There is a fine line between abstract and straight up ridiculous. Unfortunately the music industry, and in turn its fans, becomes the victim when that line is crossed.
Celebrities pride themselves on reinventing their image year after year, shocking fans with their newest and most outrageous looks.
Yet not all of these reinventions are a success and most of the time they do nothing to improve a musician’s craft. However, worse yet is when the intended visual wow factor wins over public opinion and a slew of copy cats surface, riding the coattails of the most recent envelop pushers and adhering to the idea of image first, music later.
When Lady Gaga came on the scene in 2008 her style raised a few eyebrows. Her outrageous face masks and humongous glasses in the videos for hit singles “Just Dance” and “Poker Face” were the first in an aggressively long line of ostentatious fashion choices.
By 2011 jaws dropped as she arrived at the 53rd Grammy Awards in an egg. At that moment, Lady Gaga branded herself as a celebrity capable of doing anything she pleased. She was no longer a musician striving to improve her sound; she was the embodiment of a publicity stunt. Sure it’s happened before with the likes of Cher and Madonna to name a few, but those women tended to keep it on the stage, whereas Gaga interprets the world as her stage and takes her show to the street.
Hence one of her latest publicity stunts, which involved a crown, studded motorcycle jacket and no pants on her 26th birthday in late March. Instead, she wore tights over her underwear as if that were sufficient coverage and allowed the tabloids and her loyal followers to eat up yet another attention getting tactic. Then they apparently puked it up, because that is the only explanation for the visual vomit that is Nicki Minaj and Katy Perry. Once a barely styled songstresses and an upcoming beat blasting beauty, their need to keep up with Gaga by scorning their actual talent is shameful.
Ladies, why not practice what you preach in yourself-appreciative anthems? Be an individual and stop doing things like this in hopes of selling records. Seriously, at what point did dressing drag become the subdued fashion choice? Katy, what is on your head and Nicki do you need a wet wipe to clean up that fashion disaster that is consuming you? What happened to everyone’s more understated days? Katy, what happened to your rompers and natural hair (albeit very close to a mullet)? The “new” you would take your blue ‘do and gawk in shock and perhaps jealousy at the former, more natural beauty you once bestowed.
Between the rotating hair colors and pastry pasties, it’s difficult to remember your envelope pushing pop song, “I Kissed A Girl.” In fact, it’s difficult to remember much, or any, of your musicality at all. Your last album came out two years ago. How long can you ride the sophomore success before realizing, or before your fans realize, that you’re solely an image and not a musician (You know, since that tile would require you to actually make music …)?
Speaking of image overshadowing any shred of talent an artist may have, cue Nicki Minaj.
It’s been said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but you’re straight up plagiarizing Lady Gaga.
A revolving theme around Lady Gaga’s lyrics, especially “Judas,” hint toward religious controversy. Minaj’s “Roman Holiday” is about excising her alter ego “Roman,” so why then did Lady Gaga come to mind the second you stepped on stage? Perhaps because you swooped up Gaga’s former creative director as soon as she was on the market again, or it could have something to do with your date being dressed like the Pope.
This isn’t the first time Minaj has taken inspiration from Gaga. Debuting her hit record Pink Friday after Lady Gaga became an icon, Minaj attempted to steal her fashion thunder starting with her outfit on the 2011 Video Music Awards red carpet, it looked as if a disturbing childhood dream threw up all over her. Now, she could have been on the right track by wearing this ill-thought-out ensemble to say, “Here I am world,” but she just ended up crossing that fine line.
It probably won’t be the last time we’re seeing double either, considering Minaj’s history. In her 2012 music video for “Stupid Hoe” (another glaring reason why she should focus more on music and less on appearance) she donned larger than life eyes. This came after Gaga debuted the look 
in her 2009 music video for “Bad Romance.”
However, this was one of the tamer fashion crimes. Minaj is the creepiest interpretation of the Gaga fashion frenzy. If there was a way to top Lady Gaga’s fashion choices, Minaj has only been able to do so by being unbearably freakish, which works for her vocally when “Roman” comes out to play, but the freak-style success ends there. Rising to fame after Lady Gaga’s reign begin, it makes one wonder if Minaj ever had a fighting chance.
Which leads us to the most important conclusion, focus on your music, ladies, not your marketing, because fashion comes and goes, but talent is eternal.
