#the other artist is lady gaga

[crazy-lazy-elder-sims]

this morning i called taylor swift a zio because she loudly supports other outspoken Zionist artists under the guise of feminism in someones comments and turned off tiktok notifications instantly now im kinda pensive to open that app again lmao

[discocandles]

Anytime I think about Steve, Eddie, Chrissy or Robin as famous musicians, I have to hold myself back from adding a shit ton of Lady Gaga references.

Like in the 2010s Lady Gaga appeared for an mtv music award show as this rugged, unkept greaser type character she made up named jo calderone. He's kinda known as "Lady Gaga's boyfriend that is also lady Gaga in drag". Steve Harrington, teen popstar trying to get away from his overbearing label would show up to the red carpet in drag as Amanda Miller, the girlfriend his label chose for him. She is dressed how they have their other popstar darling, Chrissy Cunningham dress. Amanda Miller later shows up in one of his music videos after he leaves the label. Both appearances of Amanda Miller cause mass bi panic online.

Speaking of fellow teen popstar Chrissy Cunningham, she starts openly thanking God and the Gays for the successes in her career. The label hates it, but they deal or else she's not gonna thank God either, causing problems with her religious fanbase(the impact of only letting her make ultra clean love songs for years). Also the idea of Chrissy disrespecting the interviewers who disrespect her is so healing. Think about it. Like yeah she ate that guy's script, and she'd do it again if he asks about her diet.

For rockstar eddie? So in Lady Gaga's song government hooker there's a spoken bit(not the jfk line the "back up and turn around" one). Those lines are spoken by Gaga's bodyguard Pete, who has a very thick Dutch accent after Lady gaga suddenly brought the idea that he be the "pervy robot voice" up during production.

Like Eddie would so do this, as I think creating songs gives him a lot of almost maniacal energy. Also for this one, the bodyguard is Italian Steve, but he's Jeff's bodyguard who Eddie's been constantly flirting with. That's perfectly fine by Eddie's actual bodyguard, who needs "a damn second to fucking breathe, you hyperactive bastard".

Indie rock vocalist Robin Buckley would have an album where she sings in like four different languages outside of English like lady Gaga did in born this way. And also sing in other languages fairly often. It's most often in French(like lady Gaga does), but every time Robin starts singing in a language that isn't English, the fans will scramble to figure out what tongue she's singing/speaking in now and what is she saying? What does google translate say she's saying?

There's paparazzi photos of vocalist Robin standing next to Jeff from Corroded Coffin but she's chatting in Italian with... his body guard? Apparently they met as teenagers on a trip abroad and became best friends then pen pals after. But we guess it evens out as robin's makeup artist/one woman glam team was best friends with Eddie in high school? And she won the prom queen tiara that CC wears in their iconic album cover. I dunno, just something that's been haunting my brain.

[godtrauma]

insane. lady gaga is truly a genius and i can’t believe she was so young…

[ace-of-hearts-and-spades]

The NO-SKIP Albums: A Tag Game 🎶💖

rules: share the albums that you can listen to nonstop. those lightning in a bottle-albums that scratch ur brain just right. every single track, an absolute banger. u could not skip one if u tried. no notes. stunning, show-stopping, immaculate. ur no-skip albums. 🔎 bonus & optional (but imo, v fun) rules: 1) add a track rec for us to listen to! AND 2) share ur favorite line(s) from that track! 👀

Thank you SO much for tagging me in this @ventiswampwater, @rottent33th, and @visceravalentines. This was so much fucking fun, I love getting to talk about music sdhgsgdhsjdg <3

Absolutely no-pressure tags, only if you want to! @spookyscaryslashy, @lucifers-horror-harem, @bisexual-horror-fan, @bluecoolr, @slaasherslut, @ace-disgrace-on-the-case, @lady-of-glass-and-bone, and literally anyone else who might be interested in doing this. Consider yourself tagged! :3

Album info, track recs, and lyrics under the cut!

Black Labyrinth, by Jonathan Davis

Track recc: "Underneath My Skin" Something's crawling underneath my skin, I fear / Something's dying, rotting deep within / Something's crawling underneath my skin, I fear / Something's dying, I will not give in

Greatest Hits, by the Cure

Track recc: "Cut Here" So dizzy, Mr. Busy, too much rush to talk to Billy / All the silly frilly things have to first get done / In a minute, sometime soon / Maybe next time, make it June / "Until later" doesn't always come

Future Nostalgia, by Dua Lipa

Track recc: "Pretty Please" Put my mind at ease, trickle down my spine / Oh, you look so pretty, please / Every single night, I need your hands on me / When your kisses climb / Oh you give me sweet relief

Hybrid Theory, by Linkin Park

Track recc: "By Myself" Because I can't hold on when I'm stretched so thin / I make the right moves but then I'm lost within / I put on my daily facade again / But then I just end up getting hurt again

Fallen, by Evanescence

Track recc: "Imaginary" In my field of paper flowers / And candy clouds of lullaby / I lie inside myself for hours / And watch my purple sky fly over me

See You On the Other Side, by Korn

Track recc: "Throw Me Away" Flesh wound, flesh wound / With medication, it will fade / Should I assume / That someone hears me when I pray? / Love, full of hate / Don't you love / How I break?

