When I first saw her on MTV, I was perplexed to learn that she is actually Katy Perry’s BFF and the music was kind of tragic to me. My husband was mildly obsessed with her (he loves a bad girl) but I just didn’t get it. The hook nose, the stinky spandex and the gratuitous gyrating just was too much for me. I checked in my 13 year old cousin and she didn’t get it either.
It wasn’t until this picture that I understood and felt ashamed of my own prudish dismissal of this pop phenomena. I am a rabid Madonna fan. I was front row last year in New Jersey whilst Madge bumped and grinded within millimetres of my face and I screamed so loud, I damaged my vocal chords for about 6 weeks. When I saw this picture, taken in Milan at one of Lady GaGa’s many globetrotting performances, I was taken back to Madonna at her Ciao Italia tour. Remember that one? Crazy new muscular body, bleached blonde crop, tassels at the nipples and all that crotch grabbing. I am just 15 years older and the GaGa thing didn’t gel with my new more adult brain. But now I get it and I love it just as I loved it and instantly wanted to be Madonna in Italy all those year ago.