Lady Gaga Concert - Grand Rapids

Lady Gaga came into town last night for a big concert, probably the biggest (and most controversial) there has ever been in Grand Rapids. I haven't really been a huge fan of her music just because the whole pop music scene hasn't been that attractive to my tastes. Nonetheless, I respect her for what she's been able to do in entertainment. She is a remarkable brand and is very strategic in what and how she does things. Sure, most of those things are super-duper weird and usually pretty freaky, but besides that point, she is doing an exceptional job of branding herself in an extremely competitive industry.

After attempting to look into and learn more behind her outrageous actions and use of imagery, I still haven't been able to formulate a solid understanding of Gaga. I don't think anyone has, nor probably every will. All I know is that she is using her fame, which she repeatedly denounces and refuses to let capture her - something most people can very easily get trapped in, to benefit a variety of social causes. I commend her for continually building others' self esteem when no one else has. She effectively uses her rough childhood experiences of being bullied to build a common bond with her fans, thus creating a strong "client base."

Gaga has reached out to a target market that no one else has been willing to do. She spreads genuine love when others have judged, condemned, and rejected them. She strongly promotes for them to be true to themselves and to not let others destroy or bring them down.

If she is willing to talk about Jesus and pray to God in the middle of her show like she did last night, then I can salute her for her boldness. She repeatedly said that no matter who you are, what you look like, or what you've done, Jesus still loves you and everyone else. I'm sure she steps on A LOT of people's toes in how she does things, but if I'm able to witness that light beneath the costumes and theatrical performances, then I think she may be successfully reaching out to fans that really need to hear her message. She's not perfect, but I can say that after last night's show, I've grown a new respect and appreciation for Lady Gaga.

I advise you not to jump to conclusions or judgments because I know it's easy to do. I can speak from experience on that one. It is something I challenge myself to overcome on a daily basis. My goal is to view every single person in the same way that Christ does - with love, grace, and compassion. Be who you are and use that to benefit and enrich others around you. We are all in a position of power to influence others - use it for good.