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{{Infobox musical artist <!-- For individuals; see Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
| Name = Lady Gaga
| Img = The Monster Ball - Poker Face revamped2-tweak.jpg<!-- To avoid edit warring, please discuss on the talk page before changing the image -->
| Img_capt = Gaga performing on [[The Monster Ball Tour]] in 2010
| Img_alt = Portrait of a young, pale-skinned Caucasian female with blond hair
| Background = solo_singer
| Birth_name = Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta
| Born = {{Birth date and age|1986|3|28}}
| birth_place = New York City, United States
| Instrument = [[Singing|Vocals]], [[piano]], [[synthesizer]], [[keytar]]
| Genre = [[Pop music|Pop]], [[Dance music|dance]]
| Occupation = Singer-songwriter, performance artist,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.forbes.com/profile/lady-gaga |title=Lady Gaga Profile |work=[[Forbes]] |accessdate=2010-10-08}}</ref> record producer, dancer, businesswoman, activist<ref name=activist />
| Years_active = 2005–present
| Label = [[Def Jam Recordings|Def Jam]], [[Cherrytree Records|Cherrytree]], Streamline, [[Kon Live]], [[Interscope Records|Interscope]]
| URL = {{url|www.ladygaga.com}}
}}
'''Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta''' (born March 28, 1986), better known by her [[stage name]] '''Lady Gaga''', is an American pop [[singer-songwriter]]. After enrolling at [[New York University]]'s [[Tisch School of the Arts]] in 2003 and later performing in the rock music scene of New York City's [[Lower East Side]], she signed with Streamline Records, an imprint of [[Interscope Records]]. During her early time at Interscope, she worked as a songwriter for fellow label artists and captured the attention of recording artist [[Akon]] who, recognizing her vocal abilities, signed her to his own label, [[Kon Live Distribution]].
Gaga came to prominence following the release of her debut studio album ''[[The Fame]]'' (2008), which was a critical and commercial success and achieved international popularity with the singles "[[Just Dance]]" and "[[Poker Face (Lady Gaga song)|Poker Face]]". The album reached number one on the record charts of six countries, topped the [[Dance/Electronic Albums|''Billboard'' Dance/Electronic Albums]] chart while simultaneously peaking at number two on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] chart in the United States and accomplished positions within the top ten worldwide. Achieving similar worldwide success, ''[[The Fame Monster]]'' (2009), its follow-up, produced a further three global chart-topping singles "[[Bad Romance]]", "[[Telephone (song)|Telephone]]" and "[[Alejandro (song)|Alejandro]]" and allowed her to embark on her second global concert tour, [[The Monster Ball Tour]], just months after having finished her first, [[The Fame Ball Tour]]. Her second studio album ''[[Born This Way]]'' (2011) topped the charts in all major musical markets after the arrival of its singles "[[Born This Way (song)|Born This Way]]", "[[Judas (song)|Judas]]" and "[[The Edge of Glory]]" – the first-mentioned achieved the number-one spot in countries worldwide and was the fastest-selling single in the history of [[iTunes]], selling one million copies in five days.<ref name="mtv itunes">{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1658317/lady-gaga-born-this-way-itunes.jhtml |title= Lady Gaga's 'Born This Way' Is Fastest-Selling Single In iTunes History |author=Gil Kaufman |publisher=MTV |date=2011-02-18 |accessdate=2011-02-18}}</ref>
Inspired by [[glam rock]] artists like [[David Bowie]], [[Elton John]] and [[Queen (band)|Queen]], as well as pop singers such as [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]] and [[Michael Jackson]], Gaga is well-recognized for her outré and ever-changing sense of style in music, in fashion, in performance and in her music videos. Her contributions to the music industry have accrued her numerous achievements including five [[Grammy Award]]s, among twelve nominations; two ''[[Guinness World Records]]'';<ref>{{cite web |title=Lady Gaga Lands In 'Guinness World Records' Book |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1647973/20100916/lady_gaga.jhtml |author=Kaufman, Gill |date=2010-09-16 |accessdate=2010-12-16}}</ref> and the estimated sale of 13–15 million albums and 40–51 million singles worldwide.