Sevas Tra, by Otep

Track recc: "My Confession" I think about it all the time / I'm volatile and afraid to cry / But I'm still not comfortable in my skin / And the anesthetic's slowly wearing thin

Sinner, by Drowning Pool

Track recc: "All Over Me" Something I might just regret / Something you will not forget / Maybe I should throw away / Everything I've learned today

The Fear of Fear, by Spiritbox

Track recc: "Cellar Door" Transform my death into a conduit / This body separate from the fear of fear / Inside a coping mechanism for monotony / I will destroy the double vision / That I was forced to leave

[whilomm]

seeing an artist who is absolutely Fucking Huge at rhe moment and being like okay yes I recognize theyre objectively good and these songs are obviously excellent from a technical perspective and it makes complete sense to me that they are Massive and I believe they deserve it but also theres no weird bits happening so :/ not even making any strange noises :/

[rafeandonlyrafe]

Who's your favorite artist?

oh like music?? umm i love the killers sooo much and alt/pop/rock bands in general so arctic monkeys (esp their early stuff), the cranberries, foo fighters, youngblood hawke, the smiths, black pumas, the antlers. those kinds of bands.

when it comes to pop girlies i love shakira and lady gaga. ive got a crush on dua lipa so def her too.

i also listen to a bit of all other genres. i like opera, classical (beethovens symphony number seven movement two >>>>>), jazz, rap, country etc etc

[enuui]

i can’t move off spotify bc it has the only proof that i listened to viral songs/musicians before they went viral, like the true hipster i am

[wewontbesleeping]

I like Olivia Rodrigo but idk why some of her fans insist on comparing her to Taylor constantly or act like Taylor is threatened by her. She’s a musician on her sophomore album, she’s talented and successful, but to act like a woman who has sold over 50 million albums and is currently on one of the most successful tours of all time would be threatened by that is just bizarre.

[spinoff-antithesis]

if you get this answer with your top 5 music artists and send it to the last 7 people in your notifications <3

omg hey ok so. no specific order for the first four.

1. taylor swift 2. fall out boy 3. kesha 4. set it off 5. crystal castles.

aaaand bonus artists: mother mother, alec benjamin, mothica, & bears in trees

[lymooniee]

This says way too much about me than it should im embarassed (also pov indie is such a stupid genre I don't really listen to anything part of it as much anymore but RAHH)

[harmoonix]

A l e j a n d r o Astroblog Observations

Lady Gaga has her Venus in the 11H, which is an indicator of having lots of people loving you for your image on the internet/online. Lots of ppl, including me love Lady Gaga and her Venus placement explains it so much

People with pluto - asc aspects may like to do lots of eye contact with others, is like they look through your soul

Natives with Lilith in Aries may have a lot of issues with men, while Lilith in Cancer with women. Both Liliths are in cardinal energy, which means they tend to take the lead

Moon in Virgo natives are always paying attention to everything that happens around them, with this coming the 'analytical mind' that describes them

Chiron in the 5H/7H harshly aspected may indicate a fear of being cheated/hurt in love. In a way you just wanna share your love without being hurt

Pisces and Cancer Moons most times tend to end up like hopeless romantic in their love life, always hoping for meeting their love

Sagittarius Suns may like to share their experiences with others. For example, if you like skiing, you may like to share it with other people

Sun in the 6H/12H can get irritated very fast if is constantly around other people,they may like to have to some time alone for themselves

Chiron in the 1H may indicate a fear of not being judged by others, which leads to anxiety or panic attacks. Hugs to all of you

Gemini or mercury in the 7h may like to talk about their partners a lot, about their relationship, marriage, etc

If you have a powerful mercury in your chart like lots of aspects/dominant Mercury. You may get in a state of 'crazyness' when Mercury is coming Retrogade, due to Mercury being more amplified

If you're born with Venus retrogade, one of your highest life lessons can be to first love yourself before everybody, your love is not coming as easy as others towards your partner

Venus in the first decan, like between (0° to 10°) may actually act more like a child when they're in love due to the degrees representing a young energy

Lilith in Leo may struggle with self - pride, you love yourself but you also tend to be a bit narcissistic at times

Mars aspecting Saturn can indicate the native is being more 'masculine' or 'rough' in a man's chart they usually become more amplified

Uranus in your 7h is quite a funny placement to have in a matter of relationships. Everything that happens in your romantic life can be so chaotic and random, from love bombing to marriage

Jupiter aspecting Venus may indicate a beautiful relationship with your spouse, both planets being benefic

Moon in your 11H may talk about wanting to have your own community of ppl who can relate with you or with your life

Lilith in minor aspects to asc like in quincunx or semi - square, can turn up to be really important in your life because you still have to go challenges with your own reputation

This is a more recent observation, but for those with Saturn in Cancer, you can end up being more emotional when Saturn returns hits in

Moon in the 9h is a hidden witch, literally, their love for magic/spirituality and the connection with nature never ends

Mars in your 3H can be more chaotic when arguing/having fights, Mars is not letting anything down here, makes you more competitive verbally

Aries Venus may be a stubborn lover, loving their partners but in the same time having a hard time to understand how love Is working in their life

1H ruler in your 6H can indicate being more focused on your mental health and your health overall because it will be influenced!!

