The Associated Press published a story yesterday about recent protests in the Philippines against Lady Gaga’s upcoming concerts.  The story can be read here.  It seems that some people are upset by Gaga’s song “Judas” and her sexually provocative stage show.  That is not surprising.  What IS surprising to me is that the protesters are primarily teenagers.  Shouldn’t the parents be protesting their teenage childrens’ music?!  That has been the natural order of things since Elvis shaked his hips on television in the mid-1950′s.  I can’t claim to have any knowledge of the cultural landscape in the Philippines, so if anyone can shed some light on this phenomenon, that would be great.  The article boils the issue down to the tired explanation of religion vs. sex/rebellion.  But I have a difficult time accepting this simplistic (and, frankly, over-utilized) cultural commentary.

It could be that, for these teens in the Philippines, Lady Gaga represents the overbearing nature of U.S. popular culture, which has been foisted on people all over the world whether they want it or not.  Perhaps young Filipinos are interested in reclaiming a sense of their own cultural identity rather than making due with what the music executives at Geffen or Atlantic are feeding them.  Hard to say–there are several strands interwoven here–cultural, religious, sexual–and made all the more complex by the lives of adolescents who are seeking a personal identity.

Would any R&T readers be willing to chime in on this issue?

Dave Nantais, Detroit, MI

2 Comments »

1. 

   Perhaps their teenagers just have better taste than ours do. I’m sure Slash was well-received.

   Comment by Flitcraft — May 21, 2012 @ 11:54 am

2. 

   Now I’ll have to listen to and watch “Judas” to see what the commotion is all about…

   Comment by Tommy Beaudoin — May 24, 2012 @ 8:39 pm

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