Guccio Gucci founded Gucci in 1921. By the 1950s, Italian aristocrats, European royalty, and Hollywood stars were flocking to Italy to buy Gucci’s luxurious leather designs. The Gucci family, customers believed, traced their roots back to Florence’s Medici dynasty. They had once made saddles for and Italian royalty.

1. Guccio Gucci lied about his family history

It was a lie. Guccio misled the public about his heritage. In truth, Guccio’s father ran an unsuccessful straw hat business. Before founding Gucci, Guccio himself worked as a dishwasher at London’s Savoy Hotel. Yet even Guccio’s stories of working at the Savoy are questionable. Sara Gay, author of The House of Gucci, notes the hotel has no records of employing him.

“We were never saddle makers,” Guccio’s daughter Grimelda later shared. “The Gucci’s come from a once-noble family in the San Miniato district of Florence. In my grandfather’s day, they were not peasants. Just simple folk with a little interest coming in from the capital saved. My grandmother, Elena Groselle, was from Signa, a small industrial town in Tuscany.”

Nevertheless, it was masterful marketing. Gucci created a brilliant image. One very appealing to the company’s elitist clientele.

2. Gucci women were discriminated against

Not all members of the family shared in Gucci’s wealth. In Gucci, a House Divided author Terry Mcknight reveals women were not allowed to inherit ownership in the company. “This,” he wrote, “had been an iron rule in the family since I was ordered by the founding Guccio Gucci. The male line was all-important, and historically, it had been natural for a male Gucci to dominate his women as for him the total obedience from his children and more distant relatives.”

When Guccio died equal shares in the company were given to sons Aldo, Rodolfo, and Vasco. Daughter Grimalda was left empty-handed. Her father’s view that women should not own any part of Gucci was upheld by her brothers. She later made a legal claim for ownership in the business only to be rejected by Italian courts.

“Father had died so suddenly,” she later said, “that it was some time before I realized that I was to have no part in the business in spite of everything my father had led me to expect.” Despite this Grimalda continued to love her brothers. After seizing control of the company in the 1980s, nephew Maurizio Gucci paid her 5 million Italian lire a year for her work as “a designer.”

Lady Gaga as Patrizia, the most notorious of all Gucci women

3. Guccio was “liberal” with his employees

Many Gucci women were also dismayed to discover their husband’s affairs. Members of the family were well known for their extramarital activities. Guccio was the first. “The favors of one or more of the shop assistants were requested,” author Terry McKnight wrote in 1987, “and seldom refused.” This habit passed on to his son Aldo.

4. Aldo Gucci was a tax criminal

In 1986 Aldo Gucci was also charged with tax evasion. An investigation by the American government revealed Aldo was responsible for running fraudulent tax schemes. Using foreign companies, he funneled 11 million US dollars out of the company. Payment of a further 7 million dollars tax had also been evaded.

Despite his high-profile connections, Aldo was not exempt from criminal charges. In September 1986 the 82-year-old was sentenced to a year in prison. Gucci was required to pay back the money it owed in tax. Aldo was also fined 15,000 dollars. He served fourth months in a resort-like minimum security jail. His sentence was then suspended. Many believed he got off lightly.

5. Paolo Gucci sent his father to prison

Authorities were alerted to Aldo’s fraud by a member of his own family. Paolo Gucci had a troubled relationship with his father Aldo. The elder Gucci had been harsh to his son during childhood. One time Aldo even gave away Paolo’s pet dog to punish him for misbehaving.

As an adult, Paolo believed Aldo and his brothers were blocking his growth in the company. By 1987, Paolo had begun no less than 10 separate legal battles with his family. During one trial, Paulo fought his family for the right to start a new company in his own name. In a ploy to embarrass Aldo, Paulo made a number of company documents public. Within these were letters between Aldo and an employee. The point of discussion? Tax fraud.

Sentenced to prison, Aldo forgave his son. To his nephew Maurizio, who was engaging in a hostile takeover of the company, he was less generous. “Some have done their duty,” Aldo said, “others have the satisfaction of revenge. God will be their judge.”

A bitter Paolo ultimately died unfulfilled. Suffering from chronic hepatitis and bankrupt, he passed away at age 64 in 1995. It was later revealed he was involved in counterfeiting Gucci products.

Jared Leto as Paulo

6. One Gucci was a fascist

Ugo Gucci was the adopted son of Guccio. He was a troubled childhood. After, he became involved in Italy’s fascist party prior to World War Two. As Nazi ally Mussolini seized power, Ugo rose to the rank of regional overseer.

The war ended. Guccio was scared. Drawing near to the end of life, he feared the share of Gucci Ugo would inherit after his death would be seized by British and American forces. To avoid this Guccio paid Ugo a large sum of money in exchange for his future rights in the company. The deal cost Ugo’s heirs a multi-million dollar stake in the business.

7. Another was a war hero

The Gucci story is not all doom and gloom. For every fight, there is loving closeness. For every black sheep, a hero.

Olwen Gucci is one example. The wife of Aldo, she was born and raised in Britain. Later, she moved to Italy as a maidservant to a Romanian princess. After visiting a Gucci store, she caught the eye of Aldo. The pair married.

During the Second World War, Olwyn helped smuggle British and American prisoners out of Italy. Many hid in her and Aldo’s Florence home. This was not without risk. The penalty for treason was death.

“Mother took men who were sent back to her,” son Roberto later shared, “and hid them in our house until the nuns could take them. It was [local priest] Father Hickey who arranged everything. He and the nuns helped a lot of men escape.” Olywn’s efforts were later recognized by the British government.

TAGS: GUCCI, HOUSE OF GUCCI

Sex, lies and dirty money: 7 things you didn’t know about the Gucci family was originally published in The Glitter & Gold on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Since the release of her debut album, Billie Eilish has fought hard to maintain control of her identity. Far from content to be a pop caricature, she continues to subvert expectations. Following her own conscience, Eilish rejects many of the rules and conventions society places upon her. The recent change of her signature skunk green mop top for a buttery blonde look, is but one example. And while acts like these captivate millions, there has been a far greater transformation going on beneath the surface.

Billie Eilish showcases her ‘Happier Than Ever’ clothing line.

Eilish’s visual change mirrors artistic growth

Billie Eilish’s recent visual transformation goes hand-in-hand with the personal changes she presents to the world on new single ‘Your Power’. The song is an emotional and autobiographical ballad. Here Eilish recounts how an unnamed music business executive sexually assaulted her as a child.

When this occurred is unclear. (Eilish has been performing since age 13.) And while the story of what really happened remains a mystery, her sentiment is crystal clear. He was a man, she was a child and he abused his power.

Lyrics like “You ruined her in a year, don’t act like it was hard,” and “Does it keep you in control to keep her in cage?” paint powerful images of gender inequality. What is more, they also bear a striking maturity. With ‘Your Power’ Eilish discusses trauma many find too uncomfortable to openly reveal.

More than ever before, Eilish is speaking honestly about her life and experiences. I see this as Eilish reaching her full potential as both an artist and a woman. Gone is the 15-year-old who writes a love song about someone with ‘Ocean Eyes’. In walks the women who will call out any man who dares to disrespect her.

A rebel from the start

While Eilish has never sung more directly than on ‘Your Power’, the roots of her rebellious spirit are obvious in hindsight. Eilish has often had something poignant and original to say, especially within her lyrics. Admittedly, her debut EP Don’t Smile At Me plays more akin to the typical worries-and-woes-of-a-15-year-old record than the era-defining statement which followed. However, there are glimpses here of Billie growing into the person on When we all fall asleep, where do we go?

‘COPYCAT’ and ‘Bellyache’ are the seeds that started to bring in this horror meets gothic electronic sound. “I want to make ’em scared,” Eilish sings on ‘Bellyache’. These lyrics are less pointed than ‘Your Power’ but still speak volumes. Eilish is showing us the pent-up rage and passion she was already carrying inside.

Billie Eilish has feminist roots

With When we all fall asleep, where do we go? Eilish came into her own as a songwriter and vocalist. On hit single ‘Bad Guy’, she sneered at men who think they are tough. Eilish actively made a joke out of the overly inflated male egos she encountered on her way to the top. The title of ‘all good girls go to hell’ likewise held all the implication of a feminist statement, though publicly Eilish discussed the song as being inspired by frustrations over other’s indifference toward global warming.

‘You should see me in a crown’ similarly challenges the bravado and dominance of the male ego. Its opening lyrics say it all. “Bite my tongue,” Eilish sings, “bide my time, Wearing a warning sign, Wait ’til the world is mine.” These lyrics put across a powerful picture of the state of Eilish’s mind when she recorded her album.

There are also, of course, moments where we are reminded that we are dealing with a 17-year-old girl. Her intro statement, titled ‘!!!!!!!’, declares, “I have taken out my Invisalign and this is the album!” before erupting into a series of cackles and giggles.

In my opinion, the best part of all of this that we have to be reminded Eilish is so young. The lyrics that are featured on her first album are so accomplished they sail through a myriad of complex social issues with effortless ease. They could easily be coming from someone well beyond her years.

Billie Eilish showcases her ‘Happier Than Ever’ clothing line.[/caption]

Billie Eilish owns her power

In this new era starting with ‘Your Power’, Eilish is no longer willing to remain ambiguous about who she is or what she believes on. On ‘Bad Guy’ she mockingly played the part of the man who thinks they hold power. On ‘Your Power’ she is unequivocally the woman who owns hers.

There is definitely a sense that fans are going to be listening to more songs from Billie Eilish that deals with such hard hitting topics in future. Nevertheless, it is important to remember that Billie has already been hinting at these views for some time. She was just doing it in a more subtle fashion, likely out of a fear that to speak more honestly would cost her a career. Now her platform is firmly established, she is talking more directly about her feelings.

Eilish on the set of ‘Your Power’.

The significance of ‘Your Power’

When people try to suppress something it is generally because that thing holds power. There is power in Eilish’s words and in her voice. She is not afraid of expressing who she is. Neither is she shying away what she and others have been through. Which is what makes ‘Your Power’ such a cathartic moment. Not just for her but for millions of others who have had similar experiences.