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2010/06/12/2010-06-12_seen_this_act_before_word_to_gaga__madonna_did_it_first_and_did_it_better.html |title=Word of advice to Lady Gaga: Madonna did it first and she did it better |last=Molloy |first=Joanna |date=2010-06-12 |work=[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]] |accessdate=2010-08-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://newsroom.mtv.com/2010/08/12/lady-gaga-los-angeles/ |title=Spotted: Lady Gaga Celebrates Success In Los Angeles |date=2010-08-12 |publisher=[[MTV News]] |accessdate=2010-08-18}}</ref> ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' named her the Artist of the Year in 2010,<ref>{{cite web |title=Lady Gaga Is Billboard's 2010 Artist of the Year, Ke$ha Takes Top New Act |url=http://www.billboard.com/news/lady-gaga-is-billboard-s-2010-artist-of-1004134049.story |date=2010-09-12 |author=Caulfield, Keith |work=Billboard |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc}}</ref> ranking her as the 73rd Artist of the 2000s decade.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.billboard.com/#/charts-decade-end/artists-of-the-decade?year=2009&begin=71&order=position |title=Artists of the Decade: Lady Gaga |date=2009-12-21 |accessdate=2010-05-21 |work=Billboard |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc}}</ref> Gaga has been included in ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine's annual [[Time 100]] list of the most influential people in the world as well as being listed in a number of ''[[Forbes]]''' annual lists.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.forbes.com/profile/lady-gaga|accessdate=2011-06-03|title=Forbes Profile: Lady Gaga|publisher=[[Forbes]]}}</ref>
== Life and career ==
=== 1986–2004: Early life ===
Lady Gaga was born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta on March 28, 1986, in New York City.<ref name="tvguide">{{cite web |url=http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/lady-gaga/bio/294098 |title=Lady GaGa: Biography |work=[[TV Guide]] |accessdate=2010-07-28}}</ref> The first child of [[Italian American]] Joseph Germanotta, an internet entrepreneur, and Cynthia (née [[Bissett (surname)|Bissett]]),<ref name="timesonline2">{{cite news |url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article5746827.ece | title=Lady Gaga: ready for her close-up | first=Ruby | last=Warrington | work=[[The Sunday Times]] | publisher=[[News International]] | date=2009-02-22 | accessdate=2009-02-22 | location=London}}</ref> Gaga has one sister, Natali, who was born in 1992.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.eonline.com/uberblog/b171698_lady_gagas_sis_makes_cameo_in_telephone.html|title=Lady Gaga's Sis Makes Cameo in "Telephone" Video|publisher=uk.eonline.com, [[E! Online]]|accessdate=2011-03-15|accessdate=2011-05-30}}</ref><!-- <ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.news-register.net/page/content.detail/id/525756.html |title=Pop Star Lady Gaga Has Roots in Ohio Valley |work=[[The Intelligencer & Wheeling News Register]] |publisher=[[Ogden Newspapers]] |date=2008-12-06 |accessdate=2009-12-22 |last=Severt |first=Holand}}</ref> --> Gaga is left-handed<ref name="Bio2">{{cite web | url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNa_-1d_0tA | title=Musicians @ google interview | publisher=youtube.com | accessdate=2011-03-22}}</ref> and began learning to play piano aged four, went on to write her first piano ballad at 13, and began performing at [[open mike]] nights by the age of 14.<ref name="Bio">{{cite web | url=http://www.ladygaga.com/bio/ | title=Biography of Lady Gaga | publisher=LadyGaga.com | accessdate=2009-01-09}}</ref> Raised as a [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]]<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1641149/lady-gagas-alejandro-director-defends-videos-religious-symbolism.jhtml |title=Lady Gaga's 'Alejandro' Director Defends Video's Religious Symbolism |last=Montogomery |first=James |date=2010-06-09 |accessdate=2011-01-11 |publisher=MTV (MTV Networks)}}</ref> on Manhattan's [[Upper West Side]] after the family moved there in 1993,<ref name="jmgaga">{{Cite book|last=Morgan|first=Johnny|title=Gaga|year=2010|publisher=[[Sterling Publishing]]|isbn=1402780591}}</ref> Gaga attended the [[Convent of the Sacred Heart (New York)|Convent of the Sacred Heart]], a private all-girls Roman Catholic school on Manhattan's [[Upper East Side]], from the age of 11.