12h ruler in the 7h may indicate attracting partners with artistic talents, finding more fulfilments in common thing you share with them

1h ruler in the 8h may indicate a deep need for your own emotions, always take care of how you truly feel deep down

Venus in your 1H may indicate attracting people who simply love you, adore you, yet sometimes being more envy of your beauty

Sagittarius in your 11H can be an indicator or having friends with different ethnic/cultural backgrounds

Pisces Venus in your chart or Venus at 12° 24° may indicate attracting partners who may have a soft aura/personality

When hurt Cancer placements can end up manipulating you emotionally, always take care around

Saturn in the 2H can indicate a lot of lessons around money and finances, like learning how to spend them and how to use them for your own benefits

Pisces Uranus generation can be more empathic natives, they can have an inner nature that simply gives a feeling of 'kindness'

People who are born with Pluto in Libra usually tend to have more issues with relationships/love life. During that time, Pluto rules over these and can make them more powerful or not as influential

Juno in the 6h/9h can be an indictor for having an overstimulated spouse, can lead to hyper activity or a spouse who really loves to do multiple things at once

Aries Juno may show jealousy often in a romantic relationship, can have jealousy issues as well, and being controlling at times, applying if you have Juno at 1, 13, 25 degrees

Those with Jupiter in the 9h or in sag can have luck in finding a good college or school, if you want to apply for one of those you can have a good chance to get in/to be accepted

If someone has their juno in the same sign as your venus, they can be attracted into you sometimes without a reason, just attraction in between, it can also indicate one side love

Saturn in the 8h can restrict someone sexual life butttttt, this one placement can indicate lots of experience with sex and the same can happen for Capricorn in the 8h.

Uranus in the 8h may indicate multiple kinks to the native, someone who has different sex exeperiences every time they do it or try it

8h ruler in the 10h may indicate a career where you pop out of nowhere to get a job and to make money/finances

Gaga, the woman that you are. ❤️❤️

Happy Friday, everyone! 😍 I'm literally dying because of the heat. My country has been hit by a heatwave at least 10 times this summer, and I have heat intolerance 😭 and is still hot in September 😭😭😭 I just wanna teleport to Antarctica rn..

Harmoonix ❤️❤️

[genderlessghoul]

I've been wanting to do this post for a while now so here is EVERYTHING I CAN TELL YOU ABOUT THE GHOULS' IMPERA COSTUMES.

Buckle up because I have a LOT to say about those, this is gonna be a very long one.

The costumes were designed by B Åkerlund, a Swedish costume designer who's worked with Ghost since at least Meliora (that's as far back as I was willing to scroll on her Instagram page lol). B Åkerlund has also worked for many other musical artists such as Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Madonna, the Rolling Stones, Ozzy Osborne, Blink 182 and Hollywood Undead (information from her own website)

The masks were made by Bob Basset, a visual artists who works a lot with leather. I find his work fascinating, you can look him up on Instagram (nsfw warning, there's a few naked ladies).

Fun fact! The horns are real cow horns. That's the reason some of them have gold tips, to hide the imperfections that come with working with actual horns.

He does have a shop where he sells his items, there's a mask there very similar to the Impera ones. You can also buy Papa's batwings if you happen to have 2500$ lying around!

The jackets are made on the same model as one of Papa's. The back is decorated with a spine-like design made from leather and cording. It's adorned with a few of our classic Impera buttons. Some of the hems were left raw and some deliberate weathering was done to make it look old and worn.

Fun fact! The shoulder pieces are not sewn into the garment, I would assume for easier cleaning. I don't know if they're held by strong magnets or snap buttons.

The vest (my beloved 😩) is made from flocked velvet in a paisley pattern, the front hems embellished with satin piping. It closes in the front with custom metal clasps that are riveted into the garment. The D parts are attached with what seems to me like wide elastic, which would lessen the pression on the clasps when moving around a lot. The back is made from two different types of fabric, I'd have to touch it to be able to tell you what they are. I assume the panels closer to the sides have some mild stretch to them. The top of the shoulders are decorated with Impera grucifix patches.

The shirts were not custom made for the ghouls, altho they were altered. The original shirt in the vintage painter linen shirt from Punk Rave and it is still being sold. Some of the cuffs were altered, removing the ruffles for some of the ghouls, but not all. They were removed for Dew, Mountain and Phantom, Aether's didn't have them either. As far as I can tell, all the ghoulettes still have them.

An unfinished piece of linen serves as an ascot, that piece is decorated with a metal devil skull. The colour of the skull doesn't appear to be consistent between each ghoul, Dew's looks gold almost bronze while Phantom's is a silver-like colour.

Another modification is the buttons, a small portion of them were removed in favor of our Impera buttons. Some of the ghouls have more buttons replaced than others, which is still a mystery to me.

The pants are called Jodhpurs, they were invented in the 1800s as horse riding pants. The wide part at the hips and thighs allowing for better movement. The ones the ghouls wear don't reach all the way to their ankles, they stop a bit past the calf muscle, hidden by the boots. (Yes, the ghouls are effectively wearing capri pants)

The boots are motorcycle riding boots, decorated by a grucifix. Like the shirt, they can still be bought online through the All American Boots website, altho the price tag is... Headache inducing to say the least.

The cape is a piece of costume that was only briefly worn on stage by the ghouls, Aurora being the only one who still wears one. I would assume it gets in the way of playing very easily. The cape itself is made of two fabrics, a light blue satin and a dark grey suede. The two pieces are not sewn together at the bottom, they move freely from each other. The cape is attached on the left shoulder with a harness piece that has one strap across the chest, decorated with a metal buckle, and one under the armpit.