As a fan, I find the way she stays one step ahead of the criticism and prejudices leveled against her as a woman inspiring. They are a microcosm of what millions of others are experiencing every day. And in this sense, ‘Your Power’ reflects the sprint of the times. Following its release, others like Lady Gaga have come forward and begun speaking out against past sexual abuse. Gaga’s revelations and others like them echo the lyrics of Eilish’s new song hammers home: Some things are far too important to be implied.

At age 19, Billie Eilish now talks openly about feminist and social issues. A nonconformist, she refuses to let others define who she is. Millions relate to her. And in this sense, Eilish acts out not only the highs and lows of her own life but those of a generation.

Words by Emma Whines.

This article was originally published in The Glitter and Gold magazine.

Billie Eilish owns her power was originally published in The Glitter & Gold on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Ariana Grande‘s third album Dangerous Woman takes its title from a quote by Nawal El Saadawi. “They said,” the feminist author wrote in 1975, “‘You are a savage and dangerous woman.’ I am speaking the truth. And the truth is savage and dangerous.”

Ariana Makes Her Stand

This was a bold statement for Saadawi to make. She lived in Egypt at a time when women were imprisoned and brutalized for expressing their thoughts. The world in which Ariana Grande found herself in 2016 was not as far removed from Saadawi’s Egypt as many liked to think. To speak too many truths as a pop star was career suicide.

Yet times had changed. This was no longer the era of Girl Next Door pop stars like Britney Spears. Rihanna and Beyoncé had broken their molds and shown the world pop was a platform for empowerment and self-expression. Like these women before her, Grande too was ready to take her stand. And when she did the world would never be the same.

The Cultural Impact of Dangerous Woman

With her third album, Ariana Grande wove a pop narrative of what it really meant to be a modern woman. Her soulful pop tunes spoke to a generation. The album was also an important step in Grande’s own personal transformation. With it, she cast aside the innocence of being a child. With a hint of debauchery, she helped millions of young women grab their femininity and sexuality with both hands.

Songs like Nicki Minaj collaboration ‘Side to Side’ and title track ‘Dangerous Women’ leave little to the imagination. They are empowering. Sex, Grande shared, was not lewd for the sake of being lewd. It was part of her journey to becoming a woman. Grande’s exploration of these new experiences was startlingly personal.

Grande’s relatable stories were put across by her powerhouse vocals. Which, at the time of Dangerous Woman, were becoming celebrated for their timeless essence. Grande owned her power and sang with absolute confidence.

Dangerous Woman made clear Grande was on her way to becoming one of the all-time greats. Though even a statement like this would be cutting her ambition short. Not only could Ariana sell as many records as Whitney Houston. She could do so while telling women that their minds and bodies were their own.

The cover of ‘Dangerous Woman’.

Her Story

Ariana Grande began her career in music as a Nickelodeon star. Die-hard fans will remember Grande as Cat Valentine from teen sitcom Victorious. Cat was a far cry from the image of Grande today. The character was known for being “adorably dim-witted” though she soon gained a reputation for stunning viewers with her powerhouse vocals on screen. From there, it seemed Ariana’s future was set in stone. She was going to be a pop star.

In 2013 Grande released her first studio album Yours Truly. It was quickly followed by her second album My Everything. Grande blew through the charts with hit after hit. Outside of her albums she also built a reputation as a highly sought-after collaborator. Working with pop heavy-weights, she further solidified her place at the top.

Grande poses for a ‘Yours Truly’ promotional photo.

Decoding Ariana Grande

Throughout this period Grande never stopped soaring to new heights. Then came Dangerous Woman. The album was an exploration of something sexier and more suggestive. Grande was no longer the innocent girl from Victorious. She was a woman coming into her own.

The album’s accompanying photos expressed this. Here Ariana kept her now-famous high ponytail. This suggested youth and playfulness. She also opted for a latex bunny mask.

The mask drew inspiration from New York photographer Helmut Newton’s famous 1975 photograph of model Elsa Peretti. Newton’s work embodied a mixture of sex, subdued elegance, and luxury. Grande’s new black and white images suggested likewise. Here Grande and photographer Matt Barnes fused her good girl persona with the more mature side explored on Dangerous Woman’s songs.

A Dangerous Woman promotional GIF.

Ariana Grande Challenges Systemic Sexism

Dangerous Woman was a step above Grande’s previous albums. Stepping into her own, she projected an attitude of untouchable femininity. Some critics labeled her as ‘Selling out’ referencing the idea that “sex sells”. However, by this period of her career, Grande had become well versed in dealing with the sexism prevalent in the music industry. She was casually responding with shrugs.

One example is this. In 2015, a Power106FM radio host famously asked Grande “If you could use your phone or makeup one last time, which one would you pick?” the reply Grande gave him was well deserved. “Is this seriously,” she shot back, “what you think girls have trouble choosing between?”

In a 2019 Vogue interview, Grande revealed that while she is vocal in calling out sexism, she does not take negative comments to heart. “I like having my funny character that I play, that feels like this exaggerated version of myself,” she confided. “It protects me. But also, I love disrupting it for the sake of my fans and making clear that I’m a person. That’s something I enjoy fighting for.”

Grande poses for Dangerous Woman promotional photo.

Dangerous Woman Empowered Fans

Sentiments like these are found throughout Dangerous Woman. The album is filled with the snappy expressions of a 22-year-old exploring her sexual and intimate identity while flipping off the male gaze. The album’s mature nature is conscious and direct. Grande is giving a step-by-step manual on how she became to be a dangerous woman while showing her listeners how to do the same.

Grande poses for Dangerous Woman promotional photo.

Ariana Grande’s Dangerous Woman Turns 5

In one sense, Dangerous Woman can be viewed as a quintessential Pop and R&B album for the masses. But Grande made it much more than that. Dangerous Woman is infused with an honest and explorative concept of sexual liberation. What is more, it a stepping stone to Ariana Grande’s celebrated albums Sweetener, Thank U, Next, and Positions. All have influenced generations of women with powerful statements of their own. They would not exist, however, without the foundation of Dangerous Woman. Ariana Grande’s Dangerous Woman set the tone not only for her own work but altered the trajectory of pop for the years which followed. Today, Dangerous Woman is still as influential and important as it was five years ago.

Words by Emma Whines.

This article was originally published in The Glitter and Gold magazine.

Ariana Grande’s ‘Dangerous Woman’ still challenges taboos of sex and power was originally published in The Glitter & Gold on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

A close friend of mine was institutionalized with an eating disorder last year. She was so malnourished she had to be fed through a tube to stay alive. A former partner went through a similar experience. After, she was not allowed to keep scales in the house. She found a way around this though by using a hidden tape measure to monitor the size of her waist. Reading into the subject of body dysmorphia recently I realized I too had been taught, over a lifetime, to hate my body.

I have some bad news for you. We have a problem. Society is in the grip of an unprecedented wave of anorexia, bulimia, dysmorphia, anxiety, dissatisfaction, and body-related depression. Eating disorders are the second-highest cause of mental illness-related death. Every 62 minutes someone in the US dies from an eating disorder-related condition. What is more, eating disorders are on the rise.

People are bringing themselves closer and closer to death each day. Why? To achieve the body they think will bring them happiness. You only need to log on to any of your social media accounts to see we live in a society where beauty is valued over health. Every day we are bombarded with messages from the mainstream media and beauty industry telling us happiness comes as a reward for having an ideal body. Human suffering as a result of these messages is reaching unparalleled heights. And the silence which surrounds it is deafening.

People Are More Than Physical Appearances

Billie Eilish is keenly aware of this. Not only does she know that something is not right, but she is also willing to turn this life-destroying media narrative on its head. Her recent British Vogue cover is the latest example of how she challenges silent yet deadly assumptions about our bodies.

After covering her body in baggy clothes — something Eilish has recently reminded critics she did due to the fact she was “an actual child” — she has now presented herself in a Gucci-styled outfit throwing back to the pin-up stars of Hollywood’s past. So much discussion has been placed on whether Eilish’s body “looks good” it feels like the world has missed the statement being made. Which is this. As long as it makes her feel good, she can do whatever she wants.

Eilish on the cover of British Vogue.

Why Judge A Musician By Their Hair?

In March this year, a 19-year-old Eilish revealed she had changed the color of her hair from skunk green to blonde. It made news headlines across the world. Is the intense scrutiny placed on the color of Eilish’s hair a double standard for someone already famous for writing original and widely appealing songs?

By March 2021 Billie Eilish had four chart-topping hits, 43 million monthly listeners on Spotify and one of the most wildly popular debut albums in recent memory. She was also the youngest person in history to win the four main Grammy categories — Best New Artist, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Album of the Year — all in the same year. What relevance does her appearance have on any of this?

The iPhone Generation

Billie Eilish was born in 2001. I must admit I am a little older. To bring me into her world I asked a younger writer what it was like to grow up around the same period as Eilish. Like Eilish, Pippa Haupt was also born in 2001.

“The first iPhone came into existence when I was six,” Pippa shares. “Of course, like all the other six-year-olds of the world, I had no idea that this would be the door to the technology that ruled us all. Social media. It was a ticking-time-bomb.”

“Instagram and Pinterest took off in 2012,” she continues. “By the time I was 13 I was obsessing over my body, my hair, my skin, even the shape of my ankles… Billie Eilish was also six when the first iPhone came out. She shares what we all have gone through. It’s the same experience.”

Billie Eilish Refuses To Change Her Appearance

Pippa notes that a large part of Eilish’s appeal is that she refuses to change her appearance to fit in. Her now-iconic, instantly recognizable baggy style contributes greatly to her likability. Not to mention her attitude and personality. Recently, Billie Eilish beat the Kardashian clan at earning the title of “the most Influential person in Fashion“.

Eilish is a stark contrast to the Kardashians. Her Instagram is filled with candid selfies, untouched by the heavy filters often used by influencers and the Kardashians. “It’s understandable why her engagement is so high,” Pippa reflects, “Billie is real, a breath of fresh air away from photoshop unreality other stars project.”

