Everything you need to know about pop superstar Lady Gaga
She's had an incredible career!
Lady Gaga is undoubtedly one of the biggest stars on the planet, having had an array of huge hits throughout her career. In addition to being a super-talented singer and songwriter, Lady Gaga has also achieved amazing success in the world of acting, having starred in films including A Star Is Born.
What's more, Lady Gaga's success shows no signs of slowing down, with her set to star in the upcoming Joker: Folie à Deux film and having teased possible new music, potentially a follow-up to 'Telephone' with Beyoncé. To celebrate her incredible career, we've put together everything you need to know about superstar Lady Gaga.
What is Lady Gaga's real name?
Lady Gaga's real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta.
How old is Lady Gaga?
Lady Gaga is currently 38-years-old. She was born on 28th March 1986.
Where is Lady Gaga from?
Lady Gaga was born and grew up in Manhattan, New York City. Both of her parents have Italian ancestry.
Early life and career
Lady Gaga showed a love for music from a very young age, having started learning to play the piano at the age of just four. She then began performing at open mic nights when she was a teenager, in addition to starring in plays. Lady Gaga studied method acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute for ten years.
Aged 17, Lady Gaga began studying music at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, but left during her second year in order to pursue her music career. She completed an internship at Famous Music Publishing at later gained a music publishing deal with Sony/ATV and began writing songs for other artists including Britney Spears and the Pussycat Dolls.
Lady Gaga released her debut studio album 'The Fame' in August 2008, which featured huge songs including 'Just Dance', 'Poker Face' and 'Paparazzi'.
Take a look at Lady Gaga's incredible career so far:
2007: Lollapalooza Festival
After she began playing piano at the age of 4, Gaga - real name Stefani Germanotta - took on lead roles in plays at school, and enrolled in performance courses. She recorded songs with singer Melle Mel, and started working with producer Rob Fusari, before meeting performance artist Lady Starlight who helped to develop her on-stage persona. The pair performed together at the Lollapalooza festival in 2007.
2008: Debut album, 'The Fame'
In November 2007, Gaga was signed and began writing songs for the likes of Britney Spears, Fergie and the Pussycat Dolls. In 2008, she released her debut album 'The Fame', which spawned singles 'Just Dance', 'Poker Face' and 'Paparazzi'. It was a hit all over the world, hitting the top spot in the UK and US charts with Gaga winning two GRAMMYs in 2010. She spent a record 150 weeks in the UK singles chart in 2009.
2009: 'The Monster Ball Tour'
From 2009 - 2011, Gaga took her 'The Monster Ball Tour' worldwide! Over the two years, she travelled through arenas and stadiums supporting her first EP, 'The Fame Monster', and songs from her debut studio album, 'The Fame'.
Lady Gaga later revealed that at the height of the tour - despite multiple sold-out dates - she actually amassed a huge amount of debt which resulted in her becoming bankrupt... And she didn't even know! She told The Financial Times: "I actually went bankrupt after the first extension of The Monster Ball. And it was funny because I didn't know!"
Only finding out from her team afterwards, she continued: "I remember I called everybody and said, 'Why is everyÂone saying I have no money? This is ridiculous, I have five No. 1 singles.' And they said, 'Well, you're $3 million (£2.3 million) in debt."
2010: 'Telephone' with Beyoncé and second album
Gaga wrote eight brand new songs for the re-release of her debut album, which was entitled 'The Fame Monster' - one of which was 'Telephone' featuring Beyoncé Knowles-Carter. The Number 1 single was accompanied by a quirky 10-minute music video featuring the two stars as a criminal duo. 'Bad Romance' also featured on the reissue, and the music video became the most-watched YouTube video in April 2010. In October, Gaga became the first person to have a combined viewing figure of over a billion on the platform.
She won three GRAMMYs at the 2011 awards ceremony, and released 'Born This Way' - her second album - in May 2011. The lead single sold over a million copies in just five days, and the album hit the top spot in both the UK and US - being certified 3x Platinum in the UK and 2x Platinum in the US.
2012: The Simpsons and 'Artpop'
Gaga featured peak fame in 2012 when she was a guest star on The Simpsons in the episode 'Lisa Goes Gaga'. She also worked with Tony Bennett on a jazz version of 'The Lady Is A Tramp' and Elton John for the Gnomeo And Juliet soundtrack. Her third album 'Artpop' was released in November 2013, featuring 'Applause' and going to Number 1 in the UK and US. It was certified Gold in the UK and Platinum in the US.
