- Title: Lady Gaga: money and celebrity aren't at centre of happiness
- Date: 1st December 2016
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (DECEMBER 1, 2016) (REUTERS) **** WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **** MUSICIAN LADY GAGA ARRIVING AND GREETING REPORTER VARIOUS OF LADY GAGA SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) MUSICIAN, LADY GAGA, SAYING: "You know, during the holidays I love to be with family, and that's really why I chose to create 'Joanne'. As I have said earlier in the day and I've been saying, I feel that money and being a celebrity has been put on a pedestal in a way that it truly doesn't deserve because it's not really at the centre of happiness. What is at the centre of happiness is family and friendship and love and kindness, and that's what I'll be doing for the holidays, I'll be celebrating those things." LADY GAGA AND WESTFIELD BRANDED WALL TO LADY GAGA SPEAKING TO REPORTER LADY GAGA SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) MUSICIAN, LADY GAGA, SAYING: "I see every album that I create as a reinvention in some way but I would prefer the word transformation, I suppose, because I'm always changing when I'm creating music. And with this record, I wanted to combine genres that are completely different. We combined pop music with funk music with country music with folk music with rock music with dance music. This is something that was important to me because if I can combine those genres in a harmonious way, maybe I can also bring those kids together that listen to different kinds of music, and those grown-ups together that listen to different kinds of music. That's always my intention - how can I bring together as many different kinds of people as possible and inspire some sort of bond or healing that wasn't there before?" LADY GAGA SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) MUSICIAN, LADY GAGA, SAYING [WITH REPORTER IN VISION INITIALLY]: "What I will say is that, what is very important to me is that the LGBT community in America knows that myself, as well as all members that love the LGBTQ community, are going to do everything that we can to protect the social progress that we have made over the last eight years. The truth is that political progress cannot happen unless there is social progress, because you can create lots of jobs, you can create new policy but those things cannot work unless people like each other, those things cannot work unless people are kind to one another. So what I would say is that I am here, to be in any way that I can, a person that reminds us all that above money, above celebrity, above anything else really - policy, is kindness. So we need to stay in a kind place and we need to bond during this time and be as harmonious as possible and intelligent in the way that we approach this."
- Embargoed: 16th December 2016 23:51
- Keywords: Lady Gaga Joanne pop star musician celebrity Westfield LGBT
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM / UNIDENTIFIED FILMING LOCATIONS
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM / UNIDENTIFIED FILMING LOCATIONS
- Country: United Kingdom
- Reuters ID: LVA0015B1VC5P
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Pop star Lady Gaga has called for more love and kindness this festive period, saying that too much importance was being placed on fame and wealth.
"During the holidays I love to be with family...I feel that money and being a celebrity has been put on a pedestal in a way that it truly doesn't deserve because it's not really at the centre of happiness. What is at the centre of happiness is family and friendship and love and kindness, and that's what I'll be doing for the holidays, I'll be celebrating those things," she told Reuters.
The Grammy Award-winning singer was in London on Thursday (December 1) to give an intimate performance for a group of fans in a giant snow globe on the rooftop of Westfield shopping mall. The acoustic gig came on the heels of her turn as one of the musical guests at the Victoria's Secret fashion show in Paris the night before.
At the start of November, Lady Gaga notched her fourth chart-topping album as her rock-infused record "Joanne" debuted at the top of the weekly U.S. Billboard 200 album chart.
Named after the 30-year old's late aunt, "Joanne" has been described by many critics as Lady Gaga's most personal and authentic release to date.
When asked whether the stripped back sound represented a reinvention or new era in her work, Lady Gaga replied:
"I see every album that I create as a reinvention in some way but I would prefer the word transformation, I suppose, because I'm always changing when I'm creating music. And with this record, I wanted to combine genres that are completely different," she said.
"If I can combine those genres in a harmonious way, maybe I can also bring those kids together that listen to different kinds of music, and those grown-ups together that listen to different kinds of music, that's always my intention - how can I bring together as many different kinds of people as possible and inspire some sort of bond or healing that wasn't there before?" she added.
Besides her dance anthems and flamboyant costumes, Lady Gaga is also a well-known supporter of LGBT rights and youth empowerment.
She told British media at the event that she would continue to "protect the social progress" in the United States.
"What is very important to me is that the LGBT community in America knows that myself, as well as all members that love the LGBTQ community, are going to do everything that we can to protect the social progress that we have made over the last eight years. The truth is that political progress cannot happen unless there is social progress, because you can create lots of jobs, you can create new policy but those things cannot work unless people like each other, those things cannot work unless people are kind to one another," she said to one reporter before taking to the stage.
"So what I would say is that I am here, to be in any way that I can, a person that reminds us all that above money, above celebrity, above anything else really - policy, is kindness. So we need to stay in a kind place and we need to bond during this time and be as harmonious as possible and intelligent in the way that we approach this." - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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