“Eilish is known for her rejection of the societal pressure put upon women to be quiet,” Pippa continues, “feminine, and pretty. In 2020, Eilish faced body-shaming and backlash after a paparazzi image of her not adorning her usual baggy Gucci attire blew up on Twitter. The singer was snapped wearing a singlet and shorts. While this is completely normal, Eilish was more exposed than usual.”

A candid photo such as this one is typical of what fans see on the star’s Instagram feed.

What You Is Not Her Problem

Eilish’s Vogue shoot is only part of a continued and hardwon effort to present herself as a real person. Earlier in the year, she commented on the public obsession with her and other women’s bodies with a short film titled NOT MY RESPONSIBILITY. “Nothing I do goes unseen,” Eilish asked during the viral video. “If I wear what is comfortable, I am not a woman. If I shed the layers, I’m a slut … Would you like me to be smaller? Weaker? Softer? Taller? Would you like me to be quiet?”

Her final comment is one of the most powerful. “Is my value-based only on your perception?” she says as she sinks into black goo. “Or is your opinion of me not my responsibility?”

“Billie’s struggle with body positivity resonates with me and many others,” Pippa explains. “Her response to it, however, resonates far more. Being a young woman in the spotlight is hard enough, but Eilish refuses to back down, or be quiet. The NOT MY RESPONSIBILITY video struck a chord with many people, including me. It was refreshing to see a celebrity of her status speaking so loudly about it and doing something about it. It’s become a common shortfall of social media for influencers to hijack the body positivity movement for likes, appreciation, engagement and even brand deals. With Eilish it’s different. She’s gone through it, and more. As well as dealing with the crushing expectations placed on teens by society and social media, she’s also had her personality, appearance, and body openly criticized by the world. She’s not afraid to say she struggles either.”

Does Billie Eilish Struggle With Body Image?

In this regard, Billie Eilish is deserving of praise. And while the pressures of fame are no doubt intense I still feel it would be dishonest to ignore Eilish’s own negative perception of her body. During her Vogue shoot, Eilish shared a self-critical view of her body not far removed from the kind of distortions those with Anorexia express. “If I’m honest with you,” she told journalist Laura Snapes, “I hate my stomach.”

In 2020 she informed Vanity Fair she had taken diet pills at age 12 in an effort to improve her appearance. She also voiced frustration with the hatred she received online. “I thought that I would be the only one dealing with my hatred for my body,” she confided, “but I guess the internet also hates my body. So that’s great… The internet hates women.”

The Internet Hates Women

Eilish has been subject to intense public scrutiny. She has also been the subject of thousands if not millions of negative and abusive comments. “Billie Eilish is overrated and kind of annoying,” reads one highly visible on Reddit’s Unpopular Opinions thread. “I could never get into her music and I hate her,” this Reddit user shares, “‘I’m so weird and quirky look at me’ personality.”

“Yes, Billie Eilish is overrated, overhyped and overly pretentious,” comes another comment from Quora’s ‘Is Billie Eilish overrated’” thread. “And she’s laughing all the way to the bank. Her music isn’t particularly creative or even remotely original.”

“The attributes that gain Eilish huge popularity are the same ones that garner hate online,” Pippa notes. “Her quirky personality, her success, and her music all seem to strike the wrong chord. In various online discussion boards, popular theories try to reason the hate she receives. Some find her personality repelling ‘because it seems forced’. Others suggest she dresses differently and dyes her hair to get attention, or she’s trying too hard to be unique. Or that her success isn’t genuine, because it happened so easily.”

Society Distrusts Talented Women

This is far from the end of it. “Critics also,” Pippa adds, “have tapped into a common misogynistic view that men are responsible for a women’s success. In Eilish’s case, her close collaborative relationship with producer and brother Finneas has provided many a justification to dismiss her. Some believe she is an ‘industry plant’. All of the above seem to all boil down to a distrustful audience.”

This could speak to a wider societal issue. “Instead of the fault being Eilish’s,” Pippa notes, “it lies instead with the audience, unable to fully trust in the authenticity and talent of an artist. It begs the question — what made us so suspicious of women artists, their talent, and success?”

It’s Time To Take Eating Disorders Seriously

Of all the millions of animals on this planet, only humans and chimpanzees recognize their own reflection. Yet not even chimps, our closest relatives, have such an advanced ability as ours to judge, criticize and evaluate their own appearance. A need for others’ approval is hardwired into our survival instincts. In this media-saturated era, the insecurities these instincts give rise to have been kicked into overdrive.

The media bombards us with the message that happiness, self-esteem, and a positive image of ourselves is a reward for having ideal bodies. A negative body image often starts with early childhood bullying. Our response is the greatest deceit. We tell ourselves that a positive image can be restored or attained through a body different from the one we have. The lie repeated a thousand times then becomes the truth.

“Let’s turn it around and be empowered in that,” Eilish told Vogue. “Showing your body and showing your skin — or not — should not take any respect away from you.” Eilish expresses an unmet need that is running across an entire culture. Far too much emphasis is placed on outer appearance.

Billie Eilish Is Breaking The Silence

“Despite the fame, Eilish is a real person, a teenager, flung by chance into the fortune she has today,” Pippa concludes about Eilish. “Her journey is genuine, as are her public struggles, her personality and her intentions. Billie Eilish is a force, a positive influence to a generation raised on social media. Eilish is the personification of ‘If she can do it, I can do it!’ She is proof that it’s okay to do whatever you want.”

Billie Eilish is championing positive change. After watching people close to me suffer in past I see that it falls to the few, not the many to stand up for what is right. Rosa Parks ignited the American civil rights movement by refusing to give a bus seat to a white person. Hungry women marching on the royal palace of France put an end to a centuries-long idea a person’s worth was determined by birth, not character. Long-held assumptions can be cast aside in an instant when brought into the light of truth by a single act. Eilish’s actions in the media spotlight, perhaps even more so than her words, express the need for a revolution from within. To change our body image we have to change our attitudes towards ourselves.

Billie Eilish’s Vogue cover lays bare the hypocrisy of a culture that is killing women was originally published in The Glitter & Gold on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

With outrageous dress sense and an attitude to match, Lil Nas X is one of modern culture’s most visible and outspoken media personalities. He is also one of its most misunderstood. Answering the question of who he is, how he found success, and the impact of his work as a Queer artist is a far more complicated matter than many media commentators make out.

Old Town Road

Lil Nas X’s ‘Old Town Road’ was released in 2018. It later went viral in March 2019. The unique mix of rap and country had never been seen before. It was welcomed as a global phenomenon for its novelty. However, no one could have predicted its lasting impact.

Since its 2019 release, ‘Old Town Road’ has become one of the US Billboard 100 singles chart’s longest-running number one hits in history. It topped has the US charts for 19 consecutive weeks, almost 4-and-a-half months. At the time of writing, it sits at number 70 and has spent 33 weeks on the chart. ‘Old Town Road’ boosted the Georgian rapper to an unprecedented level of fame. But there was more to be seen of Lil Nas X.

Lil Nas X Comes Out

On June 30, 2019, Lil Nas X came out as publicly gay. “Some of ya’ll already know,” he Tweeted on the last day of American Pride Month, “some of ya’ll don’t care, some of ya’ll not gone fwm no more. But before this month ends I want ya’ll to listen closely to C7osure.”

To many fans, the star’s outrageous dress sense and flamboyant personality had already given several hints. To Lil Nas X’s large conservative fanbase, it was a shock. The blowback was significant. Something Montero Lamar Hill addressed in a follow-up Tweet. “Thought I made it obvious,” he stated before pointing out the album art of 2019’s 7 EP even includes an LGBTQI+ flag on the cover.

C7osure

There was no turning back for Lil Nas X. His new single ‘C7osure (You Like)’ served as an open-hearted letter to fans. It described Lil Nas X’s fears and hopes for the future after being upfront about his sexuality.

“No more red light for me, baby,” Nas sings, “only green, I gotta go pack my past up in the back, oh, let my future take ahold. This is what I gotta do, can’t be regrettin’ when I’m old.”

In a few short Tweets, Lil Nas X flipped the switch on his public persona. He quickly became looked to as a leader and spokesperson for the Queer Community. The liberation of revealing more of his real self to the public was not without a cost. It also attracted a newfound level of public scrutiny. Lil Nas X’s actions were now placed under a new kind of spotlight.

Shade Never Made Anyone Less Gay

Lil Nas X embraced his new persona with exceptional speed. Still touring ‘Old Town Road’ across the US, he replaced his worn-out denim jackets and pants with reflective rhinestone suits, cut-out pants, and chest exposing tops. His bold pink Grammys outfit, which included a bondage-inspired harness, further made the message clear while causing waves of applause within the fashion community.

While many praised the rapper’s statement and new look, others were not so enthusiastic. Gay identity has often been the subject of ridicule in hip hop. “I think in the daily life of a black male, we gay-bash way more than we disrespect women,” Kanye West controversially proclaimed in 2014.

In opening stating his sexuality, Lil Nas X took a risk. In previous eras, the labeling of a Black American artist as gay could bring down their careers. Today, many still hold to this narrow and outdated view of masculinity.

Following Nas’ coming out one rapper, Pastor Troy went on a homophobic slur-filled rant. The viral statements claimed Lil Nas X was “pushing his homosexuality” and that his agenda to take away Black men’s masculinity. Homosexuality said Pastor Troy was to be hated not to be defended. Scorned, not understood.

Out and Proud

Outside the rap community, Lil Nas X also faced pushback from religious groups. These conflicts would come to a head when Lil Nas X released the provocative 2021 single ‘Montero (Call Me By Your Name)‘. The single and its accompanying video gained traction for its bold representation of sexuality and religion. It is more than a crass attempt to gain media attention.

The video for ‘Montero’ retells theological stories through a Queer lens. Lil Nas X aims not to corrupt scripture, but to include Queer people in stories where they have always been present but have been erased by history. The single quickly became one of the most listened-to songs in the world.

The backlash was considerable. The protest videos of several religious groups quickly made global headlines. A key point of criticism was Lil Nas X’s use of Satanic imagery. (The video notoriously ends with Nas chaining Satan to his throne while mounting the fallen angel’s chair for himself.) No longer one to shy away from controversy, Lil Nas X shortly after released a set of Nike Air Jordon “Satan Shoes” featuring a pentagram, bible scripture, and human blood.