She hosted Saturday Night Live that same month and starred in Lady Gaga and the Muppets Holiday Spectacular, as well as a small role in 2014 Sin City follow-up A Dame To Kill For. Having worked together in 2011, Gaga collaborated with Tony Bennett once again to create a jazz album entitled 'Cheek To Cheek' and featuring covers of 'Anything Goes', 'It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)' and 'Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)'. The record showed yet another new side to Gaga, and won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, with the pair going on tour together.
2016: 'Til It Happens to You' at the Oscars 2016
After becoming engaged to Taylor Kinney in 2015 and seeing less success on 'Artpop', Gaga chose to soften her image and be less outrageous. She was approached by Diane Warren to co-write a song for documentary The Hunting Ground about campus rape in America - something that was close to her heart for personal reasons. They were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song, and she performed it at the 2016 ceremony, inviting victims onto the stage with her in an incredibly moving moment.
Having been an aspiring actress for most of her life, Gaga jumped at the chance to appear in American Horror Story: Hotel as the hotel's owner, Elizabeth - for which she received the Best Actress in a Miniseries or Television Film Golden Globe.
She also performed the National Anthem at Super Bowl 50, performing a tribute with Nile Rodgers to David Bowie, who had passed away one month before. She split from Taylor in July 2016, and returned to American Horror Story to play a witch in their sixth season, Roanoke. Her fourth album 'Joanne', named for her grandmother, was released in October 2016, and hit the top spot in the US, peaking at Number 3 in the UK. It was certified Platinum in the US and Gold in the UK.
2017: Super Bowl and documentary Gaga: Five Foot Two
After singing the National Anthem the previous year, Gaga was invited to perform as the headline act during the Super Bowl LI halftime show in February 2017 - it earned her an Outstanding Special Class Program Emmy nomination. She headlined Coachella Festival in the April, and in August went on the 'Joanne World Tour' before releasing her Netflix documentary Gaga: Five Foot Two in September.
2018: A Star Is Born
After contributing to Elton John's tribute album with a cover of 'Your Song', Gaga starred in the 2018 remake of A Star Is Born as Ally, with Bradley Cooper playing her love interest Jackson Maine. She was nominated for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe and a BAFTA, and the film's lead song 'Shallow' - which she wrote with Mark Ronson - received many nominations at all the big awards ceremonies. The soundtrack album hit the top spot in the UK and US charts, and was certified Platinum in the UK and 2x Platinum in the US.
2019: Awards and Las Vegas residency
Gaga cleaned up during the 2019 awards season - taking home the Academy Award for Best Original Song for 'Shallow', a BAFTA Film Award, two Critics' Choice Movie Awards, two GRAMMY Awards and the Best Original Song – Motion Picture Golden Globe for 'Shallow'. She signed a two-year residency in Las Vegas called Enigma which opened in December 2018, and launched her vegan makeup range Haus Laboratories in 2019. She was also announced to star in a Ridley Scott film about Maurizio Gucci, portraying his ex-wife Patrizia Reggiani who was convicted of hiring a hitman to murder him.
2020: 'Chromatica'
Gaga announced her sixth album 'Chromatica' in 2020, releasing the lead single 'Stupid Love' in February. The album was due for release in April 2020, but the singer chose to push it back due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
2021: Lady Gaga sings at President Biden's inauguration
Lady Gaga sang the US National Anthem at Joe Biden's inauguration as President of the United States.
2021: 'Love For Sale' album with Tony Bennet
'Love For Sale' is the second album Lady Gaga and singer Tony Bennet have created together. The pair collaborated in 2014 to create a jazz album called 'Cheek to Cheek'.
'Love For Sale' came out on 30th September and is a tribute to Jazz composer Cole Porter. The album is made up of renditions of Cole Porter's songs sung by Lady Gaga and Tony Bennet, and even bagged them a Grammy Award!
2021: House of Gucci
Lady Gaga is no stranger to the big screen, proving yet again in 2021 that she is one talented actress! Gaga starred as Patrizia Reggiani in the film House of Gucci, which was released on 26th November 2021.
