Lady Gaga- Paparazzi. Directed by Jonas Akerlamnd
Lady Gaga has quickly become one of the most successful female artist winning multiple awards for her recognisable uniqueness. Before rising to fame for her performances and msuic videos; Lady Gaga was signed to the record label interscope and was imidiately appointed to write songs for artists such as the Pussycat Dolls, Fergie and Britney Spears.
Lady Gaga's up tempo dance song 'Paparazzi' was the last song to be released off her debut successful album 'The Fame'. The song is written by Lady Gaga as she expresses her struggles with her quest to fame.
Post Modernism has become very common in music videos. Lady Gaga’s- Paparazzi, uses many characteristics of post modernism such as; pastiche, homage and blurring of the boundaries. In this Textual analysis I will give evidence of this.
The music video opens without music, which is unconventional as it a music video. Also at the beginning of the music video there are title credits stating the performer (lady Gaga) and the director (Jonas Akerland). The typography of the title credits is a pastiche/homage of classic Hollywood movies. Some of the early opening shots a establishing as they set the scene for the music video. The shots are of a house in Los Angles- Sunset Bulavad. This is an example of intertextuality
In the following scene after Lady Gaga has been pushed off a balcony, the image swiftly changes to her falling with a background of swirling of white and black circles. This is a pastiche/homage of Alfred Hitchcock’s film Vertigo. Lady Gaga respectfully imitates the artistic work of Alfred Hitchcock.
When the music begins Lady arrives outside if the mansion, where she is pushed down a purple carpet in a wheel chair; subverting the stereotypes of a purple carpet. Although the music video subverts conventions of music videos, the video also confirms some conventions such as dancers/performers, which is also typical in many of Lady Gaga’s other music videos. As she arrives Gaga is dressed in a robot like costume. This is an example pastiche/homage as the metalic outfit is a reference to the film 'Metropolis'. This is known as blurring of the boundaries between humans and robots. They are also known as binary opposites.
Later on in the video we see Lady Gaga in a costume that we typically find unconventional but it is a part of Lady Gaga’s unique image. The costume has many features of the Disney character Minnie mouse. Gaga’s costume is yellow with black dots, which symbolises the face of Minnie mouse. She also wears black lipstick that represents Minnie mouse. This is an example of intertextuality representing popular culture, making it recognisable to Gaga’s audience.
In the final scenes of the music video Lady Gaga is arrested after confessing to the murder of her boyfriend. As the police takes her away the paparazzi crowd her trying to get a statement from her and constantly taking her picture. Here another key element of post modernism is used as boundaries between fiction and reality are blurred. The fiction being Lady Gaga being arrested for murder, and realty, her being photographed by the paparazzi. The music video for paparazzi is also a prequel for a later song Telephone by Lady Gaga featuring Beyonce.
In conclusion Lady Gaga’s paparazzi posses many features of a postmodern music video. This helps to make her video unique and memorable. It also helps Lady Gaga to form her unique image, which she frequently shows in her work. She also makes reference to her idols or artists that have influenced her work and music.
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