I WAS ASSAULTED BY LADY GAGA'S HANDLER

Lady Gaga greets Fans at Toronto Hotel - March 2011

Attempting for a seventh time today to meet and get a Photo with Lady Gaga, my luck fell short yet again. Well, actually I can't quite blame it on luck alone as there might have been a bit of maliciousness involved.

Waiting outside of Lady Gaga's Yorkville Hotel today were a small group of Fans, a few Paparazzi and Autograph Collectors. Being quite frigid and rainy, only the truly dedicated had waited as Lady Gaga did a round of Press inside her Hotel for the likes of CTV's eTalk and MuchMusic.

Anyone who's followed my Blog or even knows me on a personal level will know v. well that I am an ardent supporter of Lady Gaga and have always been since MP3s leaked well before her Debut Disc The Fame was even released. Many of my Friends, a few who are influencial DJs in the City and Music Bloggers, have given me thanks for turning them onto Lady Gaga. At the end of the day however, it is her sheer talent and drive which has gotten her where she is, even though many people like to take credit for her success story.  I might not be the type of Fan who wears shirts that say "I LOVE LADY GAY GAY" or show-up to her Concerts in Drag, but that in no way makes me any less of a Fan.

Over the past two years, I've seen her perform six times, three of those times at The Monster Ball Tour, once with my two Nieces. I own all her releases and Special and Import Editions ad nauseum. My Bedroom Wall is decorated with a large mounted Poster for The Fame Monster for crying out loud and if you asked me to sing any Track off of hers to-date by rote, I probably would be pretty good at it. Ask me about Current Events in the World.... not so much.

It has always been a great hope of mine to one day meet Lady Gaga and even though in my time I have been graced by the presence of many a Celebrity, she has always been at the top of those whom I aspire to meet the most. This has even been documented in a profile about me in The National Post. I have made the efforts - believe me - but have fallen short. Whether it be waiting hours on-end at MuchMusic on multiple occasions, a total three occasions while she was in Toronto on tour, or more recently, these past two days.  I just haven't been lucky.

LADY GAGA AND MARIA ARAGON DUET AT TORONTO "THE MONSTER BALL" SHOW

Maria Aragon & Lady Gaga - Air Canada Centre (March 2011)

Instead of repeating a Review of the same show I saw last July, I will point out a few key differences at  Lady Gaga's The Monster Ball Show at Air Canada Centre.  In what is now my sixth time seeing Lady Gaga perform live since her rise to Fame began in 2008 (and third time attending this Tour), I can say with confidence that she vocally is at the top of her game right now.  What is even more impressive is that she did this after a long flight directt from Paris this afternoon, as she had made her Runway debut at a Thierry Mugler Fashion Show last night there.  Congratulating her tired self, she told the audience: "If I can do it, you have no fucking excuse!".

Lady Gaga chats with Fan on Phone

Aside from a few subtle Costume changes and song omissions like Speechless and So Happy I Could Die, a couple exciting bits were infused into tonight's Show.  During Alejandro from her The Fame Monster Disc, she dived right into the audience without warning, giving Fans a giant thrill.  Lady Gaga also called one Fan randomly on his Cell Phone to chat, to which he thanked her for helping inspire him to "out" himself as a young Gay Man.  Aiding Gay Youth is a cause which the Mega-Star believes in strongly, donating proceeds from her Shows to a Charity named Green Chimneys which assists homeless Youth in the LGBT Community.

The ultimate highlight of the evening though was a much-hyped Duet between ten year-old Winnipeg singing sensation Maria Aragon and Lady Gaga, performed not once but twice on stage of U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Chart-topper, Born this Way;  one Piano Version, one it is original glory in the encore of the Show.  Gaga visibly was moved by the talent of this young Girl whom she inspired.  

Watch Lady Gaga and Maria Aragon duet on Born This Way (Piano Version):

PHOTOGRAPHER TERRY RICHARDSON IN TORONTO WITH LADY GAGA FOR "THE MONSTER BALL"

Terry Richardson & Mr. Will-W.

