“Fear of suffocation”, says Lady Gaga of the inspiration behind her latest single. “Oh, and never being able to go out and enjoy myself.” Huh? After guesting on Beyonce’s “Video Phone”, Gaga gets B-Yo to hit her back on “Telephone”, a product of The Lady’s insane work ethic. “You don’t see pictures of me falling out of a club drunk,” she reminds us. “That’s because a whiskey and a half into it, I got to get back to work!” “Telephone” was written for Britney’s “Circus” album, but when the label rejected it, Gaga was “fine because I love the song and I get to perform it now”.

by Mark Emge

Lady Gaga (b. Stefani Germanotta) attributes much of her early success as a mainstream artist to her gay fans. Early in her career she had difficulty getting radio airplay and says, “The turning point for me was the gay community. I’ve got so many gay fans and they’re so loyal to me, they really lifted me up. It’s not an easy thing to create a fanbase.” Although she identifies herself as bisexual, Gaga has had to debunk an urban legend that she is in fact intersexual, although she understands the confusion. “At first it was very strange, but in a sense I portray myself in a very androgynous way.”

by Mark Emge

“I don’t want to sound presumptuous,” Lady Gaga presumptuously sounds, “but I’ve made it my goal to revolutionise pop music. The last revolution was launched by Madonna 25 years ago.” Time will only tell, but if the headline addiction, obsession with gay culture, and the shrinkage of her kickers are any judge, Gaga seems more interested in being Maddy than pushing pop’s envelope. “Telephone” may not sound as revolutionary on radio as, say, Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” or the mainstreaming of hip-hop–just to name two “revolutions” in pop’s past 25 –but hey, Alice Cooper lovers her, calling Gaga “terrific vaudeville”. Now that’s progress!

by Mark Emge

You have given Beyonce millions for her third official solo release, “I Am…Sasha Fierce”. But Beyonce gives back. Exposed to social issues as a child by her father and manager, Mathew, she helped found Survivor Foundation for victims of Hurricane Katrina; co-wrote “Stand Up For Love”, the anthem of World Children’s Day, the annual 20 November event to raise awareness for children’s causes; and most recently Knowles teamed up with Show Your Helping Hand by encouraging fans to bring non-perishable groceries to her concerts. “Video Phone” is more about doin’ the nasty, but that’s just Sasha Fierce and Lady Gaga talking.

by Mark Emge

“Fear of suffocation,” says Lady Gaga of the inspiration behind her latest single. “Oh, and never being able to go out and enjoy myself.” Huh? After guesting on Beyonce’s “Video Phone”, Gaga gets B-Yo to hit her back on “Telephone”, a product of The Lady’s insane work ethic. “You don’t see pictures of me falling out of a club drunk,” she reminds us. “That’s because, you know, a whiskey and a half into it, I got to get back to work!” “Telephone” was written for Britney’s “Circus” album, but when the label rejected it, Gaga was “fine because I love the song and I get to perform it now.”

by Mark Emge

You have given Beyonce millions for her third official solo release, “I Am…Sasha Fierce”. But Beyonce gives back. Exposed to social issues as a child by her father and manager, Mathew, she helped found the Survivor Foundation for victims of Hurricane Katrina; co-wrote “Stand Up for Love”, anthem of World Children’s Day, the annual November 20 event to raise awareness for children’s causes; and most recently Knowles teamed up with Show Your Helping Hand by encouraging fans to bring non-perishable groceries to her concerts. “Video Phone” is more about doin’ the nasty, but that’s just Sasha Fierce talking.

by Mark Emge