Ousted by Faith

The feeling of being ousted by one’s own faith on the basis of sexuality is a collective experience for millions across the globe. While it may have been eclipsed in the media coverage of the song, many amongst the LGBTQI+ community praised Lil Nas X. Many admired his articulation of a topic rarely touched upon in mainstream pop.

This isn’t the first time Queer artists have found themselves in hot water with religious communities. The battle between secular culture and religious values is as old as recorded music itself. And, as ever, it is musicians themselves that find them subject to these pressures. As with Madonna‘s Black Jesus-depicting ‘Like a Prayer’ before it, Lady Gaga’s 2011 single ‘Judas’ caused a number of highly public protests its use of Christian imagery.

But, somehow, the response to Lil Nas X was different. Not only did Nike start a lawsuit against the singer, claiming his use of their sneakers would cause irreparable damage to the brand, but streaming services temporarily removed his song from all platforms. (Though it was later reinstated, and the removal claimed to be a technical difficulty rather than active censorship.) The situation was well documented on Lil Nas X’s social media, through a series of posts detailing his warning that the song would be deleted, to its eventual reupload.

The cover of Lil Nas X’s ‘Montero’.

Understanding Lil Nas X

Fans and critics alike praise Lil Nas X’s in-your-face attitude and sense of individuality, while attempting to categorize and put him in a box in order to understand him. The reason why many have failed to see Lil Nas X as a fully formed artist comes down to overlooking the role intersectionality plays in his music, as well as artists like Lil Nas X’s public appearance. Lil Nas X is a Black, Queer, man, but these identities are often treated as separate from each other. In his rise to fame as a Queer artist, some have made statements such as “This the only gay person I can respect” and there have even been claims that he is not really gay.

Lil Nas X is Unashamedly Queer

These claims are unfounded. Lil Nas X has been unashamedly Queer throughout his career. From his fashion, music videos, and overt lyrics to a makeup collaboration with James Charles, Lil Nas X presents himself as an arguably ‘stereotypically’ gay man. So why is it that some still refuse to believe it? It may point out an underlying flaw in the way the music industry and mainstream media fail to accurately include Black artists.

Lil Nas X and beauty YouTuber James Charles.

It’s Time to Throw Out Racist Genre Labels

The problem is labeling. People want to put others into simple categories to understand them. This can often run against the reality that each individual is a unique, complicated, and wholly original creation.

Genre labels are a perfect example. In the streaming era, genre labeling is becoming increasingly outmoded. And popular music is reflecting this.

What better example than Lil Nas X? His breakthrough track, ‘Old Town Road’ is a genre-bending fusion of country, hip hop, and pop. It was originally listed in both the Country and hip hop charts but was controversially removed from the Country charts by Billboard. This move was met with public backlash.

Why The ‘Urban’ Genre Category Is Racist

What is more, it stirred up an ongoing conversation around the way Black and other artists of color are forced into specific genre labels and how traditional genre labels such as ‘urban music’ have carried racists connotations. Reflecting these views, Tyler, the Creator called out the music industry in his 2020 Grammys speech. “It sucks,” he shared, “that whenever we, and I mean guys that look like me, do anything that’s genre-bending or that’s anything they always put it in a rap or urban category. I don’t like that ‘urban’ word — it’s just a politically correct way to say the n-word to me.” Tyler’s enigmatic contemporary Frank Ocean has expressed similar frustrations.

Tyler, The Creator.

How Non-LGBTQI+ Artists Embrace Queer Identity

Speculation on the sexuality of publicly heterosexual artists is a favorite pastime for many thousands of fans. Harry Styles and Taylor Swift are both artists who many fans theorize to be “Secretly Queer”. These conclusions are generally based on layers of background context and the belief that there might be hidden meanings behind many of the more ambiguous lyrics of fans’ favorite artists.

Both artists dismissed these claims early on in their careers but have more recently utilized ambiguity in recent years to align themselves with the Queer Community. Examples of this include Taylor Swift’s ‘You Need to Calm Down’ video featuring appearances from a list of gay and trans celebrities, and Harry Styles’ headlining making gender-bending fashion. While it is a good thing to see traditionally Queer aesthetics being celebrated, it is bittersweet to see this occurring when proud members of the community are being ignored.

Taylor Swift in 2020.

Black Artists Face Double Standards

Black men, in contrast, have to prove their queerness. In recent years, there has been an insurmountable increase in Queer characters on television. But time and time again these roles are played and written by people with no experience in these communities. This has led to an extremely limiting narrative in how queerness is expressed. What is needed is a greater need for authentic, multi-dimensional representations.

Things are getting better. While not everyone in society is willing to, many more traditionally conservative people are willing to accept and celebrate gay culture. Lil Nas X is a shining example of this. Online, many Queer Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) men recount experiences where their flamboyant fashion has been praised for “looking like Lil Nas X”. Their likeness to the artist has helped them in situations where, in past, they would have feared, or actually have ended up in, a violent confrontation with those outside the Queer Community.

Pop music has been an avenue to fame, status, and respect for Black American artists in the light of systemic racism at all levels of society. Yet even today the idea of an empowered Black man has been considered a threat if not diffused with camp elements. In past, pioneering Black label Motown presented its male artists as perfectly manicured and in suits. Prince and Little Richard created outrageous stage personas and wore purpled camp suits. Today even hip hop’s cartoonish element sometimes seems to cushion pop’s predominantly white audience from acceptance of Black Power. Lil Nas X is diffrent. He is not using his camp image as a distraction. Instead, he manifests the inner in the outer. The way he dresses is a joyful expression of the person he really is.

Lil Nas X Refuses to Be Boxed In

Montero Lamar Hill is constantly fighting to take control of his image. But there is something going on here that is greater than just one man. His personal struggles are having a flow-on effect. Lil Nas X is changing how Queer and Black men are perceived by society as a whole.

Lil Nas X reflects a too-long overdue cultural acceptance of gay artists. Undue focus is heaped upon his controversial acts. Many fail to celebrate the fact he is one of the most successful openly gay men in music history.

While Lil Nas X embraces the whimsical elements of Queer culture, he also projects the image of an ambitious, creative, successful, and ultimately genuine gay man. This opens the way for others to be the same. While acceptance of Lil Nas X is far from universal, it is unquestionably a step in the right direction.

Words by Stanze Quinn.

This article originally appeared in The Glitter and Gold Magazine.

Lil Nas X’s fight for identity is changing the way we define Queer Men was originally published in The Glitter & Gold on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

I was painting this morning when a lyric came into my head. It was an older song. One I had not, admittedly, ever really paid that much attention to. It was Halsey’s ‘Colors’. And although I had listened to the song probably more than a thousand times, its lyrics had flown straight over my head, their heaviness unnoticed. The words that caught me by surprise were these. “I hope you make it to the day you’re 28 years old.”

Watching Colors Fade

The song, featured on the singer’s breakout album Badlands, focuses on themes of family and addiction. It alludes strongly to Halsey’s brief love affair with The 1975’s Matt Healey. On the track, Halsey tells the story of their passionate relationship. She describes the experience of watching her muse’s vibrancy slowly leak away, likening it to watching colors fade.

“I hope you make it to the day you’re 28 years old.” At first, these words seem like a space-filler. But they are rich in meaning. At a few points in the pair’s relationship, and during the darkest days of Healey’s heroin addiction, The 1975 frontman is reported to have said he would soon be joining The 27 Club.

Kurt Cobain poses for a promotional photo.

Forever 27

For those scratching their heads, The 27 Club is a group of notorious celebrities who never lived to see their 28th Birthday. Although many sources include just musicians, the so-called ‘curse’ has taken the lives of artists, actors, and even athletes. But of all those The 27 Club claims, musicians seem to pay the heaviest toll. Amongst the club’s most famous members are Amy Winehouse, Mac Miller, Janis Joplin, Brian Jones, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, and Kurt Cobain.

There is a fascination that comes with the beautifully broken. The tragic deaths of men and women in their prime has been romanticized in our culture for thousands upon thousands of years. Shakespeare’s famous plays featured characters like Romeo and Juliet, who took their own lives rather than conform to the rules of a society that denied their love. (Hamlet’s Ophelia is another notable suicide.)

Shakespeare’s stories were, in turn, based on those of Greek playwrights like Sophocles and Euripides. Characters in our most famous and well-remembered stories often meet grim, tragic, and self-inflicted ends. And apparently? We love it.

John Bacon’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’.[/caption]

Kurt Cobain & The Beautifully Broken

This phenomenon reached a newfound prevalence between 1969 and 1971. During those three years, the musical world lost Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and The Rolling Stones’ Brian Jones. This phenomenon, although widely noticed, was not officially given a name until the untimely death of the king of grunge, Kurt Cobain, on April 5th, 1994.

Kurt Cobain, like many previous members of The 27 Club, was a frustrated and sensitive artist. He was troubled with addiction and weighed down by the trappings of fame. His official cause of death was a self-inflicted shotgun blast to the face.

And while Cobain’s clinical depression and heroin use were likely what drove him to take his life, many fans have since theorized that Kurt Cobain, an ardent student of rock history, calculated his death so he could join many of his idols as a member of The 27 Club. This theory was backed by a statement Kurt Cobain’s own mother gave to the press. “I told him,” Wendy Cobain shared after Kurt’s death in 1994, “not to join that stupid club.”

We may not all have been around to see the end of Kurt Cobain. Chances are though, you do remember where you were or what you were doing when the death of Amy Winehouse shocked the world on July 23rd, 2011. Known for her deep contralto vocals, Winehouse burned just as brightly but twice as fast. She too struggled with a drug and alcohol addiction. And, after Winehouse’s death, her most well-known album Back to Black became the UK’s best-selling album of the 21st century.

The 27 Club in The Modern Era

Since Amy Winehouse’s death, there have been countless discussions and investigations into The 27 Club phenomenon. Many, especially in the media, have drawn attention to the mental health problems faced by many musicians, their battles with addiction, and pressures placed upon them by fame. Even so, The 27 Club has been far more widely celebrated than it is scrutinized.

