One of the most avant-garde performers of our day is Lady Gaga, illustrating what anthropologist Agustín Fuentes examines in The Creative Spark: How Imagination Made Humans Exceptional, through her capacity to continuously reinvent herself through performance, fashion, and music. The main thesis of The Creative Spark—that creativity is what makes us human and enables us to push boundaries, defy expectations, and influence culture—is embodied in Gaga's career.
Gaga's Development: Adaptation through Creativity
Lady Gaga has never ceased changing, from her early years as a New York City club singer to her rise to international fame. According to The Creative Spark, creativity involves adaptability as much as creating art. This theory is best illustrated by Gaga's career, as she consistently reinvents her music, style, and public persona to keep ahead of cultural changes.
With songs like "Poker Face" and "Just Dance," she made her debut as a futuristic pop princess in The Fame (2008).
Born This Way (2011) celebrated individuality and LGBTQ+ pride while embracing activism.
Joanne (2016) explored her personal experience in a raw, heartfelt album that eschewed frills.
In 2020, Chromatica helped Gaga make a comeback to pop music, utilizing self-expression and creativity as a means of healing.
Every change was not merely a business choice; rather, it was an artistic reaction to fresh social and personal influences—exactly the kind of creative adaptability Fuentes emphasizes.
Performance as a Superpower for Creativity
Concerts become immersive experiences because of Gaga's live performances, which push the boundaries of music and drama. She knows that creativity is about more than just creating something new; it is about evoking strong emotions in others, whether she is playing a stripped-down rendition of "Shallow" at the Oscars or appearing at the Grammys inside an egg.
Fuentes highlights how performance and narrative are fundamental to human nature. Early humans saw creativity as a means of connection as well as survival. Gaga uses emotion and spectacle to unite people, appealing to this primitive side of creation.
Using Fashion as a Reinvention Tool
Gaga's storytelling through clothes is a natural fit with The Creative Spark's premise that human creativity transcends all fields. She knows that creativity goes beyond music and involves creating a visual identity, whether she is sporting couture to represent high art or the notorious meat dress to make a political statement.
According to Fuentes, early humans signaled identity, position, and group ties by body modification and decoration. In a similar vein, Gaga consistently conveys a message that goes beyond simple beauty with her clothing choices.
The Power of Creativity to Bring About Change
The idea that creativity is for more than just individual expression—it is about influencing society—is among The Creative Spark's strongest points. Lady Gaga's involvement demonstrates how innovative ideas may propel societal change, for example, through the Born This Way Foundation.
Her public remarks, performances, and music have continuously promoted kindness, mental health awareness, and LGBTQ+ rights. Gaga uses her work to promote inclusivity and resilience, much like the early humans Fuentes talks about, who used creativity to solve issues and build stronger societies.
Hi Alexa! I loved reading your post. One of the things that I believe sets Lady Gaga up for lasting success is her ability to appear genuine and open with fans at all times, which makes sense considering your points about Fuentes' theories on creativity. I enjoyed reading the connections you made between her unique performance style, and the transcendency of human creativity.
ReplyDeleteI loved this post! I have been a long-time fan of Lady Gaga. The first CD album I ever bought was "Born This Way." One of the reasons I truly believe that Lady Gaga has been able to stand the test of time is her ability to shift her art as she has grown. In her newest album, "MAYHEM," her maturity and growth are highlighted through the fun mix of pop songs, but also the slower songs highlighting her Julliard trained vocals. Her ability to continue to stand up for the LGBTQ+ community is outstanding, and she has continued to show that she is resilient and will stand by her morals. I also do love her ability to show eras through her ways of dressing. Her visual identity helps to build characters around albums, and because of it, it makes it very easy to recall albums based on looks. Her. She is one of the best pop stars of the decade, and I will continue to love her work!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post! Lady Gaga has always impressed me because she is so original and timeless. I agree with what you said in your post about her adaptability. She has been relevant in the pop scene for years, much longer than most people have lasted because she has adapted throughout the years. Another thing about Gaga is that she is a multi-faceted musician and performer. She can sing pretty much anything but also can entertain. I continue to be impressed with her in every project she's involved in and believe that there are only a few other pop stars in this past decade that rival her.
ReplyDelete