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Do you recognize the name, Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta? How about her stage name, Lady Gaga? Yep, that is the one. She’s a performer, there is no denying it. On the stage, she is in her comfort zone. She was born for the attention that she gets, and she thrives on it. I have had my own mixed feelings about Lady Gaga. Her music videos are weird to the point where they are frightening. (I am serious; have you seen them?) I never imagined actually owning her CD until it wound up on my front door step, courtesy of my dad who happened to notice that it was one of the most recent bestsellers. Thanks, Dad?

I could not imagine the album being much good. I was only familiar with a few of her songs, the ones that get played (over and over and over again) on the radio, such as “Just Dance,” “LoveGame,” “Paparazzi,” and “Poker Face.” They all rely heavily on techno, and true vocals are minimal. (I mean, half the lyrics aren’t even real English words.) I doubted Lady Gaga actually could sing, figured it was all electronic; isn’t everything like that these days?

Turned out I was wrong. Lady Gaga has some serious vocals. Don’t believe me? Check out some of her acoustic performances on YouTube. Sure, she has some freaky outfits, there is no question about that, but there is also no question that she has musical talent and has gained my respect as a musician.

The Fame, her debut album, recieved some negative reviews, including those that emphasized the shallowness or vulgarity of the lyrics, claiming that it was the same standard pop drivel that seems to be spewing from artists these days. I disagree. The Fame is creative. As a dance album, it is what it is. You won’t find Mozart, and you certainly won’t find Lady Ella, so don’t buy the album looking for them. This is an entirely new artist: Lady Gaga. Lady Gaga herself commented on the album saying, “It’s about self-discovery and being creative,” and that certainly shines through.