A little Monster is Born

When I was in high school, the biggest stars were Beyonce and Taylor Swift. Like high school, the girls were like Beyonce and Taylor Swift. The “Beyonce” girls were the ones who were beautiful and obsessed with; the Taylor Swift girls were the cute and popular girls you wanted to be friends with. Then there were girls like me: the weird, loner girls who felt out of place and did not fit in. However, I found a girl who I felt like I connected with and who “got” me. I am talking about Mother Monster, Lady Gaga.

Lady Gaga was perfect for girls like me! She was weird, outrageous and unapologetic. Girls like me found a hero in Lady Gaga. Her videos transcended to new levels, her fashion was iconic and most importantly her music and message was revolutionary.

“Bad Romance”:

Bad Romance was one of many Lady Gaga’s hits that also made a girl like me want a love story that was a “bad romance”. The song was about wanting all of the bad things within a partner. Yeah, people may not like the bad side of others, but Lady Gaga was saying so what if they have a bad side, I still want it! I used to sing this song so much and while people didn’t get why I loved it, I didn’t care because I knew the meaning behind the song.

“Free B!%#$”

Lady Gaga is not one to shy away from empowerment or being your true self. That is why I was in love with her song “I’m a Free Bitch”. Yeah I get people thinking it is demeaning to hear the b-word in a song, but Lady Gaga had irony behind it. The meaning behind the song was about basically being your own woman and being a “free bitch”. Back in high school, I was so in love with the song that I wore the shirt with her face on it that said “I’m a Free Bitch”. Of course I was ordered not to wear it at school and my parents did not like it, but I still found my ways ;)

“Born this Way”

This was the song! Born this Way became a huge hit and one of the most iconic songs. It was one of the most iconic LGBTQIA+ songs and is still revolutionary. I felt this song in my spirit. Yeah as a heterosexual black woman, I felt that this still talked to me because I was born the way I am. Lady Gaga was saying that God loves us the way we are and we are born this way. We do not need to change for nobody. I loved this song because as someone who felt out with the crowd, I finally found a song that embraced being different and I was happy with who I was.

“Judas”

Yeah, a controversial song. Something Lady Gaga has never shied away from. “Judas” came out when I was 17 years old and of course my parents were upset. Especially when I would sing the part

“Ohhh-ohhh ohh-ohhh ohh I’m in love with Judaassss, Judaasssss”

No, I am not evil nor the antichrist. Instead, the song was about being in love with the wrong person. Oh, I have been there! Almost all of my crushes turned out to be bad and I felt Lady Gaga and how she will do anything for a toxic man. It hit close to home, especially with my 11th grade crush.

“You & I”

This might be my favorite song of Lady Gaga’s and that is something because she has said that this song means a lot to her. It is a slow, rock song that talks about getting back to someone. I felt that. Like Judas, You & I hit close to home due to the crush I had in 11th grade. When I hear the song, I think of how I was willing to do anything for this guy and while many did not understand why this song meant so much to me, I did.

Conclusion:

Without Lady Gaga’s music, High school would have been a lonely and dreadful place. I felt like I had a friend who understood me and who could say what I wanted but was too afraid to say. Lady Gaga did not make music that was obsessed with hate; she made music that embraced love. Her music and her music videos had meaning. She put her heart into the songs and I finally found someone who actually made meaningful music. As a teenager, Lady Gaga made me want to Just Dance. It was okay to have a Poker Face. She made me feel alright to be Born This Way. Now as an adult, I know I will be okay if it Rain on Me and if I wanted your Stupid Love. She shaped this “little monster’s” teenage years and I for one am glad that I found someone to do that.