She later received a Golden Globe nomination for her part in the film.
April 2022: 'Hold My Hand' in Top Gun: Maverick soundtrack
On 27th April, Lady Gaga announced that she had written the song 'Hold My Hand' for the Top Gun: Maverick film. The song came out on 3rd May and fans were quick to share their excitement at hearing new material from the iconic singer.
July 2022: Lady Gaga kicks off 'The Chromatica Ball' tour
After it was postponed in 2020, Lady Gaga was finally able to begin her 'The Chromatica Ball' tour on Sunday 17th July. The tour took her across Europe, Asia and North America with two shows in London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 29th and 30th July.
While on tour, fans thought the singer had 'magic powers' after an object was stopped mid-flight after it was thrown at the singer!
August 2022: Lady Gaga confirms role in Joker 2
In August 2022, Lady Gaga officially confirmed that she was set to star alongside Joaquin Phoenix in the sequel to 2019 film Joker. After months of rumours, the singer confirmed the news with a short teaser clip, which revealed that the sequel - titled Joker: Folie à deux - will be released on 4th October 2024. And it's looking like we might hear a musical number, too!
2023: Nominations for 'Hold My Hand'
Gaga's song 'Hold My Hand' for Top Gun: Maverick received a pretty impressive amount of award nominations, getting nods at the Grammys, the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards. Despite the nominations, she lost out to Lin-Manuel Miranda for Encanto and M. M. Keeravani for RRR.
March 2023: Stripped-back Oscars performance of
Nominated for Best Original Song for 'Hold My Hand' at the 2023 Oscars, Lady Gaga performed the track live. In a stripped-down performance, the singer changed out of her Versace dress and diamonds and took to the stage in a T-Shirt, jeans and Converse!
April 2023: Gaga becomes co-chair of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities
In April 2023, President Joe Biden appointed Lady Gaga as co-chair of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities. In this role, she will advise the President and heads of the US cultural agencies on ways to enhance federal support for the arts and humanities.
July 2023: Lady Gaga pays tribute to Tony Bennett
Lady Gaga took to Instagram to share an emotional tribute to her 'real true friend' Tony Bennett following his death aged 96. Tony and Lady Gaga first met in 2011 and collaborated on the albums 'Cheek To Cheek' and 'Love For Sale.' In 2021, Lady Gaga joined Tony on stage for his last live performance before he retired.
What awards has Lady Gaga won?
Lady Gaga has won an array of awards throughout her career, including 13 Grammy Awards and three BRIT Awards. She also won the Oscar for Best Original Song in 2019, for 'Shallow' from A Star Is Born.
She has won two Golden Globe Awards throughout her career - the award for Best Actress - Miniseries of Television Film for American Horror Story: Hotel in 2016, and Best Original Song - Motion Picture for 'Shallow' in 2019.
What films has she been in?
In addition to her incredible music career, Lady Gaga has also enjoyed success in the world of acting. She starred as Elizabeth Johnson / The Countess in American Horror Story: Hotel, which aired between October 2015 and January 2016, with Lady Gaga winning a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress.
Lady Gaga played the role of Ally in the 2018 musical film A Star Is Born, starring alongside Bradley Cooper, who also made his debut as a director. The film's soundtrack was hugely popular, winning four Grammy Awards as well as 'Shallow' receiving the Oscar for Best Original Song.
For her performance in A Star Is Born, Lady Gaga became the first woman in history to win an Academy Award, Grammy, BAFTA and Golden Globe Award in one year.
Lady Gaga starred as Patrizia Reggiani in the crime drama film House of Gucci, which was released in November 2021. In 2024, she is set to star in the upcoming Joker: Folie à Deux film, which is set to be released in October.
What are Lady Gaga's biggest songs?
Having released five solo studio albums, Lady Gaga has had an array of huge hits throughout her career. We've taken a look at just some of her biggest songs below.
Lady Gaga - 'Just Dance'
'Just Dance' was Lady Gaga's debut single, and was released in April 2008. She previously told Heat that she wrote the huge song in 'about 10 minutes'.
The song topped the UK Singles Chart and is certified 3x Platinum.
WATCH: Lady Gaga - 'Just Dance'
Lady Gaga - 'Paparazzi'
Released in July 2009, 'Paparazzi' was another huge hit for Lady Gaga. The song featured on her debut studio album, 'The Fame'.
