How Lady Gaga is a Unique Pop Star

Image via NYLON

In the 2000s, there was an emergence of pop stars like Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Beyoncé, and Lady Gaga. In mainstream media, all of these stars found a distinct audience, often overlapping; however, Lady Gaga diverged from these artists. 

Gaga positioned herself as an advocate for her LGBTQ+ audience—her “little monsters.” Unlike many of the pop stars of her era, she embraced her adversity as a woman in music, risking her career by celebrating and bringing attention to queer issues. She openly identifies as bisexual, marking a celebration of her identity, something that past performers hid in fear of their careers being blacklisted. She positioned herself as an LGBTQ advocate, addressing her audience as her “little monsters” and fostering a sense of community. Unlike many of the female pop stars of the 2000s, she embraced the adversity of being a woman in music. She even risked her career supporting the queer community in a male-dominated industry. Her audiences found comfort in the openness of her music, especially her pop hits: “Born This Way,” “Bad Romance,” and “Judas.” 

She became a new comfort for the queer community while continuing the musical efforts of past queer icons such as Freddie Mercury. There was a new emergence of queer artists representing their identity through their music to a mainstream, or “straight,” audience. More recently, we have seen similar activism through artists such as Chappell Roan. In Roan’s show, she features local drag queens, and her music addresses her own queerness, making a larger political statement about the world we live in. She even acknowledges the impact of Lady Gaga, paying homage in her performances through campy elements, as seen in her show at the Grammys. 

Lady Gaga inspired a new generation of pop stars through her constant support for the queer community. She emphasized that being LGBTQ+ is not something to be ashamed of, but something to celebrate, which makes her music distinct to the community.