'I love my 8-year-old girl’s sexy dance show!'
Tuesday 06 April 2010
She’s only eight years old but Laura Fontana’s raunchy impersonation of singer Lady Gaga has shocked thousands of people around the world.
The schoolgirl shot to fame in February after gyrating to the controversial pop star’s biggest hits while skimpily dressed in just a tiny white leotard on a Brazilian TV talent show.
Caked in heavy make-up and fluttering her huge fake eyelashes, Laura crawled around seductively on stage while singing her idol’s hit songs Paparazzi and Bad Romance.
The disturbing performance, which was posted on YouTube, sparked worldwide criticism but shockingly Laura’s mum Ana Christina believes imitating the racy star’s provocative dance moves is a great way for her daughter to start a career in showbiz.
“Laura loves Lady Gaga and is desperate to be famous. Going on this show has been a great opportunity for her to be noticed,” says mother of two, Ana Christina, 40, from Minas Gerais, Brazil.
“I don’t care people say she’s too young - I’m proud of Laura’s talents.”
Worryingly, she brushes off concern that her daughter’s overtly sexual dance act could attract paedophiles.
She says: “Her performance might seem sexual, but Laura doesn’t understand the sexual connotations to the dance routines so there’s no harm in it.
“I worry about paedophiles but she’s not going to come to harm, because she is well looked after.”
Laura’s dad Alcides Ribeiro, 47, agrees: “We never let her go out alone so we know she is safe.”
It was Laura’s older sister Nirna, 14, who encouraged her to copy Lady Gaga - whose steamy hits include I Like It Rough, Boys, Boys, Boys, and Beautiful, Dirty, Rich - and enter the Brazilian version of Britain’s Got Talent, for a £37,000 prize.
“When Nirna saw an advert for the show she suggested Laura should enter as Lady Gaga,” recalls Ana Christina.
“I hadn’t heard of Lady Gaga but Laura sang some of her songs and I was shocked by how good she sounded.”
Ana Christina bought Laura a Lady Gaga inspired outfit for £23, and Laura’s tour guide father, Alcides taught her the lyrics every day after school for a month.
Laura, who also likes Lily Allen and Ke$ha, choreographed a routine herself and after a few hours of rehearsals she performed in the first round of open auditions on the show, called Qual e o Seu Talento, in February.
The show’s make-up artists applied Laura’s thick make-up including Lady Gaga’s iconic black lipstick, before she performed to a panel of four judges and a studio audience.
“She was nervous knowing that the whole of Brazil would be watching her, but I told her to be confident,” says Ana Christina, who earns £220 a month selling jewellery and cosmetics.
“The judges loved her and she got through to the semi-finals.”
Laura’s performance was posted on YouTube by the show’s producers, and the youngster’s dream of fame became a reality.
The video has so far received over 180,000 hits. She’s also appeared on two Brazilian TV chat shows and the budding singer is now negotiating a recording contract.
“The competition isn’t even over, but Laura is already a star,” boasts Ana Christina, who says people are wrong to criticise her for encouraging her daughter’s overtly sexual performance.
“People say I am exposing my daughter to make money, but it’s just not true.”
“She has only earned £240 from her TV appearances which we’ve spent on more costumes and a mobile phone.
“If she wins she’d like to buy a house and go to Disneyland.”
Now the pop star wannabe, dubbed Baby Gaga, continues to practice two hours a day in the run up to the semi-finals next month, where she’ll compete for a slot in the June final.
“She gets up early to do homework before school so she can practice for a couple of hours when she gets home,” says Ana Christina.
“I know she’ll do anything to be a famous singer, and me and her dad will support her because it’s her dream.”
Laura, who bizarrely wants to become a vet as well as a singer, adds: “I love it when strangers ask for my autograph. It makes me feel important and popular. My school friends think it’s amazing too.”
By Natalie Corp and Felipe Branco Cruz
Watch Laura Fontana impersonate Lady GaGa below:
Posted by Morethan2braincells
RE: 'I love my 8-year-old girl’s sexy dance show!'
no different to the beauty pagent mothers - it seems very wrong to allow a little girl to be sexualised on television. Its not really like playing dress up in her front room. Hopefully she won't end up like Britney Spears.
Posted 06/04/2010 13:29:28
Posted by yummymummy07
RE: 'I love my 8-year-old girl’s sexy dance show!'
There is nothing wrong with britney spears.. actully.. :) and erm... yeh dressing up like lady gaga is over the top because she is all about sex and and 8 year shudnt be into that not yet..x.
Posted 07/04/2010 13:55:57
Posted by lucyrh
RE: 'I love my 8-year-old girl’s sexy dance show!'
Ew, that's sick! Lady Gaga is not aimed at young girls, she knows that and her parents should know. Crawling on the floor is not appropriate for an 8 year old. She wasn't even any good!
Posted 08/04/2010 08:33:49
Posted by tinkarbelle
RE: 'I love my 8-year-old girl’s sexy dance show!'
Surely if she enjoys it she should be allowed to dance, ok it's not very appropriate for an 8 year old but it's her decsion!
Posted 13/04/2010 10:31:32
Posted by sugar sweet
RE: 'I love my 8-year-old girl’s sexy dance show!'
this girl is very cute and reminds me of a young britany spears when shes on stage, i dont see the problem its not like the moves she was doing were overly sexual but i do agree that ladu gaga is very sexual so its a bit wrong for a young girl to e copying her, maybe in front of the tv at home but not on stage in front of hundreds of people where it is readily available on youtube for anyone to see.
Posted 14/04/2010 12:53:40
Posted by alicexx
RE: 'I love my 8-year-old girl’s sexy dance show!'
wtf this isnt even bad :/
Posted 17/04/2010 23:03:31
Posted by bek1992
RE: 'I love my 8-year-old girl’s sexy dance show!'
you shouldnt let an 8 year old girl do sexual movement !!!!! doing money i think !!
Posted 22/04/2010 14:55:12
Posted by lavinia bitch
RE: 'I love my 8-year-old girl’s sexy dance show!'
I THINK THIS IS WIERD! OMG WHY WOULD YOU LET YOUR DAUGHTER DANCE ON A SHOW??? OMG YOU TRYIN TO MAKE THEM BE A KATIE PRICE PRINCESS ONE A BE??? OMG GET SOME RESPECT FOR YOUR CHILDREN!!!
Posted 22/04/2010 14:59:32
Posted by kuvastin
RE: 'I love my 8-year-old girl’s sexy dance show!'
I'm sorry, but obviously young girls are going to want to copy her. Lady Gaga is very sexual and young girls don't get that-- they just see her singing catchy songs and wearing flashy clothes and they want to emulate her.
You can't think it's ok to let them listen to her music and let them watch her on TV and then complain when they start to copy her.
Posted 25/04/2010 11:59:51
Posted by bek1992
RE: 'I love my 8-year-old girl’s sexy dance show!'
i think this if for money !!!
Posted 27/04/2010 11:59:18
Posted by els 2
RE: 'I love my 8-year-old girl’s sexy dance show!'
you have to remember what kind of perverts watch this kind of thing. Lady gaga is no roll model for a young child shes far to sexual but today anything goes as long as it makes money no doubt this family will make a few quid out of parading their daughter up and down you would think her dad would feel uncomfortable knowing all kinds will watch her .
Posted 30/04/2010 14:41:25
Posted by BOOMitsEmily
RE: 'I love my 8-year-old girl’s sexy dance show!'
This is vile. Does she honestly want paedophiles ogling over her daughter? Plus Lady Gaga IS Lady Gaga? Your daughter wont get famous for trying to be her.
Posted 17/04/2011 22:40:37