You would have to have been sealed in the Hulk-proof cell to have missed the fact Hong Kong is suffering from a serious case of Lady Gaga fever. The pop diva is in the middle of a four-show gig as part of her Born This Way Ball Tour, with the last show tomorrow night.
From the initial announcement of her show dates to the rapid sales of concert tickets, her influence on our city has been clearly evident in both adults and teenagers alike.
Born and raised in New York City, Lady Gaga (real name Stefani Germanotta) toiled in the underground music scene before she was discovered in 2007. Initially hired to write songs for Britney Spears, Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas and the Pussycat Dolls, R&B singer Akon recognised her singing talent and quickly signed her to his label, Kon Live. She released her debut album The Fame in 2008.
Initial reaction was slow to Lady Gaga's dance-pop tracks, but the album eventually went on to sell more than 15 million copies worldwide, powered by her hit singles Just Dance and Poker Face. Her next release was an eight-track EP titled The Fame Monster which spawned four more hit singles along with a Grammy for the Best Pop Vocal Album. Her latest album Born This Way , released in May last year, saw the singer expand herself musically as it incorporated elements of electro-rock, opera, heavy metal and rock and roll along with her usual synthpop tunes. The album received critical acclaim from many industry publications, cementing Gaga's status as the reigning queen of pop music.
But Lady Gaga's fame stretches far beyond the music world. She is as well known for her elaborate outfits as for her hits. Her fans see her individuality as inspiration.
'I think she represents the underdog in some ways. Though the celebrity scene is creative and very public, in recent years it's become quite conventional,' says Tam Sum-sze, 18, of Sha Tin College. 'Pop culture figures don't sell themselves as anything but the best ... Lady Gaga isn't afraid to go out there and dazzle in her own way, whether people find it freakish or not.'