For years I have watched as Lady Gaga has drawn in her little monsters and wondered what it was about her and her work that drew people in so close to her. Following her interview with Oprah on Oprah’s Next Chapter, it all became clear. Lady Gaga wasn’t a pop star, she was inspiration through art. Despite the creative hair twists and the eccentric outfits which I am certain will one day end up in an art museum, Lady Gaga appeared to be so in touch and in tune with life…and all at the young age of 25. There are people in life we come across who are candid and open in their opinions however they aren’t always uplifting. I have yet to hear one word uttered from Lady Gaga that doesn’t lift and inspire those around her, something that usually takes a lifetime to learn.
What amazed me was that this doesn’t seem to be about money or fame for her. In fact, the club girl next door still seems to reside openly within her. A self-proclaimed “wandering gypsy”, she doesn’t even own a home. In a society where young famous people seem to throw money into everything, it was refreshing to find someone who seems to really “get it.” It is never about the money…and often those lessons can be brutal.
Lady Gaga invited Oprah into the only home she really knows…her childhood home which is a stone’s throw from the church she grew up in. Taking moments to show us the top of the stairs where she would belt out “The Star Spangled Banner” in aspiration of reaching a Whitney Houston level of perfection…to sitting at the piano with her father where she created “Edge of Glory” drinking tequila and talking about her grandfather who was passing away. The song was created in around 10 minutes. Simply amazing. She reminded me of a technicolor Madonna 2.0 bursting with creativity. Where Madonna smashed opened a door, Lady Gaga now owns the room with respect, gratitude and flair. Although she may be admittedly imperfect….that’s what everyone was learning to love about her.
As both a mommy’s and daddy’s girl, Oprah pointed out how great it was that Lady Gaga has made loving your parents a cool thing. Growing up, her parents had a rule where for every award that Lady Gaga had in the house, her sister got equal billing with her own work…an incredible way to keep children grounded within a family. When asked how she keeps her ego in check, she replied, “I am always conscious of empowering people around me. I want everyone in my team to know that they all play the same equal part that I play….I make it a very strong effort every second to be the nicest person that I can be.” Her family not only gave her support, but they continue to give her the truth. It doesn’t appear they are the only ones. When pressed on her romantic relationship, Lady Gaga simply smiled and said, “I am incredibly happy.” However, she does admit to wanting to get married and having a “soccer team” of kids along with the experience having a child, but she was clear to say “NOT YET!”
It sounded so odd to hear her claim to be undefinable because she doesn’t always reveal herself. She said this while I listen into an interview where she was more real than anyone I’ve heard in a long time. Talking about the doors in her virtual hall of her journey in life, I couldn’t help but wonder where the hallway will take her. Figuring it all out, she has decided to cancel out the noise by shutting out the media mush. In fact, she tells Oprah that she doesn’t intend to do another interview after Oprah’s Next Chapter “for a very long time”. It makes sense as she shared that her only real fear is the safety of her family. “I just want my family to be safe. Because I am sometimes polarizing, I fear for their safety.” When Oprah sat down with her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, it became clear that her parents loved everything about her daughter, including the meat dress. But she did have one thing she voiced concern over and it wasn’t provocative clothing or the amount of fake blood she uses. “There’s only one thing I don’t like, and she knows what that is,” Cynthia revealed. And what is that…swearing! Just like a mom she noted that her daughter could be just as affective without it.
As they pawed over memories of growing up and growing into her own monster self, Oprah asked Cynthia what she fears the most. She claimed it was her daughter’s safety, but it was clear that the creative process can at times scare her, too. It’s common for artists to struggle emotionally (they are putting their hearts out there), but it must be hard for parents to stand and wait as it happens. At the end, Cynthia pulled out her daughter’s gratitude journal she started a long time ago when Oprah mentioned it on her show reminding us all that Lady Gaga was really very normal.
Discussing her youth, we learned about how she was thrown into a garbage can and humiliated and called names. There are no accidents. If this hadn’t happened, she may not be the amazing voice behind the greatest change in the movement against bullying. You could feel her pride as she spoke of her Born This Way Foundation…just as she does with her fans, the “little monsters.” As one of the most influential women, Lady Gaga has taken on the responsibility to help change the world. Not only hoping everyone will learn to love themselves as they are, she has embarked on a journey to spread acceptance and implore the youth (and adults) of today to do the same. She was honest in her opinions…you can’t pass a law to fix the problems of bullying. You have to address the issues with both the victim and the bully. They both need help she told us. Speaking alongside Oprah at Harvard, she addressed the crowd with all the seriousness that was needed. As Oprah introduced her noting how she was “breaking form and changing consciousness,” I hope that she inspires others on the world stage to use their powers for good.
As Oprah told her how rare it was to find someone who is so young and truly gets it….you could see Lady Gaga start to tear up. Sharing her insight, she confessed that despite sitting in the kitchen with Oprah and all the fame, she still at times wondered if what the bullies said was true. That she was worthless. She tapped into such an important unspoken truth. People can hear a thousand times that “I love you” or “you matter” yet are haunted by the handful of phrases that deflate their beings. That has to change. We no longer need to be haunted by those tiny, thoughtless voices. We all strive to feel significant and purposeful and it is safe to say that at the young age of 25, Lady Gaga is both. According to her, she was just born that way.
[…] promoter of the power of gratitude, and often recommends people keep gratitude journals. Even Lady Gaga kept a gratitude journal, thanks to Oprah’s […]