Interview: Lady Gaga On Music And Critics Ahead Of Dubai Concert

Lady Gaga doesn’t do things by halves. In the past the eccentric star has feigned giving birth on stage, performed covered in blood, and worn dresses made of everything from hair to raw meat in the name of artistic expression. So it seems only fitting that Gaga’s latest global tour should bring her to Dubai – a city that loves an extreme.

Gaga, now fully recovered from a hip injury that put her in a (24 carat gold) wheelchair, and her 144-strong crew will descend on Meydan Racecourse on September 10, and fans can expect hits old and new, numerous costume changes, a 30-metre runway allowing Gaga to get closer to the audience, and a giant “garden” made up of inflatable trees.

Here’s her message to the UAE ahead of her concert. (Article continues after video)

You couldn’t perform for months after your hip injury. Did you feel like a racehorse at the starting gate?

Yeah, Seabiscuit. Exactly. I’ve been training and doing everything that I could to move forward, but the best was the rest that I was able to take, and the time that I had to edit what I was making and to make sure that I really love what I’m putting out.

Have you been worried at all that the injury might affect your career?

I didn’t know how I would recover and if I would recover completely, but I responded really well and I feel better than ever.

Did you do any special rehab? Did you work out?

I did all kinds of swimming and yoga and pilates, and just some good old-fashioned gym training.

You give the impression of wanting to expand on people’s perception of what pop music is. Do you want to raise the level of pop?

I suppose I want to push the boundaries of what pop music is currently defined as. I’m just trying to create a separate space for myself and for my fans where we can rejoice in our pop and create an album that is like partying with me for the night. Partying with an old friend, which is how I feel about my relationship with my fans.

How do you feel about your critics?

It gives them a sense of pleasure when they believe that they’ve destroyed me or taken me down. It’s almost entertainment for people to poke fun at Lady Gaga.

Your fans are very fiercely loyal – that must feel good?

I see myself in them. I was this really bad, rebellious misfit of a person. You imagine it, I did it. I was a really bad kid. And I look at them, and every show there’s a little more eyeliner, a little more freedom.

You started out writing songs for Britney Spears, New Kids On The Block and Pussycat Dolls. Did you enjoy that process?

I got real joy from hearing Britney Spears sing my melodies. As much as I can sit here and talk about art, there’s still something quite remarkable about writing a song when you’re 20 and hearing a pop superstar sing it.

How important is it for you to give a truthful authentic performance on stage?

In case you’re wondering whether I lip synch, the answer is no. People think I do because I sound so good. I am not going to saunter around the stage doing pelvic thrusts and lip-synching. That’s not at all why I am in this. I am a different breed.