Xcel hosts the Artpop Ball

Maddie Ek

American pop singer and songwriter, Lady Gaga, is coming to the Twin Cities on May 20 as a stop on her Artpop Ball Tour. She will be performing at 7:30 p.m. at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. This will be her fourth time performing in this location.

Lady Gaga is known for her crazy outfits and wild performances. She started performing in the lower east side of Manhattan when she was 14, playing in nightclubs. She briefly attended NYU before dropping out to pursue a career in music. She found her sound when she started to incorporate pop melodies and glam rock into her music.

She has won a total of five grammys since appearing on the music scene in 2005, has released five albums and written over 100 songs.

The Fame, The Singles, Born This Way, ArtPop and Cheek to Cheek are the names of all her albums. My favorite by far is Born This Way but I enjoy ArtPop as well,” said junior Jessie Theil.

Her wardrobe is a vital part of who she is. She has appeared in clothes made of meat, obscured her face with masks and even performed soaked in blood.

“I went to Jingle Ball a couple years back, which was the first time she ever performed in the Twin Cities and the concert was amazing. The show delivered all of the expected delights of Lady Gaga: great singing, dancing, costumes and unexpected and sometimes bizarre moments. She connected with the audience frequently with personal statements. I loved every moment of it,” said junior Sarah Adkins.

Since 2008, she has performed in the Twin Cities two other times.

“I went to the Monster Ball in 9th grade and I went to the Born This Way Ball in Feb. 2013. I sat front row at the Born This Way Ball,” said senior Jenna Hagen. “This year I will be attending Art Rave which is her next tour…. I’m sitting front row and I have backstage passes and get to meet her one on one and have beverages with her after the show. I’m overwhelmed with excitement for that. I’ve been to a lot of concerts and by far she is the best live… She can actually sing and put on an amazing show.”

Lady Gaga goes to extreme lengths to express who she is. She is constantly reinventing herself which keeps it interesting for her fans.

“My favorite song by her right now is Heavy Metal Lover.  It can always boost my mood up if I’m having a bad day. It speaks to me,” said Hagen. “I think her unique personality just sets such a good example to others who are also unique in their own ways because it shows them not to be afraid to be themselves.”

Lady Gaga’s imagination has taken her far in her career and fans are dying to see what she will do next.