13 People Who Inspired Lady Gaga's Latest Look

On Monday, Lady Gaga debuted the cover art for "Applause," the first single from her forthcoming album ARTPOP (due Nov. 11, and yes, that's ALL CAPS ARTPOP, THANK YOU VERY MUCH). It looks pretty familiar, don't you think?

It appears Gaga is channeling Pierrot, the fabled 'sad clown' whose painted face, billowing onesie and black skullcap--nope, not a turban!--are his calling cards.

But clowns, even the sad ones, are just freaky and wrong.

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Seriously! So wrong!

So before the nightmares begin, direct your attention toward something more uplifting - like some previous musical artwork (or is it ARTPOP?) and a few stray pop-culture icons who clearly influenced Mother Monster as she went about creating her new look.

1. Grace Jones

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Look, Grace Jones was kind of the O.G. Gaga, so let's give credit where credit is due, hey? Note the main differences: subtler makeup; sailor cap in place of skullie. It's a start.

2. Debbie Harry

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You've probably never even seen this (pretty amazing) album cover--with good reason: Harry's solo debut, released in 1981, was a Nile Rodgers production that went nowhere with critics. But you can't help thinking Gaga spent hours in her childhood staring at its cover and someday being half as cool as the Blondie frontwoman.

Also: Nails! Ow!

3. Christina Aguilera

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No word yet on whether Gaga employed the same spackling artist used by The Voice's prettiest (sorry, Adam!) judge.

4. Boy George

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Like, duh.

5. Cyndi Lauper

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Seriously. Duh.

6. Adam Sandler

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Adam Sandler, ARTPOP trailblazer! (Now there's a phrase you'll almost certainly never see employed again.)

7. Enya

No? But both covers feature paint! And a nice, scribbly cursive font! And both singers have a strangely devoted fan base and a possible God(dess) complex! The evidence mounts.

8. Madonna

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Reductive? You decide.

9. Shakes the Clown

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Breaking the no more clowns rule, but--uh, have you ever seen this movie?

No?

That's probably a good thing. Moving along...

10. Marge Simpson, post-makeup gun

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Best. Sight gag. Ever.

11. David Bowie

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Right?

12. David Bowie. Again.

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RIGHT?!

13. Mimi Bobeck

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Come on. You were thinking it, too.