<ref name="Times Online.co.uk">{{cite news |url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article5325327.ece?token=null&offset=0&page=1 |title=Lady GaGa: the future of pop? |date=2008-12-14 |work=The Sunday Times |publisher=News International | first=Collins |last=Hattie |accessdate=2009-12-06 | location=London}}</ref><ref name="independent">{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/lady-gaga-how-the-world-went-crazy-for-the-new-queen-of-pop-1684375.html |title=Lady Gaga: How the world went crazy for the new queen of pop |last=Sturges |first=Fiona |date=2009-05-16 |work=[[The Independent]] |publisher=[[Independent News & Media]] |accessdate=2009-05-26 | location=London}}</ref> Despite the comparative wealth between the Upper East and West Sides, Gaga stressed that she did not come from a wealthy background, stating that her parents "both came from lower-class families, so we've worked for everything—my mother worked eight to eight out of the house, in [[telecommunication]]s, and so did my father."<ref name="TimesOnlineDec09">{{cite news | first=Lynn | last=Barber | title=Shady lady: The truth about pop's Lady Gaga | work=The Sunday Times | url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article6940885.ece | authorlink=Lynn Barber | date=2009-12-06 | accessdate=2010-06-14 | publisher=News International | location=London}}</ref> She described her academic life in high school as "very dedicated, very studious, very disciplined" but also "a bit insecure" as she told in an interview, "I used to get made fun of for being either too provocative or too eccentric, so I started to tone it down. I didn't fit in, and I felt like a freak."<ref>{{cite news | first=Jon | last=Bream |title=Don't Gag on Gaga | date=2009-03-21 | publisher=The Star Tribune Company | url =http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/music/41533957.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUsZ | work =[[Star Tribune]] | accessdate = 2010-01-23 | language = }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | first=Seth | last=Poppell | title=Lady Gaga was surprisingly normal | date=2009-12-22 | publisher=[[Bauer Media Group]] | url =http://www.intouchweekly.com/2009/12/in_touch_exclusivelady_gaga_wa.php | work =[[In Touch Weekly]] | accessdate = 2010-01-23 }}</ref> Acquaintances dispute that she did not fit in at school. "She had a core group of friends; she was a good student. She liked boys a lot, but singing was No. 1," recalled a former high school classmate.<ref name='whos-that-lady'>{{cite news | first=Maureen |last=Callahan |first2= Sara |last2= Stewart | title=Who's that lady? | date=2010-01-22 | publisher= News Corporation | url =http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/music/who_that_lady_CBlHI927dRlLmIwjVfGrwK | work =[[New York Post]] | accessdate = 2010-03-26 }}</ref>
An avid actor in high school [[Musical theatre|musicals]], Gaga portrayed the lead roles of Adelaide in ''[[Guys and Dolls]]'' and Philia in ''[[A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum]]''.<ref name='growingupgaga'>{{cite news | first= Vanessa | last=Grigoriadis |authorlink= Vanessa Grigoriadis | title=Growing Up Gaga| date=2010-03-28 | publisher=New York Media Holdings |url=http://nymag.com/arts/popmusic/features/65127 | work =[[New York (magazine)|New York]] |page=7 |accessdate=2010-03-29 }}</ref> She also appeared in a very small role as a mischievous classmate in the television drama series ''[[The Sopranos]]'' in a 2001 episode titled "[[The Telltale Moozadell]]".<ref>{{cite web|title=Lady Gaga's 'Sopranos' Cameo Surfaces|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1649702/lady-gagas-sopranos-cameo-surfaces.jhtml|date=2010-10-11|accessdate=2011-07-02|first=Eric|last=Ditzian|work=MTV}}</ref> At 16, she began to sing and play in front of live audiences and unsuccessfully auditioned for parts in New York shows.<ref name="jmgaga"/> When her time at the Convent of the Sacred Heart came to an end, her mother encouraged her to apply to [[New York University]] to study drama and performance – specifically the [[Collaborative Arts Project 21 (CAP21)|Collaborative Arts Project 21]] (CAP21), which is a faculty of the [[Tisch School of the Arts]].<ref name="jmgaga"/> Aged 17, Gaga gained early admission and lived in a [[New York University residence halls|NYU dorm]] on 11th Street. There, she studied music and sharpened her songwriting skills by composing essays and analytical papers focusing on topics such as art, religion, social issues and politics.<ref name="Bio" /><ref name=ARTISTdirect>{{cite web |url=http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/news/article/0,,4931544,00.html |title= Interview: Lady GaGa |accessdate=2009-02-18 |last=Florino |first= Rick |date=2009-01-30 |publisher=[[Artistdirect]]. Artistdirect, Inc.}}</ref> Gaga wrote a [[thesis]] on pop artists [[Spencer Tunick]] and [[Damien Hirst]]; research that prepared her for her future career focus in "music, art, sex and celebrity."