Aight that's it for me, have a nice day byyyyye!!

[tswiftupdatess]

Lady Gaga shares love to Taylor Swift and other artists:

And I love Taylor Swift too. And Kesha. I watch it all, and I’m like: Yup. Go! Just Go.” Here, her voice cracks and her eyes well up with tears. “I’m not only cheering them on, I want them to know that my heart is in it with them. And I want them all to feel really happy.” 

(September 5, 2024)

[vivmaek]

Astrological Decans (Aries, Taurus, Gemini)

✰ my masterlist

✽ Aries

❀ 1st Decan ♂ (March 21 - March 30)

People who fall under this decan are going to have an easier time getting out of bed compared to most. Of course they get tired, and they’ve gone through hard times just like anyone else. Yet, they somehow muster up the courage to embrace every new day. They push this attitude upon other people, whether they like it or not. Their pioneering spirit launches them into leadership positions, and they’re confident about what they know. Enthusiastic and ready for anything, it is hard to get in their way. Impulsivity often leads them into trouble, but their mistakes don’t weigh upon them too heavily. Dwelling on the past isn’t something they get caught up in. The way in which they carry themselves with a sense of unshakeable confidence is magnetic and alluring. Their unpredictable nature keeps people on their toes, they bring excitement into the lives of other people.

⚘ Aretha Franklin - March 25

⚘ Lady Gaga - March 28

⚘ Vincent Van Gogh - March 30

❀ 2nd Decan ☉ (March 31 - April 9)

Original and unlike anyone else, this is usually the first thing noticed about people who fall under this decan. Their bold and expressive nature often garners an audience. Standing on their own isn’t something they fear. In fact, they prefer it. Independant and relaxed, they don’t appreciate it when someone interrupts their flow. Their anger is a bit explosive and others find this to be shocking.It’s best to give them space when upset. They’ll come back around, and they will be just as charming as ever. They’re not impulsive, but they are decisive. They make their minds up quickly, and stubbornly stick to the narratives they’ve created for themselves. Due to this mindset, making a strong first impression is a priority of theirs.

⚘ Marlon Brando - April 3

⚘ Heath Ledger - April 4

⚘ Maya Angelou - April 4

❀ 3rd Decan ♃ (April 10 - April 19)

These people live life in a big way. And at times, their approach can be a bit hedonistic. Their desires run strong, and their ambitions are large. People born under this decan are unafraid to speak their minds. They take conflict lightly, and might make other people angry through a poorly timed joke. Their jovial nature allows for them to be easily forgiven, and they can give out a sincere apology if need be. Being subtle is not a strength of theirs. Everyone knows what's on their mind. They see no reason to hold back and often share too much information. As lovers, they are incredibly passionate and very devoted. They give their all when it comes to relationships. Their affectionate feelings are obvious, they do not play coy. Nothing is left to the imagination when it comes to these types.

⚘ Saoirse Ronan - April 12

⚘ Charlie Chaplin - April 16

⚘ Conan O’Brien - April 18

✽ Taurus

❀ 1st Decan ♀ (April 20 - 29)

These individuals are well known for their will-power and tenacity. They are determined and steadfast, their patience is one of their greatest strengths. Their deep passion for life allows for them to remain focused on what matters most. Highly trustworthy and devoted, they bring stability into people's lives. These types are pleasure seekers. Their sensual nature desires exploration. They’re willing to try almost everything at least once. Adventures with them are thoughtful and slow moving. They have to stop and smell the roses along the way. Even when seemingly distracted, they never lose sight of their dreams. They know that they’re on the right path, but aren’t in any rush to reach the end. This same approach is also applied to their relationships. They aren’t likely to rush into commitment or marriage, but they are still dedicated.

⚘ Dev Patel - April 23

⚘ Shakespeare - April 23

⚘ Ella Fitzgerald - April 25

❀ 2nd Decan ☿ (April 30th - May 10th)

True artists, they have been gifted with creative talent. They also have the discipline to fully commit to their studies and projects. More than a bit of a perfectionist, they don’t stop until every detail is in order. Being critical is a negative trait of theirs that might be overtly present. They are highly intelligent and often see things that others miss. This can be frustrating, but also beneficial when setting themselves apart from the crowd. They have many goals and are far more ambitious in comparison to the other decans. Their adaptable nature allows for them to overcome obstacles and they rarely get sidetracked. Coming up with solutions on the fly is easy for them. Communication is another talent of theirs. They share their thoughts effectively and are direct in their speech. These types always finish what they started and never leave people guessing.

⚘ Donatella Versace - May 2

⚘ Catherine the Great - May 2

⚘ James Brown - May 3

❀ 3rd Decan ♄ (May 11 - May 20th)

Financial security is important to Taurus third decans. They are devoted to their careers and professions. Their materialistic nature is driven by a keen eye for aesthetics. They like to be surrounded by beautiful things, this includes people. Social prestige is important for those under the third decan, they take appearances into consideration when developing relationships. They can be particularly stubborn and prideful. It is not likely that they will take advice from other people. This isn’t because they don’t trust people, and this attitude isn’t coming from a place of arrogance. They just need to figure out everything on their own terms. They don’t like to be rushed, and they don’t like being told what to do. Maintaining a sense of independence will always be a priority of theirs.