In the past decade, the 27 Club has also been cross-referenced in countless songs, novels, plays, films, social media posts, music magazines, and newspaper articles. There have been many exhibitions and events that have been held in honor of fallen stars. Fans continue to express devotion to these beloved icons.

The cover of Lana Del Rey’s 2012 album ‘Born To Die’.

Lana Del Rey & The 27 Club

The 27 Club has often been referenced in Tweets by other famous celebrities. Lana Del Rey is one example. “I wish I was dead already,” she Tweeted in early 2014. Her post drew a huge response, including an unexpected reply from Kurt Cobain’s daughter Francis Bean Cobain.

“The death of young musicians isn’t something to romanticise,” Francis hit back in a fiery comment. “I’ll never know my father because he died young. It becomes a desirable feat because people like you think it’s ‘cool. Well, it’s f****ing not. Embrace life, because you only get one life.”

Why are Kurt Cobain & The 27 Club Romanticized?

Why then is this phenomenon so romanticized? One answer is that the root of our interest in The 27 Club and the tragic end of artists like Kurt Cobain is the human species’ obsession with death. As Euripides once said, “Death is a debt we all must pay.” Death is our deepest and greatest fear. It instantly commands our attention.

The death of a star? Even more so. Celebrities are people we strongly admire. We hold candles to them. They are mirrors to ourselves, physical manifestations of our greatest hopes and dreams. They are the embodiment of inspiration. When we lose them, we lose a part of ourselves.

To us, these stars can sometimes seem like gods. (Are they not worshipped in a similar way?) When we see them die it is a massive reminder of our own inevitable mortality. And while we fear losing our own life, there is a dark allure to such events. The thought of ending on a high note and in one’s prime is a seductive fantasy.

Academic Studies on The 27 Club

“Wait,” you may ask, “have people ever done any serious studies on this?” Yes, yes they have. Following the death of Kurt Cobain, there has been an ongoing academic investigation into why artists die young. In 2011 The British Medical Journal released a study examining why the age of 27 was lethal for many stars.

Surprisingly, the study found there was no peak in the risk of death around age 27. This said the risk of death for the majority of famous musicians in their 20s and 30s was, in fact, two times higher than the general population of the UK. The study concluded that The 27 club is unlikely to be a real phenomenon though fame may increase the risk of death among musicians.

The American Association for the Advancement of Science has conducted a similar study. Here The AAAS examined the common reasons assumed to be the causes of The 27 Club phenomenon. Chief amongst these reasons was the fact many rock and hip hop artists become more famous in their early 20s. As a result their risk-taking with drugs, alcohol or reckless behavior steadily increases. Then, four or five years later, it peaks. Another reason that was acknowledged from this sample was that musicians that know about The 27 Club consciously and unconsciously behave more dangerously at that age.

The cover of Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’.

27 is a Myth, Not an Average

To find out if this was true The AAAS took a large but clearly defined sampling of artists to study. They chose to define a “famous musician” as a solo artist or any member of a band that hit record on the UK charts between July 1956 (when the charts began) and November 2007. The artist had to have died at the age of 27 after having a number one hit. The AAAS sample included 1,046 musicians, 71 of which died during the study period.

This study again concluded that musicians were more likely to die in their 20s and 30s than the general population. The age of 27, however, bore no relevance whatsoever. Several other authoritative studies confirm these findings.

Kurt Cobain’s idol David Bowie lived to age 69.

The Real Reason for the Death of Kurt Cobain

Just as people are, by nature, afraid of death so too are they are superstitious. And while science does not support the existence of any universal connection between each member of The 27 Club many popular myths and misconceptions prevail. Astrologers suggest these deaths fit into a particular pattern of lunar returns. A wilder theory contends each sold their soul to the Devil in exchange for fame.

A more probable answer is that by inheriting power through fame and wealth, each was exposed to many unhealthy temptations. The human experience, the ancient philosopher Plato argued, is a constant struggle between desire and rationality. Artists, who often seek freedom and draw their inspiration from life’s emotional extremes, are not well known for their self-control.

Kurt Cobain Paid The Price of Fame

Fame compounds this. Not many people, after all, say “no” to an icon. Not knowing when to stop, a community around an artist believes they can do no wrong. Combined with copious amounts of disposable income and readily available drugs, this can create an extremely toxic environment.

I believe this is what happened to Amy Winehouse, Kurt Cobain, and Janis Joplin. All three were powerful people subjected to difficult environments while struggling with painful mental illnesses. On the day Kurt Cobain’s body was found, The Seattle Post reported that the star was extremely high on heroin when he pulled the trigger. He was also suffering from depression. It really hurts to say that tragic events like these support this heartbreaking theory. (I am so, so sorry Kurt.)

Hip Hop’s 20s Club

Although we can sit and reflect on artists that we have lost, a more modern and tragic variant of The 27 Club myth is beginning to take hold. Without a shadow of a doubt, music is a young person’s business and new artists are emerging every year. Currently, it is larger than life personality of hip hop which captures the popular imagination. And several of the genre’s brightest stars never came close to making 27.

Widely celebrated rapper XXXTentacion was shot dead in 2018 age 20. Pittsburgh rapper Jimmy Wopo was killed in a drive-by shooting that very same day age 21. Juice WRLD topped the charts after a fatal overdose at 21. Lil Peep passed away in 2017 age 21. The sentiment of Halsey’s ‘Colors’ lyric, “Everything is blue, his pills, his hands, his jeans,” also rings true in hip hop’s 20s Club.

The Tragedy of Addiction

The difference? The hip-hop community appears to be adjusting its sails. Many fans are being put off drugs after witnessing the imagery and glamorization of substance abuse. “The younger kids don’t do as much,” producer Nedarb Nagrom, Lil Peep’s roommate for three years, shared in one recent interview, “because they see all the sh*t that happened in the last few years.”

Rappers are beginning to be more mindful of the imagery they are communicating to fans. Some are even speaking out about their battles with substance abuse. People such as Travis Scott and Lucki have talked publicly about prescription drug addiction in the hope it will help fans. Even Lil Xan, an artist who takes his stage name from a popular opioid, has spoken about changing his name in light of the issue.

What’s Wrong with Going Grey?

Perceptions are changing. Today many iconic artists are aging with grace. Acts like Bob Dylan and Elton John are performing well into old age. Many in the musical community are coming to terms which the fact we cannot stop our body clock and that aging is a natural thing all humans experience.

Harry Styles, who has acted as an advocate for a lot of social change lately, is one artist who has expressed that he sees a certain beauty in growing old. “Who ultimately do you want to be at the end of the day?” Styles asked in one interview while discussing former Beatle Paul McCartney. “You don’t want to be the guy who died, you don’t want to be the guy who’s whacked out on drugs. [I] want, to be the guy who’s 70 and playing for three hours because he can and he wants to and everyone’s loving it and he’s having fun.”

I am extremely glad that there is another attitude that challenges the hero-worship of the 27 Club. Especially with all these old rockers and pop stars going into their 80s. They should be celebrated, not feared.

Everything is Blue

There’s a constant debate about whether it is a good thing to learn the original meaning of a song. Like paintings, we can all draw out our own meaning from them. I think it is.

When we do dig deeper into a song, it can become far more important to us. Now, as I am typing these words, ‘Colors’ seems like an ode to each member of The 27 Club and all other artists that died tragically young. The song also shows the trauma and scarring these deaths leave on those closest to the artist. Learning the deeper meaning of ‘Colors’ has definitely changed my perception of several artists forever. These were vibrant souls taken far too soon, leaving parents and even children behind. No piece of that should be glamorized.

As we have seen, music fans are dramatically impacted by the death of highly influential young artists and the legacy they leave behind. “Everything is in fact blue when they are gone.” Regardless of what causes the fascination, I hope that the constant romanticization of Kurt Cobain and others within The 27 Club is not influencing young people to grab a badge.

Let’s hope that The 27 Club’s iconic members are romanticized and celebrated for their work in life rather than the tragic air that that came with their untimely deaths. I hope that we remember that celebrities are not gods. They are humans who make mistakes just like we do. They struggle with mental health just like we do. For all of my favorite artists still living, I truly do hope they make it to the day they’re 28 years old, and further still (Paul McCartney style).

Final Thoughts on Kurt Cobain & The 27 Club

I think the most important lesson that can be taken from the tales of The 27 Club is that we often set extreme goals and then expected ourselves to achieve them early in life. When we, inevitably, don’t reach these goals we are extremely tough on ourselves. We aspire to create social change like Kurt Cobain or achieve the musical perfection of Amy Winehouse, we stop enjoying our everyday lives. I think the true joys of life come from contentment and the understanding that we are constantly a work in progress, and that we are human. There is, after all, no greater success than living a long and happy life.

Written by Beth Davis.

This article originally appeared in The Glitter and Gold Magazine.

The joy I take in watching colors fade: My fascination with Kurt Cobain and The 27 Club was originally published in The Glitter & Gold on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Olivia Rodrigo hit the ground running with sentimental single ‘Driver’s License’ in January this year. Released when Rodrigo was just 17, it acted as an encore for several popular ballads she released as a cast member of High School Musical: The Series. After gaining rapid traction through apps such as Tik Tok, Youtube and Instagram, her melodic lamentation of lost love topped singles charts across the world. It is currently the most listened to song of 2021. This fast-spread of notoriety skyrocketed this once quiet Californian actor to the new status of world’s youngest pop superstar.

A New Chapter in the Drivers License Saga

The tremendous triumph of ‘Driver’s License’ left many of us wondering if Rodrigo’s next single could do it again. Would she become the pop scene’s next biggest name or instead suffer the fate of a one-hit-wonder? Today Olivia Rodrigo answered by releasing ‘Deja Vu’.

A small taste of her upcoming debut album, Rodrigo gives a subtle nod to the aesthetic of her ‘Drivers License’ music video. The song’s promotional images depicted Rodrigo driving to Malibu in a blue convertible. These images hinted correctly that ‘Deja Vu’ would continue to document Oliva’s journey following her breakup with High School Musical costar Joshua Bassett. In this regard, ‘Deja Vu’ does not disappoint. Olivia Rodrigo is still exploring the concept of heartbreak through her music, making this new song the latest installment in the ‘Drivers License Saga’.

