Jon Pareles is a renowned music critic and arts based journalist for the New York Times. Published in 2010 Pareles, penned a review for Lady Gaga’s concert performance at Radio City Music Hall, and subsequently her music and stylistic approach as a whole. Approaching such an expansive and controversial topic in such manner as to simplify, organize and to objectively explain the persona that is Lady Gaga is a difficult task to say the least. Opening with an introduction into Lady Gaga, Pareles presents to the reader a sample of her generalized theatric nature, promoting her larger-than-life personality and perhaps helping a otherwise novice reader gain an insight to the culture that defines Lady Gaga. To someone who would be previously unaware of Gaga’s existence, the article’s opening fairly depicts what has come to be expected of the eccentric 27 year old artist. Laying down snippets lyrics to many of Gaga’s early hit songs, Pareles also sets the tone for what Gaga fans – or “Little Monsters” as the fans call themselves – have come to expect and love.
Once the formalities are over with, Pareles delves into what Lady Gaga is. Specifically, what she started as and how she defines herself, her music and the counterculture that surrounds her. Born as Stefani Germanottta, and known as Lady Gaga by the world, this stage name does more than create a new identity, it also overrides her past one. The abstract nature that Stefani Germanotta created, that is Lady Gaga, is to a similar nature that Dr. Frankenstein is to his monster. Making this apparent is a key goal of Pareles, who points this out. This new found celebrity was due to the staggering and weird nature that Lady Gaga represented, but most importantly what Pareles points out that along with the weird, crazy and obscene, there lies talent. Examples of her abilities in vocals, instrumentals and performance seperate her in Pareles’ mind to other eccentric musical acts such as Madonna and David Bowie. He even goes as far to comparing her to “a female Elton John” due to her abilities, these comparative examples to musical icons show the impact that Gaga has produced in the music industry. Pareles recaps Gaga’s early 2010 NYC performance, highlighting her charity, creativeness and her drive to perform. He closes with a statement that sticks out due to it’s simplicity as it defined Gaga; as Pareles puts it, she needs applause to live.
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