⚘ Robert Pattinson - May 13

⚘ Megan Fox - May 16

⚘ Nicholas II of Russia - May 18

✽ Gemini

❀ 1st Decan ☿ (May 21 - 31)

The silver tongues of the zodiac, these people can talk their way into anything. Incredibly charming and inquisitive, they have a way of making everyone feel seen and heard. They pick up on details in conversation and speech that others don’t. Their high level of intelligence is noticed quickly. Being the smartest person in the room was never a goal of theirs, it just happens naturally. People who fall under this decan are especially fond of games and tricks. They love a good prank and are always looking to get into some sort of scheme. The people who surround them are constantly laughing. Their cutting remarks and witty insults keep people on their toes. Finding themselves within a debate is a common occurrence. Conversations with them are seemingly endless. Their minds run a mile a minute. Hardly anyone can keep up with their fast paced way of life.

⚘ Stevie Nicks - May 26

⚘ Lauryn Hill - May 26

⚘ John F. Kennedy - May 29

❀ 2nd Decan ♀ (June 1 - June 10)

People who fall under this decan are social butterflies. Delicate, beautiful, and charming. Others can’t help but fall in love with them, even their annoying qualities become endearing over time. Often subjected to rumors and speculation, they’re used to people gossiping about them. They may appear harmless, but these types are masters of chaos. Others trust them inherently, they especially trust the words of a Gemini third decan. At times, people who fall under this decan can be a bit flippant with the truth. This can lead to disastrous consequences. Their diplomatic nature often positions them within the middle of conflict. They feel a need to smooth over communication issues and often step forward to do so. Gemini third decans have many passionate opinions to share. They care about what other people have to say and expect to be granted the same treatment. They love encountering new and interesting people. Cultivating relationships is an important theme within their lives.

⚘ Marylin Monroe - June 1

⚘ Angelina Jolie - June 4

⚘ Emily Ratajkowski - June 7

❀ 3rd Decan ♅ (June 11 - 21)

Gemini third decans have an unquenchable curiosity towards life. Adventurous and independent to the extreme, their life path takes many interesting turns and sometimes diverts straight into the woods. They are highly intelligent and have an outlook on life that is unconventional and offbeat. Their ideas are controversial and ahead of their time, finding a solution to any given problem is easy for them. At times they can be a bit too blunt and unconcerned with the feelings of others. Some may appreciate their brutal honesty, but most will be put off by it. Gemini third decans do have an interest in the greater good and want the best for people, they show this through logical thoughts rather than impassioned speeches. It is likely that they have a deep interest in social justice and reform. They have a vision for what the future could look like and will do what they can to turn it into reality.

⚘ Anne Frank - June 12

⚘ Tupac June - 16

⚘ Paul Mccartney - June 18

[s7-evermore]

To Love You Once More [Time Travel! AU]

Vil Schoenheit x Fem! Artist!Yuu (/reader)

This is just a concept I got in mind. Not sure if I’ll keep continuing it. This was just the result of some daydreams caused by Bruno Mars’ and Lady Gaga’s new song lol

“Um…Vil, we’re ready now.”

The young man slowly lifts his head upon hearing the sound of his name. Weary eyes shifts to the figure past the bed in front of him where the new head of STYX, Idia Shroud, stands.

“It’s time to push through with the mission. We’ll take care of her from here.”

Vil Schoenheit gazes longingly at the woman on the bed. A year passed when she went missing, and another since she’d been asleep. He misses the way those eyes perceived the world, how they looked at him with so much love and care.

His thumb brushes against the back of her hand as he held her. He remembers how these hands of hers would hold a brush and paint to her heart’s desire. How she would squeeze his hand to reassure him that she was there.

He lifts his free hand and places them on her abdomen. He feels her breathing, and the loss of the life they had been anticipating together.

Noticing the gesture, Idia clears his throat to speak.

“…We uh, we couldn’t find anything on the baby,” he said slowly, “we checked all the human test subjects they’ve preserved. None of them were newborns. We— we don’t know where they…they dispose of them either— uh, yet, at least.”

“And Grim?” Vil asked.

“Nothing on him either.”

“…I see,” Vil’s voice was no more than a whisper. 

Vil stands from his seat and leaves her with three kisses. One on her wedding ring, a second on the back of her hand, and another on her forehead. 

Vil feels his heart breaking with every second she remained asleep. They said she wasn’t dead, but she didn’t look alive either. She was breathing, but he could barely hear it unless he held his own.

With heavy reluctance, he lets go of her hand and leaves the room with Idia.

“Since we used a bit of her power to run the Trackback machine, it can only work on one person and once,” Idia explains as they walk down the hallway. “Once you’re back there, you can’t return here. Our present now will change depending on how much you change the past.”

Idia halts in front of a door and faces Vil, “This whole mission is dependent on your success. She’s already weak, so we can’t use any more of her power.”

“I understand,” Vil’s expression hardens.

Idia nods in acknowledgement as he pulls out a keycard and scans it on the side of the door. The door opens as an artificial voice acknowledges his position.

The laboratory they enter is completely busy. Technicians were checking the diagnostics of the machine while other scientists were setting the systems up. Ortho, who had been assisting someone, notices them.

“Brother! We’ve done the final system tests on the Trackback machine, everything’s ready for the operation,” Ortho says as he approached.