One Foot in The Present, Another in The Past

In the freshest part of the track, Rodrigo expresses her frustration and belief that she is being replaced. The song acts as a hybrid of new and old concepts, showing that the artist is not only still reflecting on the past (much like she was ‘Driver’s License’) but is also focusing on the present moment and what it may mean for both of them to move on. Rodrigo’s lyrics romanticize key moments in her past relationship, like sharing strawberry ice-cream with one spoon and watching re-runs of Glee (a couple of extreme Gen Z trademarks). She then speculates that the ex probably does all of these things with their new girlfriend as well.

What ‘Deja Vu’ Does Well

Three positive aspects of the track are this. Firstly, its lyrics are heavy with emotion. Rodrigo continues to come across as an all too relatable broken-hearted teenage girl. (Which covers Rodrigo’s demographic perfectly.)

Secondly the concept is sound. ‘Deja Vu’ draws on several familiar elements of ‘Drivers License’ while taking the theme further. The track offers an interesting take on heartbreak, with Rodrigo reminiscing about her past relationships while with a new partner. Her exploration of the idea of Deja Vu gives us some interesting symbolism and is a really cool poetic concept. Like ‘Drivers License’ it has a dramatic buildup to a grand chorus. With a beat which would sound at home on Lorde‘s haunting material from Melodrama, the single is also reminiscent of many tracks in Hayley Kiyoko’s album This Side of Paradise and, more notably, Girls Like Girls.

Thirdly Rodrigo’s offers hints about other popular artists within the piece. The singer wants to know if her ex (who is assumed to be Joshua Bassett) is experiencing Deja Vu from dating someone extremely similar to her (presumably fellow actor Sabrina Carpenter). Rodrigo may also make the subtle suggestion this new partner is a low quality substitute.

Where ‘Deja Vu’ Falls Flat

Three aspects that I disliked from this album all center around its relevancy. Although it is entertaining following the drama of the world’s most popular love triangle, I can’t help but question how long the situation will remain relevant. Adding to this is the song’s likeness to ‘Driver’s License’ itself. ‘Deja Vu’ explores similar topics, the same theme and has an all too similar electro pop backing track. This leads me to question if Rodrigo is playing overly safe.

Is ‘Deja Vu’ Worthwhile?

‘Deja Vu’ has some appealing elements. It hints that Rodrigo might have more to offer. This being said ‘Deja Vu’ struggles to match the colossal impact of her breakthrough single. For these reasons, and taking into account the originality of the track, I give the ‘Deja Vu’ a solid five out of ten stars.

This article originally appeared in The Glitter and Gold Magazine.

Words by Beth Davis.

Olivia Rodrigo’s latest single is giving me ‘Deja Vu’ was originally published in The Glitter & Gold on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

2005’s Music of the Sun transformed Rihanna from an unknown 17-year-old from Barbados into an international superstar. With Good Girl Gone Bad she broke free from the girl-next-door persona a heartless record industry had forced upon her. Then, after the 20-year-old Rihanna had been savagely beaten by boyfriend Chris Brown, Rated R pushed past the self-doubt which followed the terrifying helplessness abuse. Rihanna refused to let domestic violence, or anything else for that matter, define her story. With her ninth studio album, she faces yet another significant challenge. Her own success.

Rihanna poses for Fenty promotional photo.

What is Rihanna’s Appeal?

Rihanna has universal appeal. Overcoming an abusive father and not-so-wonderful childhood, she made her dream come true. Hers is a story where good triumphs over evil. Progress and equality trump adversity and discrimination. An American success story, her wish came true. As a fan, it is hard not to buy into the optimism that yours can too.

What Will R9 Be Like?

Words like fearless, unapologetic and edgy have come to embody Rihanna’s work. Her ninth album, unofficially titled R9, seems no exception. Rihanna has shared she wants to take her music, alongside her clothing brand, to “a different level”.

Multiple sources, including Rihanna herself, have confirmed her ninth album was being recorded in 2020. Teases from her Instagram account also revealed she has been in the studio a number of times in 2019. Diplo and Pharell Williams are involved. As is singer-songwriter Skylar Grey.

One rumour is that R9 will be a double album. This comes from a statement from a source claiming to be close to Rihanna. In 2018 the source informed Metro Rihanna was recording two albums worth of material. One of these albums leant heavily on pop singles. It had a commercial feel. The other was concerned with exploring Rihanna’s moodier and more experimental side.

R9 is a Reggae Inspired Album

Rihanna has hinted R9 will be a reggae-inspired album. It will call back to the music of her childhood. “It’s not gonna be typical of what you know as reggae,” she told Vogue in 2020. “But you’re going to feel the elements in all of the tracks.” In earlier interviews, Rihanna has shared that reggae was the first music she truly loved. She grew up idolising artists like Barrington Levy, Beres Hammond, and Booji Harrington. That is, before she discovered Mariah Carey.

“Reggae always feels right to me,” she told Vogue. “It’s in my blood. It doesn’t matter how far or long removed I am from that culture or my environment that I grew up in; it never leaves. It’s always the same high. Even though I’ve explored other genres of music, it was time to go back to something that I haven’t really homed in on completely for a body of work.”

When Will R9 Arrive?

Rihanna enjoys the element of surprise. Her album and tour announcements usually arrive only a month or two in advance. The paralysing effect of the coronavirus pandemic on touring and album releases (which depend on live performances to generate income for the artist) cast an uncertain trajectory for Rihanna in 2021. Even if she has an album ready to share fans may not hear it until 2022.

It is not all bad news. In March 2021 Rihanna teased she was considering releasing a new song soon. “I think I should,” she replied to one fan’s comment on Instagram in March, “soon. Just one though.”

The $600 Million Woman

R9 is not Rihanna’s only focus. In 2021 she has proved herself to be more than just a pop star and cultural icon. Rihanna is a $600 million businesswomen, a titan of the fashion industry. Her fashion brand itself is estimated to be worth more than a billion dollars.

Serving Two Masters?

“No one person can serve two masters,” goes the ancient saying, “for either they will hate the one, and love the other or else they will hold to the one, and despise the other.” Rihanna’s fashion career has never been more intense. Her Savage x Fenty lingerie, Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin businesses dominate the market. Her hold over a traditionally white and male-dominated industry continues to grow. As the first black woman to own a fashion house Rihanna is breaking new ground. This work cannot be understated.

She has also suffered her fair share of setbacks. Rihanna’s Fenty Clothing line shut down in February 2021. The news followed a failed bid to secure funding which would have seen the Fenty Clothing expand into retail on a scale comparable to brands like Adidas and Nike. Rihanna has shared that despite the winding up of the company this will not be the last of her clothing projects.

Corporate Haze All In My Mind

Many fans, however, have no interest in makeup, lingerie or fancy fashion. They love Rihanna the artist, not the business person. As the heart of the commercial empire, it can feel she is lost in a corporate haze.

Demand for Rihanna as a performer and recording artist has never been greater. Her last album ANTI arrived all the way back in 2016. Almost five years on it continues to hold a place on the US album charts. Today, the album’s reputation precedes it. ANTI is one of the most celebrated, not to mention the highest-selling, records of the decade.

Rihanna is Taking Time for Herself

Long waits between Rihanna albums are not uncommon. Rihanna has traditionally worked at her own pace. She has complete autonomy over whether or not she releases music. This “it’s done when it’s done” approach seems to have been slowed even further due to her recent decision to take more time to herself.

“It’s only the last couple years,” she told Interview Magazine in October 2020, “that I started to realize that you need to make time for yourself. Your mental health depends on it. If you’re not happy, you’re not going to be happy even doing things that you love doing. It’d feel like a chore. I never want work to feel like a chore.”

She then shared that while her career is still her purpose she now regularly takes more personal days after coming to recognise unhealthy and workaholic tendencies. During these periods Rihanna “shuts down” for one, two or three days at a time. She is making the little things in life, like walking to the local store or going for a stroll, a big deal. There is also the matter of her new romance with ASAP Rocky.

Does Rihanna Have Love on The Brain?

Rakim Athelaston Mayers (better known as ASAP Rocky) opened for Rihanna on tour in 2013. He also collaborated with her in 2020 for the Savage X Fenty menswear drop as well as its accompanying Vol 2 fashion show. In 2020 it was revealed the pair were spending time together in Barbados. Rihanna later confirmed they were together.

“I got into a new relationship,” she revealed to Interview in 2020, “and it matters to me. It was like, ‘I need to make time for this.’ Just like I nurture my businesses, I need to nurture this as well. This is a new thing.”

Rihanna recognises that this has slowed down her work. “It’s the reason why an album isn’t being spat out like it used to,” she shared, “I used to be in the studio, only the studio, for three months straight, and an album would come out. Now, it’s like a carousel. I do fashion one day, lingerie the next, beauty the next, then music the next. It’s like having a bunch of kids and you need to take care of them all.”

Does Rihanna Want a Family?

Kids? Rihanna wants a family. While she has shared in past she finds the prospect of childbirth scary she has admitted she wants to be a mother “more than anything in life”. Work pressure and the demanding nature of being a performer often pose as very real obstacles for women in the entertainment industry looking to start a family. Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj and Halsey have all recently utilised the pause in touring caused by the coronavirus pandemic to focus on children. With things firm with ASAP Rocky, it would be surprising if the 33-year-old Rihanna had not considered it.

Touring Complications May Also Be Delaying R9

Touring, not albums can be a problem. An album can be written, recorded and released in a matter of weeks. For an in-demand artist, touring can be a years-long commitment. Rihanna’s 2013 Diamonds Tour made 96 stops across more than 25 countries. Her Loud Tour comprised 98 shows. 2016’s Anti Tour stripped this back to 71 dates across three countries.