Famed Celebrity Photographer Terry Richardson arrived in Toronto today with Lady Gaga for her The Monster Ball Tour at Air Canada Centre.  Being the lone passenger aboard her Tour Bus to be dropped off at the front of their Hotel in Yorkville, the New York native was all smiles, posing with Gaga Fans for Photos and signing some Autographs for those who came prepared.  And I was one of the lucky who recognized him, getting a Photo together with Richardson.  And graciously he smiled for my Camera  - a great honour for me to photograph a Legend.

Earlier in the day, Richardson was seen on the Tarmac at Pearson International Airport, photographing Lady Gaga as she exited a private Gulfstream Jet.  They had flown in directly from Paris, where Gaga had made her Runway debut at a Thierry Mugler Fashion Show.

For those of you who need a refresher, the controversial Richardson had shot Gossip Girl's Blake Lively and Leighton Meester in a suggestive Rolling Stone Cover back in 2009 which saw them licking an Ice Cream Cone together.  And those gossip-inducing Photos of Lady Gaga seen in her famous Meat Dress.  Yes, that also is the work of Richardson.  Too amazing!

See more Photos of Richardson below:

CONTEST: A GA-GAGA GIVEAWAY!

Hello, Peaches!  I'm pleased to announce yet another exciting giveaway for my loyal readers.  This is your chance to win an ultra-rare signed 8x10 by the planet's hottest superstar, Lady Gaga looking....  totally ladylike (?).  The autograph is an item from The Mr. Will-W. Museum of Signed Art and the photo is vintage Gaga.  The prize is certified authentic as it was acquired through a respected dealer, with a lifetime guarantee on it.  Any Gaga afficionado will know that her signature has gone through multiple incarnations and this is one of her few signing styles.

To enter, all you need to do is email me at mrwillw@mrwillw.com before the deadline of May 1, 2010 at 12:00 PM EST with the name of the next single off of Lady Gaga's The Fame Monster disc.  The contest is open internationally and the winner will be e-mailed directly.  One entry only per reader, please.  Hint: the track was sent to radio in North America on April 20th.  Good luck!

LADY GAGA ON OPRAH

So yeah, basically I'm here balling my eyes out after seeing Lady Gaga on Oprah Winfrey, her first appearance ever on the show.   I feel as though I'm watching my little sister grow up and am so proud of her.  Although it was a little messy, her three-song medley of Monster, Bad Romance and Speechless was wildly entertaining and the audience, comprised  mostly of die-hard fans, was just enthusiastic.

On the show, Lady Gaga (or just Gaga as she prefers to be called) mentioned how she pretty much dresses the same on-stage as she does off-stage, but to the left I actually have photographic proof that she does like to just kick back and wear T-shirts like the rest of us sometimes.  I got this photo of her leaving MuchMusic's headquarters in Toronto, summer 2008.

Lady Gaga gave us a bit of insight into her daily schedule and essentially she wakes up in the morning, turns on her computer and conceptualizes new looks, going back and forth between reference points.  She then brings her ideas her team of designers, The Haus of Gaga who either give her the thumbs up or thumbs down.  Most of the time she winds up getting what she wants anyway.  She mentioned also that she wanted very much to paint herself blue and coincidentally, director James Cameron was on the show earlier promoting Avatar.  She joked that Avatar came along and stole her thunder.

The show reached an emotional high note when Lady Gaga explained the importance of treating your parents well, always working hard and sticking to your dreams, as her eyes welled-up.  Winfrey also accepted a compliment from Lady Gaga, seeming genuinely touched by her kind words.  In true Gaga form, she also announced that all proceeds from the January 24th date of her newly-revamped The Monster's Ball Tour will be going to aid relief in Haiti.  Also, any profits from merchandise sold on her website that day will also go to the cause.  Amazing.  How could you not love this girl?

