Born This Way, Part Duex??

Lady Gaga catapulted her name into the lime light nearly 3 years ago with her debut album "The Fame". Followed just a year later with her next album "The Fame Monster"; a part 2 extension as gaga calls it, to her first album. Her songs have proven to be more than catchy as she is said by some fans to be "the queen of the electronic music scene." Owning that title with integrity and humble honor. The latest single from Lady Gaga's up-coming album "Born This Way" named the same as the new album itself is equally if not BETTER than ever. Who would argue with that? However with one small detail released on April 16th, 2011, many very hardcore Gaga fans are shaking their heads asking Gaga "What were you thinking?" Okay so we've accepted everything from the cryogenic egg capsule live at the 2011 Grammy's, to the meat outfit she wore to the VMA's, and I think we've been very nice mentally dissecting her "art" up until now. However, there is a significant difference between her musical art and her wardrobe art. Personally, I love most of it and find it to be like looking at a living breathing Yoko Ono avante garde piece, representing not only her mind, body and soul...but her taste for "fashion". The two combined into one speak volumes and leave you scratching your head with wonder.

So what's the downfall you may ask? Why all the "BUZZ"? The buzz out this week is the release of the new cover for "Born This Way". Whether you love it or you hate it, you will eventually force yourself to come to a conclusive opinion about the album cover which features Gaga as part "I don't give a fuck" evil bitch and part motorcycle with a fake mole on her cheek to boot. The title font is less than appealing and more like something out of an underground rap ghetto CD. The most beloved Gaga fans are not embracing this CD cover and rightfully so, it looks cheap. The day AFTER the release of the new image, Gaga released a "Version 2" of the CD album cover featuring just the up-close cropped face of the previous album cover with the motorcycle. "Version 2 is much better than the first, the title and the font is more modern and more HER! I didn't like the first version, her name wasn't on the cover and it just looked like a cheap Photoshop version," one Gaga fan from Facebook responded. Is there a reason for the second version being released just the day after? Many artists release sneak peeks of their albums in an attempt now days to gain the acceptance and opinions of other fans. This is also the reason most artists now days release just one song before their album release months ahead of schedule.

If you don't think Lady Gaga wasn't reading her Facebook comments, think again little monsters! What artist wouldn't want to create something more appealing for their fans if not at least offer another version so as not to lose revenue. Musicians are offering up multi-versions of albums left and right, such as Taylor Swift and Michael Jackson RIP) The music industry is a multi billion dollar a year industry, these artists (who are let's face it, just people like you and me) have quotas, they have demands and teams of people backing them. What other choice did gaga have and what amount of time did she have to make such a second version to satisfy her disappointed fan base? Time allowed Gaga one single day to create a second version which is basically just a cropped version of the first with a different block like font to the upper left of the cover. Something I could have done in 5 minutes. It looks like gaga panicked and called her graphic designer and said "OMG my fans are blowing a lid, do what you can real fast so I can give them another option, I must sell this CD." The second version although great is obviously rushed. Perhaps more thought could have gone into this cover, but as my wonderful husband stated two days ago to me..."I know I don't like Lady Gaga but the one thing I admire about her is that she just doesn't give a fuck." So this plays with my head just a bit....perhaps that is why Lady Gaga had an 'I don't give a fuck' look on her face on the album. Only time will tell! What is your final say? Did Gaga purposely release a cheap version to mess with our heads and tell us she doesn't give a fuck? Or was this a legit mistake on her part?

You be the voice!