Is Lady Gaga Launching the Goop of “Kindness”?
While not as elaborate as other Lady Gaga videos, the iPhone-shot visual for “Stupid Love” still gave us a lot to digest. Perhaps mostly notably, the introduction to the concept of Kindness Punks. In the clip, Gaga plays the leader of a group of pink-clad marauders who seek to intervene in the conflicts of other color-coded tribes and settle them through, well, the power of kindness.
As an artist, Gaga has built her career molding a bunch of off-beat ideas together into a pop culture assemblage. Whether or not they stick often seems beside the point. So you’d be forgiven for thinking the concept of Kindness Punks may go down as nothing more than an answer for a trivia night for diehard fans.
Yet, it seems in her new phase, Gaga has pretty big plans for the concept of kindness.
According to O magazine, Gaga and her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, will release a book titled Channel Kindness through their Born This Way Foundation. The tome will collect over 50 inspiring stories, as well as direct advice from Gaga herself.
“Channel Kindness is the embodiment of the everyday acts of kindness that uplift communities and instill a sense of hope in each of us,” Gaga told O. “If these stories inspire one act of kindness, then we’ve accomplished our mission. We can’t do it alone, and here is a book that shows we aren’t.”
It’s as if she were attempting to start some sort of Chicken Soup for the Kindness Punk Soul franchise.
Yet it’s also the natural evolution of the media brand the Born This Way Foundation has been quietly running for the past few years. Channel Kindness is also the name of a website that collects inspiring editorial. Launched for Gaga’s 31st birthday, in 2017, it still semi-regularly publishes articles like “10 Ways to Be Kind to Yourself” and “Why Kindness Rocks.”
So is Gaga ready to ramp up the concept of kindness beyond just an occasionally updated website? With a music video constructed around the idea and a new book on the way, well…maybe?
Sure, it’s kind of a weird idea to build an entire organization around kindness, but look at what Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop has done with the still-vague concept of wellness.
Of course, there is one big difference. Goop is unapologetically a for-profit enterprise, whereas Gaga’s Channel Kindness brand is run through her nonprofit. Basically, she’s just doing it out of the, well, kindness of her own heart.
Related: Lady Gaga Cancels Earth to Save Pop Music With “Stupid Love”
Lady Gaga’s Style Evolution, From a Meat Dress to Custom Versace
A brunette Gaga performing at Lollapalooza, in a homemade disco bra.That DIY aesthetic was only a small taste of what was to come.
One of the earliest incarnations of the Lady Gaga persona: snood, sunglasses, David Bowie makeup, and platinum blonde hair.
Lady Gaga and her “hair bow” debut on Good Day New York in 2008. Most of her costumes at this time where largely handmade.
Lady Gaga at a Fashion Week event in 2008, complete with towering shoulder pads and signature snood.
Gaga at a concert event in Germany, wearing one of her crystal stalagmite encrusted dresses.
Sporting rainbow colored locks, leopard briefs, and thigh-high boots at a Tokyo airport.
Gaga on the VMAs red carpet, wearing the first of one of many VMA looks that will go down in fashion history.
Meeting the Queen of England in Edwardian-themed red latex gown and crystal encrusted eye makeup.
At the 52nd Grammy Awards wearing custom Armani Prive and a matching, hand-held sculpture.
Leaving her concert at the O2 Arena in Germany at the height of “Bad Romance” fever.
Wearing her infamous meat dress at the MTV Video Music Awards.
At the VMAs in an Alexander McQueen look, wearing the infamous Armadillo platform heels.
Leaving dinner in Paris dedecked in diamonds and blush pink silk.
Accepting the Grammy award for best pop vocal album wearing archive Mugler at the beginning of her “Born This Way” era.
A chic, fully monochromatic look (“teal blonde” hair included) at Narita Airport in Tokyo.
At the CFDA awards sporting a teal bob. She won the Fashion Icon Award that evening.
A radiant brunette Lady Gaga at Harrods for the launch of her fragrance, Fame.
Lady Gaga wearing archive Versace with the designer in Milan.
Fairytale princess Gaga in an Alexander McQueen gown.
Channeling a rave-disco incarnation of Botticelli’s Venus at the VMAs.
Lady “Godiva” Gaga arriving on the American Music Awards red carpet atop a mechanical horse and wearing Atelier Versace.
At an event in Japan in promotion of her album Artpop.
A street style moment in London complete with “Botticelli babe” waves and prismatic eyeglasses.
Sporting ultra long white-blond locks and a pink fur coat leaving her apartment in New York.
Wearing a lavender Atelier Versace gown at the 86th Annual Academy Awards.
Wearing a star-spangled, custom white Valentino gown with diamante eyebrows to match at the Kennedy Center Honors.
Entering the era of polished, elegant, and jazz Gaga for her collaboration album with Tony Bennett.
Wearing a custom, glittering Azzedine Alaia gown to the 87th Annual Academy Awards.
Lady Gaga at the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame induction, channeling John Lennon by way of Alexander Wang.
Full Bowie-glam in a custom Marc Jacobs look for the 58th Grammy Awards, where Gaga performed a tribute to the late performer.
