When reading the Kaufman and Baer
article on the link between poetry and mental illness, I found myself constantly
making connections between songwriting and mental illness as well. So many singers
and song writers suffer from various mental illnesses and so it made me think
of how songwriting is like poetry and therefore the links Kaufman and Baer made
also apply.
Lady Gaga,
born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, has recently made news by continuing her crusade for mental health care accessibility and knowledge. At the patron of arts awards Lady Gaga opened up about how her PTSD has shaped her career. Lady Gaga began
playing the piano at age four and writing songs at eleven. By 13 she had
written her first piano ballad and by 14 had performed in a New York nightclub.
She was accepted into NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts early, only one of 20
students given that honor.
When Kirby
Dick, the director of the documentary The
Hunting Grounds asked Lady Gaga to write a song for the film, it gave her
the opportunity to break her silence on a victimization she, and countless
women across the country have faced. The
Hunting Grounds takes a look into the issue of sexual assault on campus and
Lady Gaga used her song and the film to discuss how she had been sexually assaulted
when she was 19 years old. Lady Gaga cites her sexual assault as the cause of
her post traumatic stress disorder and fibromyalgia.
Having had that traumatic experience at 19,
the PTSD was something Lady Gaga has had to deal with ever since her rise to
fame a year later at 20 years old. Kaufman writes that poetry (in the case of
lady gaga songwriting) is more focused on emotions and introspection than
fiction writing is representative of how Lady Gaga was able to use her emotions
and her songwriting to cope. Lady Gaga is a “legislative thinker”(Kaufman&Baer), meaning she
prefers to create things and be self-directed, as shown by her independence and
free thinking music styles. During an interview with billboard, Lady Gaga talked
about how she does not believe her mental illness limits her creativity. She explained,
"Depression doesn’t take away your talents – it just makes
them harder to find. But I always find it. I learned that my sadness never
destroyed what was great about me. You just have to go back to that greatness,
find that one little light that’s left”
Lady Gaga has had some of the most creative and divergent
looks, songs, and videos throughout her decade of fame. Her meat dress, her
hatching from an egg/womb, and her “Bad Romance” video all showcase not only
her musical talent and her status as a Big C creative, but they also show how much
of a divergent and free thinker she is.
I love this post. I knew lady gaga spoke about mental health but I had no idea that she suffered from PTSD herself. I also did not know how early she started her career, it would be interesting to see if she fell under the category of a child prodigy. Great connection to the readings and great choice of subject, Lady Gaga is truly one of the most creative performers of our time, in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteThis was such an interesting post ! I've always thought Lady Gaga was creative, especially considering her bold outfits. But, I never knew most of this information! I know NYU's music school is very prestigious, so I cannot imagine how immensely talented she must have been, even at such a young age. I feel like it is a very common theme with child actors and musicians to develop some sort of mental illness later on in life. It would be very interesting to see if there is research that connects young fame with mental illness. In addition, I watched the documentary The Hunting Ground in high school as well as Lady Gaga's performance of "Til It Happens To You," and those are two things that have stayed with me to this day. I have so much respect for Lady Gaga's creativity, and I can't wait to see what's next for her!
ReplyDeleteLady Gaga. Wow. I remember when I saw her in concert. I think I was about 12 and she was unlike anything I had ever seen before. She projected a nude image onto the screen while we waited for her to perform. She truly is one of this generation's geniuses. The way she had shaped today's pop music, fashion, and narrative about so many topics that were considered taboo before astounds me. A world without her would be a little less bright.
ReplyDeleteI knew Lady Gaga supported the importance of mental health and helping the American population come to that realization but I never knew how much she dealt with herself! I always have loved and appreciated her music but now that appreciation has grown knowing all the things she has dealt with and how she has turned it around to make something good out of the worst.
ReplyDeleteI have frequently seen Lady Gaga being dismissed as some kind of ridiculous fad or trend; somewhere between being a woman, being unconventional, and being a pop star, critics and late night hosts alike seem to have found more than enough excuse to ridicule her for everything from her looks to her music. However, Lady Gaga is an incredibly talented performer and her impact on fashion, pop culture, music, and especially mental health awareness demands to be taken seriously. I love that she is so multifaceted and so vocal about such an important issue and that she has used her platform to bring light to sexual assault victims and to encourage discussion about these topics.
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