There is no getting around the fact that Rihanna, at age 33, may just not be that crash hot on touring anymore. While many artist share that the exhilarating rush of singing before thousands feels like nothing else, they tend not to like long periods of life on the road. Who enjoys spending weeks or months away from friends, family and home? Touring is no holiday. Artists often move between locations so quickly they rarely see the outside of the concert hall, jet, tour bus or hotel. With no pressing financial need, a leisurely summer in Barbados seems like a far more attractive option.

Is Rihanna at Risk of Complacency?

Such considerations are external. Albums can also face problems from inside of the recording studio. If necessity can be considered the mother of invention, prosperity can be said to be the mother of complacency. Having seemingly unlimited money and resources to throw at an album can foster a belief that continued success is inevitable. This kind of abundance can erode any feeling of urgency. It can blind an artist to critical warning signs and windows of opportunity.

With a colossal budget, endless studio time, and no deadlines, creativity can fail to find its feet. In 1979 Fleetwood Mac spent $3 million in today’s money and an astounding number of hours recording their sixth album Tusk. Given that Tusk was the highly anticipated follow up to the band’s millions selling and era-defining Rumours, the world was ready for another blockbuster. Instead, Fleetwood Mac delivered an album that failed to hit the mark. The band was far from sunk, though the peerless heights of the Rumours were never matched again.

Rihanna and Guns N’ Roses might seem a flimsy comparison but with pop stars having taken on the rebellious mantle of the rock ’n’ rollers of eras past it might be worth noting that the sixth G&R album Chinese Democracy took 19 years to arrive. When it did it was widely panned. Time tends to create the kind of fantasy and expectation artists can rarely meet. How long Rihanna can drag it out? Cat Stevens famously kept fans waiting 28 years.

The Case for R9: She’s Inspired

Now the good news. There are many considerations, some new, some old, which suggest Rihanna is on top of her game. Love is a powerful catalyst. Rihanna is in love and riding an incredible wave of success. At the same time, the world is changing around her. She has been deeply affected by 2020’s Black Lives Matter protests, the global turmoil of the coronavirus pandemic and most recently the economic injustice faced by some of India’s poorest farmers.

“Every time we put out music,” Rihanna informed Interview Magazine in 2019, “the whole process reflects whatever mood I’m in at that time. Whatever I’m feeling, whatever I’m going through, whatever mood I’m in . . . When I’m feeling like dancing or clubbing, then it will be reflected in the music. If I’m feeling dark and vulnera­ble, then it will reflect in the music, too.”

The World is Ready for a New Rihanna Album

What is more, the coronavirus pandemic has turned the fantasy circus of the pop world into a musical wasteland. 2019 stars and their albums seem to have spent the last year taking extended victory laps. This has created a situation where fans are hungry for the novel and the new. How else could singles like Olivia Rodrigo‘s ‘Drivers Licence’ have exploded and, in a commercial sense, swept the floor of all competition? The stage is set for Rihanna’s return. To add to this retro pop nostalgia reigns supreme. A throwback to early Rihanna (or even ANTI era Rihanna) would please millions.

Rihanna on the cover of her first major hit single, ‘Pon de Replay’.

Music is Rihanna’s Medium

It is also an error to underestimate Rihanna. She has a historical record of succeeding in the face of adversity. Rihanna makes comebacks from personal crises.

What is more, Rihanna has been obsessed with music since she was 5 years old. She has been a performer and dedicated musician since her early teens and recording international chart-topping hits since her late teens — close to her entire life. Recording and performing are Rihanna’s mediums.

“Music is, like, speaking in code to the world,” Rihanna told Vogue in her last cover interview, “where they get it. It’s the weird language that connects me to them. Me the designer, me the woman who creates makeup and lingerie — it all started with music. It was my first pen pal–ship to the world. To cut that off is to cut my communication off. All of these other things flourish on top of that foundation.”

Can Rihanna Do It Again?

Yes, but can she do it again? Rihanna is musical by nature. She now has a life outside of the insular world of music. One which has responsibilities and competing goals. Her wealth and status carry enormous risks and responsibilities. Her sway over culture has never been greater but nothing lasts forever, a saying which is especially true of pop.

Fame is difficult to win and even more impossible to hold on too. Even the smallest misstep can see an artist fall from grace. Rihanna’s dominion over music and fashion seems all but assured. But fame and popular culture are fickle forces. A star can spend years at the pinnacle. They rule like a monarch over popular culture. They embody the energy and spirit of the times.

Then wheel turns once more. The end comes quickly. When the star’s career begins to falter they vanish not long after. Plummeting from the celebrated heights of fame, their story is reframed from winner who can do no wrong to tabloid trainwreck. Others fade. Some stars however suffer a very particular fate. They become paralysed under the weight of their own success.

As a superstar Rihanna bears the heavy burden of living up to the public’s near impossible expectations. As unenviable of a position as this is, high-pressure situations like these often yield spectacular results. For her millions of fans and many more, besides Rihanna has come to embody the culture and attitude of modern times. With her career now stretching into its third decade, fans are ready for what comes next. Rihanna has taken them to the top. Where can she lead them from here?

Rihanna Faces The Unknown

2021 is an unknown. Not just for Rihanna but for everybody. One thing which is certain is that when the outside world falls apart, Rihanna has always been able to escape into a world of music. With harsh realities left behind, she enters a fantasy world where the characters she creates, and the person she embodies blurs. In this world, she is in complete control. When she returns to reality an album is born. And the results are captivating.

The Key to Rihanna’s Success

Rihanna is a dreamer. The key to her success and enormous popularity is that she makes her dreams come true. Rihanna takes what is inside her mind as well as her heart and makes it real. While her net worth may be astronomical, her greatest achievements are those of the imagination.

Her aura of invulnerability only seems too grow with time. Today she is a global symbol of empowerment, glamour, and success. Bringing everything else that is going on in her life into focus, her music can often seem like a sideshow.

And yet, music is at the core of who she is. It is through her music and creativity that she has connected with and captured the imagination of the world at large. After climbing to pop stardom, Rihanna has learnt to trust her instincts. Now that she does, rarely has she failed in meeting the heavy expectations placed upon her.

Can she once again hold the world in awe with R9? Surely. Rihanna has remoulded the world not only into something closer to her heart’s own desire, but yours and mine as well. Rihanna is the bringer of change. Combined with her enormous influence and wealth, she is someone who can alter the course of popular culture and perhaps society as a whole.

Rihanna’s fans, more than ever, are in need of her particular talents. It’s a make or break moment. If she can overcome the inertia of her own success, surely she will deliver an album in truly spectacular fashion. But while success may all but seem assured, it is vain to predict the future. The only thing that can be said with absolute certainty is this. Whatever R9 holds in store, the world will never be the same.

This article originally appeared in The Glitter and Gold Magazine.

Opinion: ‘R9’ will be Rihanna’s most important album was originally published in The Glitter & Gold on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

When Paul McCartney finds himself in times of trouble he writes a McCartney album. As the Beatles were breaking apart he wrote McCartney. When Wings was coming to an end in 1980 he delivered some of his most eccentric material on McCartney II. In the wake of the global outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic McCartney once again found himself adrift.

Paul McCartney’s 2020

First, his multi-million dollar tour was postponed. A triumphant headline appearance at iconic UK festival Glastonbury’s 50th anniversary was also canceled. As McCartney bunkered down in his English country home, the woman he loved was on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. In July, the protests which followed the needless death of Black American George Floyd left him exasperated and wanting justice. And then there was the staggering death toll of the virus itself. One which McCartney at 78 was most at risk of fatally contracting.

Love in the Time of Lockdown

McCartney III is the former Beatle’s response. Putting on a brave face, Paul mixes the silliness of the previous two installments in the McCartney series with the reflective material of more recent albums like Egypt Station. Here McCartney explores the emotions which came with life in lockdown. McCartney III deals in musical themes of love, pain, and brief glimmers of ecstasy. As he puts it on ‘Deep Deep Feeling‘, that deep deep pain of feeling.

Beatles Throwbacks

The keyboard part on ‘Deep Deep Feeling‘ ever so slightly evokes the mellotron flute sound of The Beatles’ ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’. McCartney III is full of these touches. He more directly reflects in the role of being The Cute Beatle in ‘Pretty Boys’. Being a Beatle, Paul McCartney is the kind of person who gets a round of applause just for showing up. He represents the hopes and aspirations of a generation and many that followed.

Paul is Alive

One thing which may strike any not familiar with McCartney’s recent material is that his voice is not as good as it was in 1967. The album’s production compensates for the fact. His limitations show the most when he’s rolling out the kind of rock ’n’ roll numbers he was playing with the Beatles in the German port city of Hamburg in 1961. (If somebody presented you a copy of Abbey Road and McCartney III to take to a desert island, and answer honestly here, which one would you take?) Then again sometimes the comfort comes not from what a person says but just the fact that they are there. McCartney arrives with a tremendous sense of presence. Rumored dead since 1967 Paul proves he is very much alive.

Love is All You Need

A theme McCartney returns to again and again throughout his career is love. John Lennon once sang that “love is all you need.” Now McCartney reminds fans that these difficult times have not diminished the human capacity for love. With ‘The Kiss of Venus’ he says, in his own words, that the circle never stops turning. Echoing George Harrison’s famous quotation of the Indian mantra “All Things Must Pass“, Paul offers his comforting assurance things will not always be as they now are. ‘Seize the Day’ sees Paul McCartney again return to the dominant theme of love. “Love was the greatest prize,” he sings, “I only had to open my mind.”

McCartney III is Eclectic

The Beatles’ approach to making albums was never to do the same thing twice. Each McCartney song offers a different musical idea. Often these stylistic directions tease a sound that could be fleshed out into an entire album within itself. At age 78 Paul brings the funk harder than Wings ever did. ‘Long Tailed Winter Bird’ pays a musical homage to White Album era classic ‘Black Bird‘ as well as folksy McCartney I numbers like ‘The Lovely Linda‘.

Paul McCartney’s Grand Finale

McCartney is well aware he has already written the most profound song for helping others through hard times. With ‘Let It Be‘, the song which famously came to him in a dream, he wrote the ultimate “Don’t worry too much, it will turn out OK” anthem. McCartney III very cleverly does not try to top it. Instead, The Beatle delves deeper into human nature itself. “We’re going to find the sun,” Paul sings in the album’s closing moments, “When winter comes.” (A move that will no doubt leave Beatles fans wondering whether he’s coyly referencing George Harrison’s ‘Here Comes the Sun’ for years to come.)

