object appears... (Perhaps Miley???)

Ann Powers provides her "snap judgment" after the release of "Born This Way," speculating that it's harmful for sexual identity because it works on a model of inherent identity and inclusion in conventional social order instead of larger structural or social change

Ann Powers reviews the "Born This Way" video when it comes out.

A 2009 interview with Lady Gaga about feminism, sexuality, fame, etc.

Fendrich argues that Lady Gaga isn't that pretty, which offers a hopeful image to those who are less attractive.

Rolling Stone's page for Lady Gaga, which includes all their stories about Gaga over the last few years.

Alex Needham responds to Paglia's critique of Lady Gaga

Ann Powers responds to Paglia's critique of Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga on the cover of V Magazine and featured images