'Paparazzi' reached Number 4 on the UK Singles Chart and is certified Platinum.
WATCH: Lady Gaga - 'Paparazzi'
Lady Gaga - 'Alejandro'
'Alejandro' was released in April 2010 and featured on her EP 'The Fame Monster'. The song reached Number 7 on the UK Singles Chart and is certified Platinum.
WATCH: Lady Gaga - 'Alejandro'
Lady Gaga - 'Judas'
'Judas' was released in April 2011, as the second single from her second studio album 'Born This Way'. The song reached Number 8 on the UK Singles Chart and is certified Platinum.
WATCH: Lady Gaga - 'Judas'
'Shallow' with Bradley Cooper
'Shallow' was released in September 2018 and was on the soundtrack for the hugely-popular film A Star Is Born. Achieving huge success, 'Shallow' won an Oscar, Golden Globe, BAFTA and Critics' Choice Movie Award.
Lady Gaga and Bradley also performed the song together at the Oscars in an iconic performance that captured the hearts of fans - becoming the most watched clip by the Academy Awards on YouTube.
'Shallow' reached Number 1 on the UK Singles Chart and is certified 5x Platinum.
WATCH: Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper - 'Shallow'
Lady Gaga - 'Hold My Hand'
Released in May 2022, 'Hold My Hand' featured on the soundtrack of the Top Gun: Maverick film. It was written and produced by Lady Gaga.
The song reached Number 24 on the UK Singles Chart and is certified Gold.
WATCH: Lady Gaga - 'Hold My Hand'
Lady Gaga's makeup brand
Lady Gaga launched her makeup brand Haus Labs by Lady Gaga in September 2019, which sells vegan and cruelty-free products. The brand sells an array of products, including a foundation which is available in 51 shades, a concealer which comes in 31 shades and a selection of lip and eye products.
On the Haus Labs website, Lady Gaga said: "My vision for Haus Labs centres around the future of clean makeup, supercharged products with innovative formulations and novel ingredients."
Lady Gaga's outfits
Lady Gaga is a real style icon, having worn an array of incredible outfits over the years. From beautiful ballgowns on the red carpet, to impressive outfits on her 'Chromatica Ball' tour and THAT infamous meat dress - Lady Gaga has had so many iconic looks.
You can find out more about her amazing style here.
Born This Way Foundation
In 2012, Lady Gaga and her mum Cynthia Germanotta founded the Born This Way Foundation, which aims to support the mental health and wellbeing of young people, as well as reducing the stigma surrounding mental health.
According to the organisation's website, the foundation strives to 'work with young people to build a kinder and braver world.'
Has Lady Gaga performed at the Super Bowl Half-Time show?
She has! Lady Gaga delivered an incredible performance at the 2017 Super Bowl Half-Time show, where she sang a medley of her hits including 'Born This Way', 'Million Reasons' and 'Bad Romance'.
Lady Gaga's Half-Time show performance was met with acclaim from critics, going on to be nominated for six Emmy awards in 2017 - the most received by any Half-Time show.
Co-chair of President Biden's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities
In April 2023, Lady Gaga was announced as the co-chair of President Joe Biden's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, alongside producer Bruce Cohen. The panel acts as an advisory board to President Biden on cultural policy.
Lady Gaga also performed at President Biden's inauguration ceremony in January 2021, where she sang the American National Anthem.
Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett
Lady Gaga first met the late singer Tony Bennett in 2011, with the pair going on to collaborate on the albums 'Cheek to Cheek' (released in 2014) and 'Love for Sale' (released in 2021).
In 2021, Lady Gaga joined Tony on stage for his final live performance before he retired. After Tony sadly passed away in July 2023, Lady Gaga shared an emotional tribute on Instagram, describing him as her 'real true friend'.
Which artists has Lady Gaga worked with?
It's safe to say that Lady Gaga has worked with some incredible artists throughout her career, gifting us with epic collaborations including 'Telephone' with Beyoncé and 'Rain On Me' with Ariana Grande.
Take a look at some of Lady Gaga's biggest collabs:
'Just Dance' with Colby O'Donis
'Just Dance' was Lady Gaga's debut single back in 2008. Co-written with the legend Akon, it only took the duo 10 minutes to write the record, which has ended up becoming one of the best selling singles of all time, with sales reaching 10 million copies.