“Good, keep it running. It’s time.”

Idia walks over to his station as he instructs some of the staff members.

“Vil Schoenheit, are you ready?” Ortho’s voice was softer this time.

“Yes. Is there anything I have to do before I enter the machine?” He asks as he looks over at the Trackback. It was a pod-like machine that was fit for only one person.

“Aside from the previous trials we’ve done, there’s nothing else. Have you said goodbye to Yuu yet?”

Vil’s face softens slightly at the sound of her name, “Yes… I have. Please take care of her for me.”

“Don’t worry, you can count on us!” Ortho exclaims.

Vil nods solemnly before letting the humanoid boy lead him towards the Trackback.

“We’ll be monitoring your vitals, so make sure to stay calm. You have to be in good condition for this to work since we can’t risk you getting hurt,” Ortho explains.

Although the interior was comfortable, Vil feels like he is being laid into a cold coffin.

“Don’t worry, Vil…“

Ortho’s face was the only thing Vil could see through the pod’s window.

“You’ll see her again soon. It won’t be the same, but… I’m sure it will be better next time.”

Vil knew better than to hope for good things. To him, it was better to work towards it rather than relying on luck to get there. However…

Ortho returns to his brother’s side.

“All systems are operational. Time displacement parameters set for 9 years into the past. September of 20XX.“

…this time, he really wished all his hard work would pay off.

The Trackback hums to life. Vil feels the soft vibrations reverberating through his body.

“Coordinates locked to Night Raven College, the morning of the Xth Entrance Ceremony.”

“Thanks Ortho. Give me a full system diagnostic before activation.”

“Initiation system diagnostic… Energy levels stable. Temporal field generators at full capacity. Quantum tether is synchronized with present time. All safety protocols are active.”

“And the displacement window? We need that at 100%.”

Vil knows full well that she wasn’t going to wake up any time soon. All he could do now is to continue to forge ahead. He has to be strong enough to fulfill this mission, to achieve a better future…

“Displacement window integrity is at 98.7%. An acceptable margin for human travel. Estimated arrival time: 15 seconds after activation.”

“15 seconds? We calculated 10 seconds in the earlier trials.”

“This discrepancy is due to the minor fluctuations in the temporal field density. No risk of deviation outside acceptable limits.”

Idia sighs, “Alright, this is as good as it gets. Everyone get ready. Ortho, initiate the countdown.”

…For him. For her. For their child… And for all the people who had been affected by the catastrophe…

“Affirmative. Beginning countdown: 10….9….8….”

The air in the room starts to ripple, and the lights dim as the machine hums louder.

Vil thinks back to the woman on the bed. He feels his wedding ring with his thumb. He had her initials carved into them, and his on her ring.

Something beeps in the background. A technician’s muffled voice reaches Vil’s ears.

“We’re getting some interference on the energy output.”

“Ortho, can you stabilize it?” Idia asks.

“Interference detected, compensating… field stabilized.”

He wants to see her paint again, he wants to tell her how much he loves her…

“7…6…5…” 

He wants to hold her in his arms...

“4…3…”

Even if he has to go through everything again, Vil was sure of one thing…

“…2…1…”

He wants to be with her. Forever.

“Time travel initiation. Displacement commencing.”

They will never be apart ever again.

[genericpuff]

The Derivative Fashion Sense of Lore Olympus

So I'm usually out here going Gordon Ramsay on Rachel's ass about her writing and art, but for this unsolicited essay I will be wearing a different hat.

Yep, we're going Miranda Priestly today. Specifically the Miranda Priestly who talks fashion, not the Miranda Priestly who abuses employees lmao (though rest assured, I'm gonna have a lot of curt words throughout this).

Disclaimer: I am not at all an expert on fashion, these are just my thoughts and observations from studying fashion styles as part of my own artistic journey, so as always, take what I have to say with loads of salt. I also realize the irony that I am addressing the derivative nature of Lore Olympus when I, myself, am creating a derivative retelling of Lore Olympus.

Alright, enough small talk.

There's this general misconception in runway fashion that all those "impractical outfits" are meant to be worn by the average person, people such as myself who see these outfits and go "what the fuck do you mean Lady Gaga wore a dress made out of meat?!" When we see these crazy fits, our first impression is often "Why would anyone wear that?"

Well, because they aren't outfits. They're art pieces.

And not only are the outfits themselves art pieces, but the people wearing them are the canvases. These outfits aren't designed for just anyone to wear, especially not your average Joe, they're designed both with the artist's vision as well as the model in mind. A lot of thought, expression, cultural influences, and personal messaging is sewn into these designs.

Think about it this way, you couldn't take that aforementioned Gaga meat dress and put it on Taylor Swift. Not only would it not be physically tailored to her, but it wouldn't align with Swift's brand of music. Gaga, at the time of wearing that dress, was making a statement that came about from a collaborative effort between herself, the canvas, and her fashion designer, the artist. The meaning would be lost if you put Swift, Katy Perry, or any other musician into it, because the fact that Gaga is the one wearing it is part of that meaning.

What would happen if you did take the meat dress and put it on someone else? Well, that's how you get the controversial 2022 Met Gala when Kim Kardashian wore the sequin dress that Marilyn Monroe wore for JFK back in 1962.

