Gaga

An Italian-American from Yonkers, New York, Stefani Germanotta was educated in a private Roman Catholic school, began playing the piano at the age of four and wrote her first song when she was eleven. She studied music at New York University and started performing in clubs and burlesque shows while still a teenager. Dubbed Lady Gaga after the Queen hit 'Radio Ga Ga' by music producer Rob Fusari, and struck by a vocal style and love of glam rock reminiscent of Freddie Mercury, she formed "the ultimate pop burlesque rock show" with performance artist Lady Starlight. Lady Gaga went on to write songs for the likes of Fergie, Pussycat Dolls, Akon, New Kids on the Block and Britney Spears and released her first two singles in 2008, 'Pokerface' and 'Just Dance'. These achieved huge success around the world, especially within the clubbing scene, with 'Pokerface' reaching number one in more than 20 countries. To promote her debut album, 'The Fame', she opened for the Pussycat Dolls on their World Domination tour and then proceeded to tour as part of her own personal publicity campaign. Her eccentric, vaudevillian fashion tastes and musical ability have led many to label her as the female Freddie Mercury with glam rock heavily influencing her inanely catchy dance songs. The release in 2009 of her slightly darker second album 'The Fame Monster' was received well by critics, as did the publicity tour she embarked upon to publicise it. Due in some part to her outrageous fashion sense, Lady Gaga quickly became an international pop icon in 2010 after winning three BRIT Awards and a Grammy in the space of several weeks. She released 'Born This Way' in 2011 which topped the Billboard 200 in its first week, selling more than eight million copies worldwide. She followed up with 'Artpop' in 2012 and then 'Cheek to Cheek' in 2014, a collaborative jazz album with Tony Bennett. In 2015 she landed an acting role in the anthology series 'American Horror Story: Hotel'. She was renewed as a different character in the next series 'American Horror Story: Roanoke' and, inspired by the darkness of the series, released her fifth album 'Joanne'. She returned to acting in 2018 starring opposite Bradley Cooper in the remake of 'A Star Is Born'. She and Cooper were heavily featured on the accompanying soundtrack which was well received by critics. She also began work on her sixth solo album and started a two-year residency in Las Vegas. © ©Copyright Music Story 2020