Posted by: James St. James contact

Making a lady out of Gaga: an interview with makeup artist Billy B

I just got off the phone with the man who has taken over as Lady Gaga's new makeup artist, the iconic Billy B. Of course, if you've seen the video for "Bad Romance" or any of her latest appearances, you know that it certainly looks like the Lady has stepped up her game.

James: Hey, baby. First of, she looks fucking amazing. Congratulations. I was blown away by the pics from the German television show. Tell me a little bit about the inspiration for Gaga's new look, and what it is that you bring to the table. 

Billy: Well, first let me say that I find her completing inspiring to work with. Not only do I find her face inspiring, but her attitude and outlook are inspiring. She's so specific about what she wants. I've never met anybody her age that is as knowledgeable about looks and fashion. Her references are way beyond her years. We'll be talking about ideas for a shoot and she's bringing up names like Guy Bourdin and Jean Paul Goode and referencing specific shoots they did.

J: Pretty esoteric stuff for a young girl... very fashion insider-y...

B: Exactly. And when I work with her, well, she's not a vain person. Her art is not about vanity. It's not about "making her look great." It's more about the references and the message. And what I find exciting is doing that – helping her telegraph the message – but also hoping that she also ends up looking amazing when I'm done.

J: Let's talk specifically about what you did to her in this picture (from the German talk show). Some readers and I were speculating that you thinned out her nose, opened up the eyes, and lowered the blush line. Tell me what's going on.

B: Well, she's Italian, you know, from an Italian-American family on the Upper West Side, so I wanted to give her a hint of that old time Italian movie star, like Sophia Loren. You know, I lined the inside of her eyes with white liner, gave her the big lashes. Same with the lips: I gave her a darker lip line and much lighter in the inside, a sort of modified party lip. I was channeling tricks of some of those iconic actresses, like Sophia and Brigitte Bardot.

J: So what's the next look?

B: Well, oh my God, it's something different every day, of course. It's totally unpredictable. And once again, I want to stress that it's not about vanity, it's about character, and every day it's a new character for her. I know it sounds cliché and cheesy, but she really is a performance artist, in the truest sense of the word. Whether it's a stage peformance or a sit-down interview or a video shoot, it's about creating the right character for that moment.

J: You did the makeup for her new video, "Bad Romance." I think this video is a real game changer for her. It's legendary. Fabulous.

B: Well, you know, I've done the makeup for hundreds of videos. I did all the Missy Elliot videos...

J: I didn't know that. Those were GENIUS!

B: Thank you, darling. But this video, we were all very "in the moment," and I KNEW what was happening. As jaded as I am, I KNEW that this was epic for everybody involved. For her, for me, for the director, the dancers, we all felt it. It felt different. We went into it with very specific storyboards and ideas, and it kept evolving and changing in the moment. It took on a life of it's own.

J: And that's always a sign of great art being created. Well, listen honey, sorry to take up your time. I have to end it here, because I am not going to be able to read these five pages of scribbles I just made. But lets talk next week. Maybe we can do a Daily Freak show and break out the telestrator... Love you, gurl.

B: Bye, honey

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