Lady Gaga is almost as famous for her strange costumes as she is for her amazing music, but the ARTPOP singer has revealed why she dresses the way she does. And it's all to do with beauty and business.
"I want my fans to feel the way I do, to know what they have to offer is just as important, more important, than what’s happening on the outside"
Speaking in an interview with Andy Cohen at Glamour magazine, the songstress opened up about her thoughts on beauty and convention. And it's a riveting read:
"I’m confident in who I am. I’ve come to a place in my life where I’ve accepted things that are me, as opposed to feeling pressure to explain myself to people around me. That’s just the way I’ve always tried to be. It didn’t change when I became a star."
"[I'm] Not conventionally beautiful. If there was some sort of mathematical equation for beauty, I don’t know if I would be the algorithm. I’ve always been OK with that. I’m not a supermodel. That’s not what I do. What I do is music. I want my fans to feel the way I do, to know what they have to offer is just as important, more important, than what’s happening on the outside."
We love that Lady Gaga is so comfortable in her own skin and abilities - but she went on to admit that her "layering of costumes" comes from being "afraid of what's under all those layers".
"Being beautiful is not so fun when you’re in a business with all men. Because it can actually get in the way. So in some ways, the outfits — these creations are because I don’t want to face the reality of what people want from a female pop star."
"Everybody always laughs because I feel so much more comfortable with, like, a giant paper bag on my whole body and paint on my face. Sometimes I try really hard to take it all off. But inevitably what’s underneath is still not a straight edge. And I don’t think it ever will be."
Speaking candidly about her different personas and desire to take on a new identity (Stefani becomes Gaga), she then went on to talk about her Born This Way Foundation, a foundation she started with $1.2 million of her own money. And the anti-bullying charity is what the songstress hopes to be remembered for:
"The foundation is everything that I’ve ever believed in. My ambition was never to rule the world. It was always to change the world. And once I started to become more and more successful, this voice in the back of my mind was telling me to make sure that I staked my claim as a person."
"The Born This Way Foundation isn’t about money at all. It’s about communities, people coming together. It’s about kids telling their stories to one another, and finding a sense of home by breeding compassion, making it cool to be that kind of person. I truly believe that people can find a happier way, if they are aware of the stories of people around them—people who share similar challenges and similar fears."
We love that Lady Gaga is fighting so hard to change the world for younger generations - but do you agree with her views on beauty and business? Can the two ever work well together? Let us know via the Comments Box below.