American singer Colby O'Donis featured on the track, helping the tune reach Number 1 on both the UK Singles Chart and the US Billboard Hot 100.
Watch the music video on YouTube.
'Starstruck' with Flo Rida
'Starstruck' was released following the success of Lady Gaga's debut album, 'The Fame.' Produced and released in 2008, the track featured a rap verse by Flo Rida, with the single peaking at Number 7 on the U.S. Bubbling Under Hot 100. However, it only reached Number 191 in the UK Singles Chart.
Watch the music video on YouTube.
'Telephone' with Beyoncé
'Telephone' was released in 2009, after Lady Gaga reissued her debut album under the name, 'The Fame Monster.' The song featured the one and only Beyoncé - two icons in one song, what more can we ask for?
Interestingly, Lady Gaga originally wrote the song for Britney Spears, but ended up recording it herself. And we bet she's glad that she did, as it ended up going to Number 1 in both the UK and the US.
Watch the music video on YouTube.
'LoveGame' with Marilyn Manson
'LoveGame' was originally released in 2009 and went straight to Number 1 in the US, and landed at Number 19 in the UK charts. The video was deemed too "sexual" in Australia and was therefore banned from being played pre-watershed (9pm).
In 2012, Lady Gaga re-released the record with American singer/songwriter Marilyn Manson, with the pair merging their gothic-like tones together to create an incredible duet.
Watch the music video on YouTube.
'Do What U Want' with Christina Aguilera
Released in 2014, Lady Gaga paired up with powerhouse Christina Aguilera after the duo teased they were working on something special. It peaked at Number 7 in the UK and Number 9 in the US.
Watch the music video on YouTube.
'I Can't Give You Anything but Love' with Tony Bennett
You may have forgotten this, but back in 2014, Lady Gaga released a collaborative jazz album, titled 'Cheek to Cheek', with Tony Bennett.
The album was a huge success, bringing a younger audience's ears to the jazz world, with the song topping Billboard's Jazz Digital Songs chart.
Watch the music video on YouTube.
'Hey Girl' with Florence Welch
'Hey Girl' was the only collaboration to feature on Lady Gaga's fifth studio album, 'Joanne.' The song was written by Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson and Florence Welch, with the latter ending up featuring on the song.
The song was never released as a single, but anyone who has listened to it will know it's a tear-jerker.
Watch the music video on YouTube.
'Shallow' with Bradley Cooper
Not only is Lady Gaga an iconic singer, she's also an extremely talented actress. Taking on the lead female role in 'A Star Is Born' in 2018, she released 'Shallow' with Bradley Cooper, which shot up the charts across the world, peaking at Number 1 in the UK, US, Canada, and many more countries.
The song achieved four Grammy award nominations, winning 'Best Pop Duo/Group Performance' and 'Best Song Written for Visual Media' in 2018. It also won an Academy Award for 'Best Original Song' and the Golden Globe Award for 'Best Original Song.'
Watch the music video on YouTube.
'Rain On Me' with Ariana Grande
Lady Gaga teamed up with pop superstar Ariana Grande in 2020 for 'Rain On Me', which was the second single release from Lady Gaga's sixth studio album, 'Chromatica.' The upbeat house, dance-pop and disco song debuted at Number 1 in the UK and US.
Their first performance of the song was also hailed as one of the best performances of all time, after they performed at the 2020 MTV VMAs wearing masks because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Watch the music video on YouTube.
'Sour Candy' with BLACKPINK
Another collaboration on her 'Chromatica' album was with the South Korean girl group BLACKPINK. Collaborating on the single, 'Sour Candy', the song hit Number 1 in Singapore, Number 3 the US and Number 17 in the UK.
Watch the music video on YouTube.
'Love For Sale' with Tony Bennet
Lady Gaga collaborated with Tony Bennet again in 2021 for their album 'Love For Sale'. It was released on 30th September and is a tribute to Jazz composer Cole Porter. The album includes 12 tracks, with the pair's renditions of Cole Porter songs.
Watch the 'Love For Sale' music video on YouTube
Now read:
Lady Gaga's biggest career achievements so far 👑
11 of Lady Gaga's biggest collaborations so far 🙌
14 of Lady Gaga's most iconic outfits