Not a replica. Not a re-interpretation. The actual literal dress that Monroe once wore. This was a very bold - and in my opinion, reckless - move on Kim's part, because not only was she forcing herself into a dress not tailored to her (and yes, there has been deliberation on what damage was caused to the dress on account of this) but rather than working with a fashion designer to come up with a fresh new interpretation of the same concept, she just went "yeah I'm gonna wear the exact dress", in what many interpreted as a disrespectful power move to artificially put herself on the same level of prestige as Monroe. But she still isn't on that level of prestige and it speaks volumes that she thought carving out her own legacy would be as simple as just taking someone else's. The wolf wore the sheep's clothing with the intent to fool the sheep, but it was still a wolf.

But okay okay, WHAT does this have to do with Lore Olympus?

Well, Rachel released a new interview clip.

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I will say, these seem to have all been recorded at once probably when she was back at NYCC and they're probably going to be released daily leading up to the free release of the finale. Why they're hyping up the free version rather than hyping up the FastPass version that actually generates income, I have no clue, but I digress.

As always, the transcript is as follows:

"I really like looking at like, uh, vintage clothing and silhouettes that are... y'know, timeless. I mean, obviously it's really hard to future-proof work that's set in the modern setting because of course the times are gonna change, like, rapidly and there's not a lot you can do about it, but in terms of, like, fashion, there are just some silhouettes that are always going to look very classy, so... I try to put things that will not age. Like, I think there was a chapter recently where she [Persephone?] had like a very vintage Dior look which I really liked, um... and I feel like that will always look nice, like in 10 years time I'll be like, 'She looked good'. But there are some outfits which are more modern where I'm like, 'That probably won't look good in 10 years time'. But, y'know, we still got the inspired vintage Dior outfit so that's good, that's safe."

There isn't much to say about the actual transcribed text itself, but I do think it's very telling that Rachel tries to upsell her sense of fashion sense in LO when... much of it is just flat out derivative. At best she's often referencing real life people (mostly Hollywood celebrities) and at worst she's usually just grabbing stuff off Pinterest inspo boards without any consideration towards the influences or who she's putting into them.

That said, I do think she told on herself quite a bit in that final line of the interview clip - "that's good, that's safe."

I can understand wanting to play it safe in terms of knowing your limitations and not wanting to create something that would be dated in a few years.

But fashion... isn't about playing it safe. Because ultimately, how something ages in the long term isn't something that you, the artist, can control, and like many art mediums, you need to be focused on what to create next, not on how well your old art pieces still hold up in the present where they've been removed from their original context.

And I think this rings true for a lot of Lore Olympus, beyond just the fashion. It's all just a little too safe. We see it in the fashion, we see it in her uncommitted writing decisions, we see it in how often she's willing to retcon things just to write herself out of corners.

And I think that's really Rachel's biggest weakness as a creator at the end of the day. As much as she's tried to put on the persona of "screw you, I'll do what I want", her actions are always the opposite of what she says. She says that the fashion in LO is very vintage, but I can count on one hand how many outfits were actually vintage. The vast majority of them are a lot more modern, with a lot of Western influences, and sometimes with a boob window thrown in.

Case in point, the most recent outfit of Persephone wearing a practically-nude sparkle dress?

That's Rihanna's Swarovski dress that she wore in 2014.

Now, to Rachel's credit, she did find a way to personalize this to Persephone by removing the cap and giving her a rose-shaped bun, but the outfit itself is still just copied directly from Rihanna. Not only is there not a whole lot of Persephone's influence beyond her being literally made out of roses-

-but there isn't anything calling attention to the fact that this is a Greek myth retelling. And this isn't just a problem with the Swarovski dress callback, this is a problem EVERYWHERE.

And of course, that's not even touching on the fact that Hades and Hecate are forced to wear suits constantly. Because, according to Rachel, the fashion inspiration for Hades and Persephone only went as deep is "he's the groom and she's the bride"-

Rachel plays it safe by sticking purely to the inspirations she consumes from modern American media. The "modern twist" on the myths in LO is literally just "it's Greek myth but it's set in Los Angeles". She doesn't seem to want to put herself out there and actually consume Greek content any deeper than what she can find on Google, and it shows in how little Greek there is in this Greek myth comic.

There is, ironically, as I've been told by community members in ULO, a fashion collection called Persephone created by Paolo Sebastian, and in it you can see the actual Greek influences in these outfits far more than what you see in even Persephone's most visually stunning outfits:

These are dresses and yet Paolo uses them as an opportunity to tell the story of Persephone, somehow even more faithfully than an actual written adaption of The Hymn to Demeter. Because fashion, too, can tell a story - and Lore Olympus' fashion, like its writing, has no story to really tell, at least not in Rachel's hands when she's just pulling whatever she can find from what she treats as a pile of "stuff" on Google.

And that's not even getting into how the writing plays it safe much in the same way as the fashion influences and artistic choices. A good example is that S3 premiere sequence, in which Hades and Persephone are pulled away from each other so that... they can get washed down by their family and peers.

Rachel doesn't really do anything to re-contextualize this reference for the context and setting and circumstances of LO, she just goes "I liked that bath scene from Beauty and the Beast so I'm going to put it in LO."

