My 1st Blog: Lady Gaga Is 'Just A Normal Girl' ... On 25-Inch Heels

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Lady Gaga Is 'Just A Normal Girl' ... On 25-Inch Heels

As Born This Way rules the charts another week, producer DJ White Shadow says Gaga hasn't changed since they first met.
By Jocelyn Vena

Lady Gaga
Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

As Lady Gaga holds onto the #1 spot on Billboard, for the second straight week, with her chart-topping album Born This Way, DJ White Shadow is no doubt enjoying the success. When we caught up with the producer recently, he told us how their collaboration started off as a long-distance relationship.

Back in 2009, White Shadow was approached to work on a co-headlining tour for Lady Gaga and Kanye West. After their Fame Kills Tour was canceled, though, Shadow was asked to focus on the next phase in Gaga's career. The producer and the pop star had already built quite a foundation by the time they finally met in person in the summer of 2010. And while Shadow wasn't completely sure what the encounter would be like, he had some clue that they would get along famously.

"We had talked for so long before [we met in person]. We had talked on the phone or talked on iChat, in emails; I think we kind of knew about each other's personalities," he told MTV News. "I mean, obviously, I was excited to meet her. I felt like we were long-distance pen pals."

What he found out is that despite all of the unusual costumes, Gaga is a pretty regular 25-year-old. "She's, like, super cool. I think everybody gets weirded out by 'Oh, she looks so crazy on those 25-inch heels and the hair-bow,' or whatever's going on at the time, but she's just a normal girl. Like, she's funny. She's really funny and super cool."

Shadow worked closely with Gaga and BTW musical director Fernando Garibay to create a pop album that would push the envelope. The DJ/producer worked on heavy-hitting tracks like "Born This Way," "Government Hooker," "Americano" and "Bloody Mary," to name a few.

So, how is Gaga as a boss, we wanted to know. "She's the best boss. She's a great friend," he said. "She's amazing.

"Here's the funny thing about this: People ask that question but I'm telling you, 'cause everyone wants to [know], 'Does she say something to you as her friend or someone you know that she writes music with that she doesn't say to us? Does she talk about New York in a way that she wouldn't have done into a camera?' And the answer is no," he explained. "I've never seen her say something that was disingenuous."

Bottom line: Gaga is always Gaga. "The stories that she tells, the way that she looks on camera and the way that she acts ... that's how she is. That's her character. She is the same."

In fact, like most New Yorkers, Gaga loves to shop for a good bargain. "I was walking down the street in front of the studio one day and she's shopping for $20 shoes. She's New York. We've been to dinner a couple times ... just go to normal restaurants. It's New York, it's her home, right?" he said. "So, I've definitely heard all the stories that she's telling. She's very open."

What's your favorite Born This Way track? Tell us in the comments!

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