His Inspiring Presence

McCartney III is at times silly. An 78-year-old man playing rock ’n’ roll song titled ‘Lavatory Lil‘ or suggestively singing about “getting down tonight“? And yet somehow, it is also darn inspiring. Musically McCartney pays tribute to his rich musical past while lyrically urging listeners to make the most of the present. It would be dishonest to say his 18th solo album is his greatest achievement as a songwriter. Nevertheless, McCartney III is a warm reminder of why McCartney is considered by so many to be The World’s Greatest Living Artist. Let’s face it, his greatest competitor is himself.

An Important Message

A veteran entertainer, Paul McCartney is no doubt aware that music’s greatest power lays in bringing people together. While his fans are scattered across the globe and separated by circumstances beyond control, they can still tune in and turn on to McCartney III. He may not be able to change the world in any grandiose way, but he can make some of the people in it feel good. (Even if just for a moment.) And in that regard, his execution is perfect. McCartney spins affections for home, family, and kindness alongside the passionate love and wild energy of his Beatles days. McCartney III is no cash-in. It’s a statement record. And McCartney’s messages are as important as they are reassuring. “When tomorrow comes around,” he sings, “You’ll be looking at the future so keep your feet upon the ground. And get ready to run.”

This article originally appeared in The Glitter and Gold Magazine.

Paul McCartney’s ‘McCartney III’ Offers Hope in Troubling Times was originally published in The Glitter & Gold on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

This article was originally written by Audrey Songvilay for The Glitter and Gold Magazine.

Lady Gaga‘s story is one of the constant rebirth and reinvention. She exemplifies the journey of psychological transformation. Growing through self-discovery and artistic creativity, Gaga came to embrace a unique public persona. And within her work, few songs speak as strongly about this innermost aspect of her personality as 2011 single ‘Born This Way.’

With statements like ‘Born This Way’, Lady Gaga defied conformity and fought for social freedom. She broke out of an impersonal pop star persona and showed the world something unlike anything else. And when she did millions of fans around the world found themselves ready to do the same.

Lady Gaga Grew Up an Outcast

Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta grew up in New York City. She knew from an early age she wanted to be a star. At four she began piano lessons. By 11 was taking weekend acting classes. At 13 she had written her first ballad.

School was difficult. A Self-described “theatre girl” Stefani grew up dealing with the taunts and jeers of cruel peers. Throughout her childhood, she felt excluded. Her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, recalls the young Gaga as “creative but her peers didn’t always appreciate things that made her unique — and different.”

She didn’t run with the crowd. For years the girl who would become Lady Gaga felt like a misfit, someone who struggled to find her identity. Depression as well as chronic illness compounded these troubles and left her with a pervasive feeling of emptiness. Art was her escape.

Stefani was admitted to university early, enrolling early in New York’s Tisch School for the Arts at 17. Growing into her own creatively, she withdrew from study within a year. Instead, she embarked on her journey of self-discovery. From this point onward, life would be her teacher.

How She Found Fame

Gaga began performing as a solo burlesque dancer on New York City’s Lower East Side. As she began to draw crowds at the clubs she had snuck into as a child, she buried her inner hurt with drugs and failed relationships. During this time Gaga would experiment with cocaine and MDMA. In 2005, she signed by Def Jam Records only to be devastated when she was dropped by the label a few months later.

R&B singer, Akon discovered Gaga whilst she was performing at what she called her ‘Lady Gaga and the Starlight Revue’. Impressed by Gaga’s ability to capture an audience’s attention, the pop star offered her a record deal with his own label Kon Live Distribution. This paved the way to a joint deal with Kon Live and Interscope Records. Gaga was 20 years old when she signed on the dotted line.

From 2007 to 2008, Lady Gaga recorded the debut album The Fame. It was an enormous success. One of the album’s leading singles, ‘Poker Face‘ topping charts in almost every category and in almost every country. Following positive reviews, the album was nominated for and won two Grammy awards. Dismissing claims she was a one-hit-wonder (alongside conspiracies she was a man in drag) Gaga consolidated her hold on pop culture with dancefloor hits ‘Just Dance’, ‘Bad Romance’ and Beyoncé collaboration ‘Telephone‘.

Born This Way Made Gaga a Global Phenomenon

From here Lady Gaga transcended the role of musician and performing artist to become a global phenomenon. Yet despite her early success, many fans were not sure who she was under the dazzling glamour of her elaborate outfits. It was during the recording of 2011’s Born This Way that Gaga looked into herself and asked a similar question. As she did, she began to find the person she really was.

The music videos which accompanied Born This Way made those who saw them bear witness to a transformation of not only Gaga’s sound but of her image too. Gaga took control of her public persona. She was bold, frank and openly political at a time when it was still a risk to do so. The world responded. It was Gaga’s first Number album in the US (and her third consecutive album to receive a Grammy Award nomination for Album of the Year).

Little Monsters

The era of Born This Way was one of fan mania. Gaga’s popularity continued to rise dramatically. As she herself famously commented, she was a rockstar in all but gender. ‘Born This Way’ was the leading single from the album of the same name. It marked a musical revolution.

Her fans, Little Monsters transformed the way the world would receive her music. This growing army of GaGa obsessives made #BornThisWaylyrics the top trending topic worldwide on Twitter. The full lyrics to the song tweeted before its release.

One thing which defines the career of Lady Gaga is that she is strongly connected with her fans. “My fans are a revolution,” Gaga informed Rolling Stone in 2011. “They are living proof that you don’t have to conform to anything to change the world.”

Gaga was the first artist to have a US Number One single that contained the word ‘transgendered’. The song’s lyrics discussed self-empowerment, with a focus on racial minorities and the LGBTQIA+ community. The song showed off Gaga’s songwriting skills. It cut through with raw and honest lyrics which spoke directly to fans. Moreso, Gaga presented a well-crafted sound that was more mature, defining and distinguishable than poppier leanings of her earlier work.

‘Born This Way’

In 2011 Gaga revealed to radio host Howard Stern that the chorus to ‘Born This Way’ came to her while she was taking a shower. This is not an uncommon occurrence for musical artists. “Showers are a safe place that provides a dopamine high, relaxed state, and distracted mind,” self-help website The Difference notes, “factors that are ideal for the creativity and idea formation.”

The message for ‘Born This Way’, described by Gaga herself, is that of becoming the version of yourself that you aspire to be. “You can be reborn,” she has stated of the song, “as many times you like in your life until you feel like you found the person you can love the most in yourself.”

‘Born This Way’ represents a turning point in Gaga’s career. The message of her music came prominently into the fore. She wanted to make statements and promote change. In many cases, this was more important than her public image and career. Many of these statements were controversial.

‘Born This Way’ was a song about freedom. To the pop audience at large, it was universal. For society’s outsiders, it was deeply personal. Gaga’s message of freedom hit Number One in over 25 countries. It was her third single to top the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and sold 8.2 million copies sold worldwide. it has since been recognised as one of the best-selling singles of all time.

Don’t Be a Drag, Just Be a Queen

Lady Gaga has been an outspoken ally of the LGBTQIA+community throughout her career. In 2011 Gaga performed at the MTV Music Video Awards as male alter ego Jo Calderone. The following year she denounced the Russian government’s anti-gay legislation during a live Born This Way Ball World Tour performance. Her words were not without consequence. The Russian government threatened Gaga with arrest. Her promoter was later fined for promoting “gay propaganda” after a Russian court found the performance had “promoted homosexuality”.

Gaga then stood in solidarity alongside the grieving Queer Community following 2016 Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida. As an advocate for not only for the Queer Community, but also people of colour, survivors of sexual assault, and sufferers of chronic illnesses, Gaga created her own charity for mental health support, appropriately called the Born This Way Foundation. Acts like these have won Gaga a large following within the LGBTQIA+ community. A survey conducted by Buzzfeed News in 2019 showed 53 per cent of LGBTQ Americans considered Gaga a gay icon. (This places her ahead of Cher at 40% and Madonna at 36%.)

A deeper look into Gaga’s personal life was shown through Netflix documentary Gaga: Five Foot Two. During the film, Gaga spoke candidly about her past. Her candid personal revelations opened conversations on issues of addiction, feminism and sexuality for many others. She also spoke openly about her battle with depression and a chronic pain condition fibromyalgia.

99 Don’t Believe In You, But One Will…

“There can be 100 in a room,” Gaga has famously proclaimed, “99 don’t believe in you but just one does. And that can change your life.” Her words come from several speeches and interviews commending director Bradley Cooper for casting her as Ally Maine for her breakout acting role in A Star is Born. In what many fans considered to be long overdue, the 2018 role was Gaga’s first serious acting part, one which led mainstream audiences to finally giver the credit she had been long since due.

After more than 10 years in the entertainment industry, Gaga became the first female artist to win all five big oscar award nominations in one season. With ‘Born This Way’ Gaga showed fans they could be themselves. Ten years later her acting breakthrough demonstrated that if they too could come to believe in themselves there could be few limits on they could achieve.

Gaga Keeps Getting Better

Over the entirety of her career, Lady Gaga has continuously exhibited a strong commitment to artistry. Lady Gaga is not content to retread old ground. She strives for the future, something that is going to push her, her fans and her creativity. She exists in a state of constant rebirth and reinvention.

By pushing social freedom through her music, as with ‘Born This Way’, Gaga inspired people of all backgrounds to accept themselves. In 2020, the song was still being championed by queer youth. It recently made headlines after child star Jojo Siwa used it to come out on TikTok.

Time and time again Gaga has proven that she cannot be put into a box. She shape-shifts to embrace different versions of herself with each new single, album and film. Her career has spanned over a decade and the release of her 2020 album Chromatica– which included her fifth US Number One single ‘Rain On Me‘ — shows she is not any danger of slowing down soon. The only thing for a fan to do is to wait and see what happens next.

The Queer Politics of Lady Gaga’s ‘Born This Way’ was originally published in The Glitter & Gold on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.