Although not HQ, here's a clip that has surfaced on YouTube from the show today:

REVIEW: LADY GAGA THE MONSTER BALL (TORONTO)

Toronto's Air Canada Centre was chosen asthe second stop-off on Lady Gaga's self-headlined The Monster Ball tour. It was her main objective to give fans an expensive-looking show at an affordable price considering that she was originally to co-headline the Fame Kills tour with rapper Kanye West. As we are aware, those plans were kiboshed as he opted to take a mental rest leaving Lady Gaga to her own devices. Headlining an arena tour for an artist who has been in the game just over a year is almost unheard of, but she has accomplished just that already. Above this, she sold out completely here in Toronto, leaving no doubts to how popular she has gotten in this short amount of time.

Lady Gaga drilled home a few very important points repeatedly to the audience this evening at what she calls her "pop-electro opera": 1) She hates money. In fact she claims to be "broke", having invested most of her earnings into her own videos and shows. 2) She is very grateful to Canadian fans as we made her debut album The Fame and single Just Dance number one before any other market. 3) She is obsessed with becoming a better artist every day because she has "the best fucking fans". 4) If you don't like her show, you can "get the fuck out". Very poignant, indeed.

Finally arriving on stage at 10:30 PM after two opening acts Semi Precious Weapons and Kid Cudi (admittedly mismatched) warmed up the crowd, Lady Gaga arrived in-persona and full of her signature bravado. Surprisingly, the band was nowhere to be seen and there seemed to be much dependence on backing tracks, except for slow numbers where she played the piano; she came armed with a tight-knit team of dancers. The show was very simply laid out with much visual focus being placed on three LED screens on-stage where abstract vignettes were projected onto between songs. The first half of the show focussed almost exclusively on new material from her The Fame Monster disc and despite having been released only Tuesday, most of the audience already knew how to sing along to the tracks.

To view more pics from The Monster Ball, click here.

Opening number Dance in the Dark was performed behind a grid screen, which started the show on a bit of a distant note and this I felt, plagued parts of The Monster Ball. Lady Gaga performs much of the show too far away from the audience perhaps. This may be a result of the stage's design, as it is intended to make the concert look as if it is a work of art within in a frame. I will not take anything away from her though as truly she gave it her all tonight, frequently making efforts to connect with her audience asking "Canada, how are you doing?". She went on also to perform hits Just Dance, Love Game and Monster to the enthused audience which was primarily female, although there were a good number of male fans and families in attendance too. Above this, her singing was all live and she was able to do so while dancing through most of her show.

REVIEW: LADY GAGA - THE FAME MONSTER

For those of you who frequent my blog, you know that my reviews are as honest as possible. I do not hand out praise where it is not due. So without wasting your time on unnecessary drivel, I will tell you with confidence that we are witnessing the rise of an international megastar. She's historic.

Lady Gaga is the most fascinating presence in pop music today and although I do have my minor annoyances with her, she has won my heart with her music alone of late. I have been going on for weeks about Lady Gaga's eight track album The Fame Monster and even though it is condensed by today's standards of an album, it is the greatest pop release of 2009. Each track is outstanding here and it is simply just a matter of how outstanding they are relative to one another. I loved her debut album The Fame. I am however, in love with The Fame Monster.

Bad Romance has the world humming along in unison right now and second single Telephone featuring Beyoncé surely will duplicate if not, surpass that first single's success. Alejandro as mentioned previously, is theatrical and over-the-top in its '90s-obsessed Ace of Base goodness. Title track Monster is reminiscent of Akon and Kardinal Offishall's recent hit Dangerous and it is undeniably infectious in its own right. The album's lone rock ballad Speechless is a refreshing break from the glossy over-production we have become accustomed to in Lady Gaga's music. Dance In The Dark admittedly is still growing on me and it is consistent with the album's theme of liberation through dancing, as is the case with Telephone and So Happy I Could Die. Teeth has a folk-bluesy sound resembling something off a KT Tunstall album; the only track to sounds out-of-place in the least bit. Nonetheless, this track does showcase her diversity as a songwriter and I can appreciate this.

