Akon says he risked his label on Lady Gaga by giving her “Just Dance” instead of the Pussycat Dolls
“Lady Gaga was already at Interscope when I got there. She was an artist there. But at the time, I don’t know what Interscope was going to do with her because she was there for a minute. She walks in with these all gold leotards and stuff, looking like she’s from the ’80s. And I was like, ‘Damn.’ She was already different. Then after speaking with her and talking to her, I’m like this bitch is mad talented. So we write the record. She goes in to demo the song out. I’m looking like, ‘Yo, this bitch is a star’”
“She comes out. I was like, ‘What’s the situation.’ She’s like, ‘Well, I’m at Interscope. I’m not quite sure.’ I said, ‘Okay, give me a second.’ So I called Jimmy. I said, ‘What’s up with this Lady Gaga chick?’ He’s like, ‘Why?’ I said, ‘I think I want to sign her.’ He said, ‘Take her.’ I said, ‘I could have her?’ He said, ‘Yeah, she’s all yours.’ Then, mind you, we’ve got a smash-hit record. I said, ‘Yo, Jimmy, we’ve got the record.’ I’m going back in. He’s thinking we’re playing the record for the Pussycat Dolls, but at that point, when he told me I could have Gaga, I’m like we working on her album”
“We go in there, and we’re playing this record, ‘Just Dance.’ He’s going crazy. He’s like, ‘Oh my God, this is it. We got the fucking one. We got it.’ The whole time, he’s thinking this record is the perfect record for the Pussycat Dolls. The music stops. He said, ‘Thank you man. The Pussycat Dolls are going to love this record.’ I said, ‘Jimmy, this record is for Gaga.’ He said, ‘What?’ I said, ‘Yes, it’s for Gaga.’ He said, ‘Okay, make me understand this.’ I said, ‘Jimmy, listen. The Pussycat Dolls are already a global smash art. They’re a piece of art. All they need is one record. I’ll make a million of them. I’ll make another one for them”
“He said, ‘It’s not good enough.’ I said, ‘Listen to this record again one more time.’ We played the record. I said, ‘This record will make you another Pussycat Doll, or possibly even bigger. This is a record that breaks a new artist, not keeps a new artist popping.’ He thought about it. He said, ‘Would you put your label on that?’ I said, ‘Yeah. If this record doesn’t work, you can drop me.’ And you let me go with it. That was probably the best decision we collectively made together”
Being in the studio and creating these songs was an unforgettable experience, but luckily I don’t ever have to forget it because I was recording while we were writing - and now it’s a way to look back on the process and give you guys a glimpse into how we wrote these songs, and hear the moments we thought of these ideas in real time.
The Life of a Showgirl (DELUXE Alone In My Tower Acoustic Version) featuring “The Life of a Showgirl” (Original Songwriting Voice Memos) Act 1 & Act 2 are available now on iTunes for 24 hours.
https://t.co/4FjQyW2gE4
@SITEURJAL Y para cuando mantenimiento a la estación de la normal? Que tiene sus tres escaleras sin funcionar 2 meses y sus 8 máquinas para recargar que no aceptan billetes
@SITEURJAL para cuando mantenimiento a la estación de la normal? Que tienen dos meses sin funcionar las escaleras eléctricas de sus ingresos y de las 8 máquinas para recargar ninguna acepta billetes?
Need all of my fellow Little Monsters to COME TO THE FRONT! Why, you ask?! Oh, because MOTHER MONSTER HERSELF IS PERFORMING AT THE 2025 #VMAs!!!! @ladygaga
Don’t miss a second of all the MAYHEM that will be caused – September 7th at 8 pm ET on CBS & @paramountplus 🖤
The Life of a Showgirl: The Tiny Bubbles in Champagne Vinyl Collection is available now on my site for 48 hours while supplies last ❤️🔥
https://t.co/WdrCmvMfo8
Album Producers: Max Martin, Shellback and Taylor Swift
📸: Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott