Lady Gaga synergy analysis

As I have decided to focus upon female artists and their music work in order to help towards inspiration for my preliminary video, I have reviewed various different women who are popular in the music industry at the moment, with appealing videos that may be ideal with my groups research. Therefore, I am firstly focusing on Lady Gaga.

Below is the single 'Poker Face', which was the second release from her album, 'The Fame', as well as being featured upon the recently released 'The Fame Monster', which features more tracks. I have focused on the synergy of this track, comparing it with the front album cover of the album as well as the poster for the singles CD advertisement.



The poster for 'Poker Face' (above) shows:

• Lady Gaga posing against a wall in a seductive manner, pushed against a wall but still facing the audience. This adds to a secretive feel, emphasizing the hidden 'Poker Face' stereotype. The background is carpet like, as it is clear and white, although a black shaded rim around the edges of the photograph has been edited on. This could represent that she is crawling, adding to a secretive, hidden feel.


• This highlights her persona, emphasizing the singer, although her position and the use of the photograph indicates a crime scene, as though she has just been caught by the police in action.


• This also, however, gives her a 'celebrity status' feel, with her posture and highlighted character. The headlights could indicate flashlights from the paparazzi, adding to the synergy to her 'Fame' album title.


• Her image relates to this celebrity status, with the image of her clothing and hair. For example, her hair is like her trademark, due to the almost-white shade and contrast with the background. This makes it striking, making her hair iconic to her. In relation to her clothing, a leather bondage sense is felt, with her wearing a leather, shiny catsuit alongside metal spikes. This adds to a dominatrix feel, emphasizing her character; of a dominating artist. However, her bug-eyed glasses loosen this feel, hinting that this is in fact only her style.


• A use of a blue filter has been portrayed in the photograph, complimenting her unusual and unique character


• The typography of the wording 'Lady Gaga' and 'Poker Face' is iconic in relation to the other titles featured, with the typical long, clear, matching letters. On this poster, they are pale blue, likewise to the filter.

The front cover for the CD cover has similarities towards to poster for the single. The release of 'The Fame Monster' late 2009 featured more Lady Gaga tracks, although featured her first original singles - including 'Poker Face'.

The cover for this (above) has these similar occurrences:

• Dark colours, with the use of a black and white filter, with her dark costume complimenting each other. The poster also has similar dark colours
• The background is not the focus of the image - likewise to the single cover - although it has a wallpaper, blank feel too.
• Similar bondage-style clothes can be seen. Her black cape covers a lengthy amount of the picture, with its shine being obvious from a low-key light above. The pointed, arched shoulders and neckline adds to dominance, as they emphasise power and authority.
• Her blonde hair is also an iconic image within the photograph. Although it is shorter compared to the single, it is still large and bright in colour, therefore being a fashionable element in her symbol. Her pale skin also follows this, contrasting again with the bleaker colours.
• Iconography can be found within the lettering, as the tall, blank-coloured letter style compliments her single. However, the font is in bold, which may be due to this piece of artwork advertising the main album, rather than simply a single song.
• A secretive theme follows here, again, as she is hiding behind her cloak in her pose, covering most of her face. Although before this was by large bug-like glasses, both have a fashionable element surrounding them. The celebrity motif follows, once again, as she almost represents hiding from the press once again, complimenting her song, 'Paparazzi'. Also, her body language is covering her persona, therefore again being secluded - adding to her eccentric personality.
• Therefore, there is proof that synergy can be found between music products. On top of this, both must compliment the actual single, which can be found below:
  
  
  
  Lady Gaga - Poker Face [Official Music Video] *With Lyrics*
  Uploaded by Datrigbomb. - Music videos, artist interviews, concerts and more.
  
  
  
• This is, too, secretive, as the video begins with her face being covered by fashionable accesories. These are striking, with spikes and diamonds complimenting her bizarre style. The paparrazi/hiding from police-criminal theme therefore compliments all three areas. She eventually reveals her mask, however, slowly revealing areas of her face, synergising with the other previous areas.
• In relation to her fashion, she is again wearing a shiny black costume, this time a cat-suit, with large spikey jewellery. A dominatrix reference follows, therefore, as the camera pans down to her breasts and follows, although she chanels this by walking out of the camera's lens. This underlines her overpowering sense of character.
• A master shot follows, opening the space. Again, the background is bleak and dark, being a stormy scene. This parallels the other media areas.
• Her unique character follows with the use of bizarre fast jump-cuts and reverses, complimenting her unusual style. She also poses to the beat in a seductive manner, adding to her persona.
• An establishing shot then reveals her speeding towards the camera in a confident posture, adding to her character. However, this also fully reveals her outfit, which is peculiar, converging with her other costumes.
• A dance scene follows, with her hair being revealed. It is big and long, overpowering her outfit. It, too, overpowers the camera, adding to her iconic image.