1984 saw Madonna's career-defining rise to the top with her Like a Virgin album. 2009 will see something comparatively legendary in Lady Gaga's The Fame Monster. The album will be in stores via Interscope Records/Universal Music on November 24, 2009. Grade: A+

GAGA-OBSESSED

.... why the heck not?:')

NEW MUSIC: LADY GAGA FT. BEYONCÉ - TELEPHONE

Jesus, God Almighty. I did hear Lady Gaga and Beyoncé were collaborating together but I wasn't expecting the results to be anywhere near this good. Telephone is produced by famed R&B producer Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins and it is his best work in quite some time especially after a disappointing string of singles with The Pussycat Dolls. The track was just confirmed today as the next single off Lady Gaga's forthcoming release, Monster.

Beyoncé and Lady Gaga also collaborated on a remix of the former's new single Video Phone, although the results were mixed due to that track lacking any real substance or a melody. They both also recently filmed a video for that remix, which will be appearing on the completely unnecessary release of Beyoncé's I Am...Sasha Fierce (Deluxe Edition).

I'll admit it is pleasant hearing Beyoncé pull back a little here compared to her Destiny's Child days all in the spirit of collaboration. I cannot help but love that Boney M. Euro-sensibility Lady Gaga so proudly pays homage to, as heard on her massive hits Poker Face and Bad Romance. This will be huge. As I was telling Robbie of Chart Rigger, Lady Gaga has made me fall in love so seamlessly of late. It's as if she slipped me a Roofie in my Latte .... and I want more!!!

Hear it below in full (courtesy of Interscope Records/Universal Music):

NEW MUSIC: LADY GAGA - ALEJANDRO/VIDEO PREMIERE: BAD ROMANCE

Things just aren't slowing down for Lady Gaga at all. Her single Paparazzi has topped the Billboard Top 40 Mainstream Chart, good enough to make it number six on the Hot 100 Chart. Simultaneously, latest single Bad Romance also landed in ninth spot on the Hot 100. And just when you thought you couldn't get enough, yet another track has surfaced - Alejandro.

It was just announced last week that original plans to re-release multi-platinum debut The Fame as The Fame Monster, have been modified slightly. Interscope Records will now be releasing Monster separately as a value-priced eight track album, but also keeping The Fame Monster Deluxe Edition option available to fans who haven't bought her debut yet. Times are tough and it is a brilliant move on their part considering the number of blockbuster albums being released on November 24, 2009.

Alejandro gives a nod to Sweden's Ace of Base at their finest. Coincidentally, Lady Gaga tied them with Paparazzi making her only one of four artists ever in the Billboard era to have four number one singles off a debut album. The Latin theme here picks up where Madonna went with La Isla Bonita and where ABBA had gone with Fernando. It is completely theatrical and over-the-top. I love it. I cannot wait to get my hands on this disc.

Listen to Alejandro by Lady Gaga in full below (courtesy of Interscope Records/Universal Music):

And of course, don't forget to check out this unbelievable just-released video for Bad Romance below, courtesy of Interscope Records:

The video touches upon the theme of human sex trafficking in Russia and is an outstanding effort from director Francis Lawrence (I Am Legend) and once again, Lady Gaga. V. reminiscent of Madonna in her Express Yourself glory.

NEW MUSIC: LADY GAGA - BAD ROMANCE

Thus far I've previewed two new tracks off Lady Gaga's The Fame Monster re-release due November 23, 2009. Despite my irritations with her on-going cry for attention, I cannot deny that the tracks are outright irresistible. Next single Bad Romance is set to be released to radio this week and I cannot describe it any better than esteemed blogger XOLondon did in saying that it is like "Bon Jovi in Ibiza". It really is.

The melody here sounds Bon Jovi circa You Give Love a Bad Name. The type that universally can inspire a stripper to do his/her best work or cause mass havoc in a banquet hall wedding reception after the dessert platter has been brought out. The little speaking bits are Madonna circa Erotica/Bedtime Stories. The arrangement and production would pretty much get a dance floor going anywhere you go in the world and one cannot help but draw parallels to her number one hit Poker Face with its Boney M. referencing "ro ma ro ma ma ma... oh la las". Another track I previewed, Alejandro, will be touched upon later when I receive a full preview copy of The Fame Monster, but I will sum up the track in three words: ACE OF BASE.

Give Bad Romance by Lady Gaga a listen below, courtesy of Universal Music/Interscope: