This is a CD Digipak cover for Lady Gaga's debute album 'The Fame Monster,' which is a re-release album from her 2009 success 'The Fame' however, re-vamped with 8 brand new tracks and released just before a world tour, The Fame Monster has been a world wide hit, together with the 2009 version of The Fame, has sold over 10,000,000 copies.
The main focus point on this CD cover is of Gaga dressed in a PVC jacket with the collar covering her mouth. There is strong contrast between her dark jacket and her hair, which establishes the colour pallet of the album to be white, black and gray.
Her hair seems to be very frizzy and un-kept which could suggest and reflect the idea her personality and music are 'out of controll' and can't be 'controlled.' However, her jacked seems to be very layered and repressing Gaga as she isn't revealed to the audience, it looks like she's hiding herself, mainly a secret or she's repressing her real personality from the first look of her. The collar over her mouth does suggest she's holding something back from the audience, therefore a mysterious, secretive and odd looking 'Gaga' uses direct mode of address which is used to connect with the audience. The way she is holding the collar over her mouth, it looks as if she is about to rip off the collar therefore she becomes a strong, independent and rebellious lady, perhaps this could link in with her background of being grown up in a strict catholic school therefore her personality of a performing artist could have been smothered therefore, there is a strong sense of liberation from the way she is posed in this shoot. Speaking from religious terms, the whole outfit does look like Habit, which is a catholic uniform worn by Nuns and Sisters, this links in with her personal background and the crucifix symbol in the CD title, however nuns are known for being repressed and strict religion therefore, i love the idea of her being rebellious and liberated as she looks like she's about to rip the collar off and inform the world who she is and what she stands for/ what she does.
I like the idea of her hand and arm being the only body part apart from her face on show, i feel this suggests liberation, however i also feel it represents a mystery and also some sex elements, also with the entire outfit being made from PVC i feel also demonstrates this point, with PVC being an erotic material.
I feel the shoulder pads within the outfit suggest the idea of fashion, which is in fact a convention in Pop music artists, so is sex. The pop artist has to identify themselves with an image in which people will feel they can connect with them by, and it makes it obvious to people in music stores which genre of music, artists have on their CD.
I feel the soft, dark makeup around Gaga's eyes represent the fact she has a darker side to her and her music, she may be dressed in sexy PVC and have blonde hair, however a theory is the eyes are the gateway to a persons soul, therefore the dark make-up surrounding her eyes suggest the idea of her having a darker twist to her. It also creates mystery surrounding who the artist is, which eventually convinces you into wanting to get to know, and listen to what the artist has got to say.
The entire backdrop which she is stood in front of i feel is also an important element to Gaga, as it represents the idea of a dark 'background' possibly to her life, she's eventually brought that dark background with her to tell you about it within this CD. This is reinstated by the idea of her just about to rip off her collar, guarding her mouth, as she's about to become strong and tell you about it. She's about to identify herself and tell you her story, she's about to tell the audience everything... you just have to buy the CD first.
The font is strictly in white, which i feel represents her identity as once being a repressed, smothered catholic school girl which are seen as being completely innocent and naive, however this is strongly contrasted with what she is wearing: a black, long, PVC outfit. The title and artists name are both in capitals Serif-font, which suggests the idea shes a strong and bold character, this i also feel helps stand out in particular against the black background.
In replacement of the 'T' in the word 'Monster,' she has used a crucifix which i feels is a rebellion to her catholic upbringing, in particular as she's placing the crucifix in a negative word 'Monster' which is usually linked and connected with the idea of nightmares and evilness. I feel this gives us some clues into what Gaga really believes in, and it leaves the audience wanted to know more about her, her views, opinions which is her music. The text is also the same bright white, which is also the colour her hair is, this suggests she's created this album, this is her album and it's come straight out from her head.
In conclusion, this is a very strong, creative front cover for a CD. This has influenced me in what i want my CD cover to include, and also how you dont have to use all of the conventions of that genre of music, and how they represent their artist. As long as it shows the artist in a creative light, and suggests the idea they are different you everyother artist in the music shop, you're guarenteed for it to get noticed. I in paticulaly like the idea of her giving clues to the audience about what her views, ideas therefore: her music, is actually about. That element of mystery gives the artist attention and with the suggestions she is giving the audience back, may just result in a sale of that album.
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