And of course, it doesn't work as effectively as it did in Beauty and the Beast, because the whole original point of that scene was to showcase the big and scary Beast being washed down like a dog by his servants-turned-into-furniture while he stresses over how he's going to win over Belle. It's a comedic subversion, artistically by showing the ferocious beast reduced into a wet dog, but also on a narrative level by showing through his dialogue and actions how nervous he is to impress Belle because his own fate - as well as the fates of his servants - depend on her falling in love with him. He can't afford to mess this up.

But in LO, it's two naked people who we already know love each other and are committed to each other, we've already seen countless scenes of them being sweet on each other and showcasing that they're into each other, and by all accounts they've already gotten their happy ending, so it makes no sense for them to just be like "OMG SHE LIKES ME?? I CAN'T BELIEVE SHE LIKES ME!" "should I seduce him?!?!??" because this seems like a no-brainer and there's zero actual stakes riding on this the way that there was with Belle and the Beast. Plus the people washing them down aren't their servants who are in the same situation as them, they're random gods from the Pantheon whose affiliation ranges from "family" to "never even had a conversation before". One of the women washing down Persephone has literally never spoken a single line of dialogue to her; another one of them was literally dumped by her partner because he wanted Persephone more than her. Who are these people and why are they enthusiastically appearing to give her a bath? Why is Hades being given a scrub down by his own brother?

And that's really the most striking difference between inspired references and derivative ones. Undertale was a game created by a guy who was in love with retro games like Earthbound and Megaman. Stardew Valley was a game created by a guy who loved Harvest Moon and used to play it with his girlfriend. Content that's built on the foundation of another is natural and the basis of inspiration, but you have to go further with it than just going "yeah this thing existed and I'm taking it", otherwise you miss the purpose of why those inspirations were created the way they were.

And when you don't actually explore how you can re-interpret those influences and add your own voice into them, that's how you wind up writing like Rachel whose writing is about as inspired as a cheap character swap cutaway gag from Family Guy.

Rachel's great at referencing, but that's not at all an impressive thing to do as proven by Peter Griffin. She's not at all re-contextualizing or expanding on what inspired her... but she still claims that she's exactly what she's doing because she calls Lore Olympus a "deconstruction". But her deconstruction only ever goes so far as "well what if Aphrodite left Ares for Hephaestus instead of the other way around?" and then just showing that question and never answering it or delivering on the potential of what that could cause. At best, she'll ask a "what if?" but then never actually show us the what if, it begins and ends with the question and the question itself doesn't provoke any thought deeper than "huh, yeah, that would be neat I guess." Episode's over, next scene. What if we showed that clip of Bill O'Reilly freaking out on set, but like, replaced it with Stewie Griffin and changed nothing else about it except for that? That's the joke, next scene.

I know, we're digressing hard off the fashion here, but the fashion itself is just a symptom of a much bigger problem that expands even beyond Lore Olympus - Rachel plays things way too safe. Even her responses in her interviews are painfully subdued, often resorting to the same tired answers that we've heard 823190589320 times before to the same hand-picked questions that are undoubtedly chosen ahead of time to ensure she doesn't have to answer anything too complicated. And when she does say "I have thoughts about xyz" she never actually... expresses her thoughts. She just says she does and then moves on without any further elaboration because she can't wholeheartedly commit to whatever thoughts she has going on.

Granted, I'm sure that part of that is owed to the fact that she might feel like she can't say anything while the critics are breathing down her neck. I can understand that. But it's gotten so chronic that it's now bleeding into the work itself and it's led to even more criticism of her work. Need I remind you that this is the same person who copy pasted the definition of "xenia" from a first result Google search into her comic instead of naturally writing it into the script:

Rachel played it so safe that she basically treated her own audience like kindergartners by explaining what a scene meant even after explaining it in the text:

As true as it is in fashion, writing stories and making art takes risks. That doesn't mean you have to completely throw caution to the wind, but if you don't take risks, you do yourself the disservice of writing something that can truly be called unique and special to you. If you don't use your influences wisely, if you don't analyze and re-analyze what's influenced you over the years, you're going to wind up losing a lot of subtext in those influences and missing out on the opportunity to add your own voice into the re-interpretation. Rachel does take a lot of risks in LO, but they're not calculated risks, they're not risks that actually have any meaning behind them, she's sort of just throwing stuff at a wall and seeing what sticks, and worst of all, when it doesn't stick, she herself doesn't stick to it, she backpedals, she cowers away from the decisions she's made.

Rachel expressed her worries about depicting fashion that would become aged, but Lore Olympus is already aged through her own inability to commit to her decisions, take risks, and find her voice. It's aged itself through its poor interpretations of the myth, it's aged itself through its reliance on Tumblr tropes that have already been replaced tenfold, and it's aged itself through Rachel herself riding off the initial innovation of creating Lore Olympus and then never continuing to challenge herself or raise the bar for herself.

It proves true the discussion around why Lore Olympus became popular - at the time, it was groundbreaking, drawn in a style that we hadn't seen much of before, with fresh new takes on the myth; now, in 2024, its 'takes' feel tired and half-baked, and its art style has become a corporate-scrubbed shell of what it once was. And yet, Rachel is still rewarded for it all the same, so settling for comfortable mediocrity has become the name of the game.

Rachel may be trying as hard as the Disney life action remakes and Kim Kardashian to put herself on the same pedestal as the greats of yesteryear simply by copying what they did, but in playing it this safe and refusing to find her own voice out of the voices that influenced her, Lore Olympus isn't timeless. It's soulless.