<ref name='always-famous'>{{cite news | title = Lady Gaga: 'I’ve always been famous, you just didn’t know it' | date = 2010-02-16 | url = http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopfeatures/7221051/Lady-Gaga-Ive-always-been-famous-you-just-didnt-know-it.html | work = The Telegraph | last= Carlton |first=Andrew |accessdate = 2011-02-09}}</ref> Gaga felt that she was more creative than some of her classmates. "Once you learn how to think about art, you can teach yourself," she said. Being part of such a prestigious performance course, Gaga tried for and passed auditions while at CAP21,<ref name="jmgaga"/> including the part of an unsuspecting diner customer where MTV's ''[[Boiling Points]]'', a prank reality television show, was being filmed.<ref>{{cite web|title=Vintage Lady Gaga! Watch Gaga On MTV's 'Boiling Points' In 2005|url=http://buzzworthy.mtv.com/2009/10/05/vintage-lady-gaga-watch-gaga-on-mtvs-boiling-points-in-2005/|work=MTV|date=2009-10-05|accessdate=2011-07-02|first=Tamar|last=Anitai}}</ref> However, by the second semester of her sophomore year, she withdrew from the school to focus on her musical career.<ref name="mtv 55">{{cite news |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1589013/20080609/lady_gaga.jhtml |title=Lady GaGa Brings Her Artistic Vision Of Pop Music To New Album |last=Harris |first=Chris |date=2008-06-09 |accessdate=2009-05-07 |work=MTV |publisher=[[MTV Networks]]}}</ref> Her father agreed to pay her rent for a year, on the condition that she re-enroll at Tisch if she was unsuccessful. "I left my entire family, got the cheapest apartment I could find, and ate shit until somebody would listen," she said.<ref name='growingupgaga' />
=== 2005–07: Career beginnings ===
[[File:Lady Gaga at Lollapalooza 2007.jpg|thumb|Gaga (''right'') performing with Lady Starlight (''left'') at [[Lollapalooza]] 2007]]
Settled in a small apartment on [[Rivington Street (Manhattan)|Rivington Street]] towards the summer of 2005,<ref name="jmgaga"/> Gaga recorded a couple of songs with hip-hop singer [[Melle Mel|Grandmaster Melle Mel]], for an audio book accompanying the children's book ''The Portal in the Park'', by Cricket Casey.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://blogs.villagevoice.com/dailymusto/2010/01/lady_gaga_did_a.php | title=Lady Gaga Did a Children's Book In 2007! | date=2010-01-19 |work=[[The Village Voice]] |publisher= |last=Musto |first=Michael |accessdate=2010-01-19}}</ref> She also began a band called the Stefani Germanotta Band (SGBand) with some friends from NYU – guitarist Calvin Pia, bassist Eli Silverman and drummer Alex Beckham – in September of that year.<ref name="jmgaga"/> The band played a mixture of songs: some self-penned, along with classic rock numbers like [[Led Zeppelin]]'s "[[D'yer Mak'er]]".<ref name="jmgaga"/> Playing in [[Lower East Side]] bars like [[The Bitter End]] and the [[Mercury Lounge]], the band developed a small fan base and caught the eye of music producer Joe Vulpis.<ref name="jmgaga"/> Soon after arranging time in Vulpis' studio beneath a New Jersey liquor store in the months that followed, SGBand were selling their extended plays ''Words'' and ''Red and Blue'' at gigs around New York while becoming a local fixture of the downtown Lower East Side club scene.<ref name="growingupgaga"/> While at the peak of their career, SGBand performed at the 2006 [[Songwriters Hall of Fame]] New Songwriters Showcase at [[The Cutting Room]] in June where Wendy Starland, a singing model, appeared as a talent scout for music producer [[Rob Fusari]] who was searching for a female singer to front a new band. After Starland had informed Fusari of Gaga's ability, he contacted her. By this time, SGBand had grown apart and Gaga left to work with the music producer in New Jersey where she would travel daily to work on songs she had written and compose new material.<ref name="jmgaga"/> While in collaboration, Fusari compared some of her vocal harmonies to those of [[Freddie Mercury]], lead singer of [[Queen (band)|Queen]].<ref name="mirrorstone" /> It was Fusari who helped created the moniker Gaga after the Queen song "[[Radio Ga Ga]]". Gaga was in the process of trying to come up with a stage name when she received a text message from Fusari that read "Lady Gaga."<ref name="Nj.com">{{cite news | first=Lisa | last=Rose |title=Lady Gaga's outrageous persona born in Parsippany, New Jersey | date=2010-01-21 | publisher=[[Advance Publications]] | url =http://www.nj.com/entertainment/music/index.ssf/2010/01/lady_gaga_her_outrageous_perso.html | work =[[The Star-Ledger]] |accessdate = 2010-01-23}}</ref> He explained, "Every day, when Stef came to the studio, instead of saying hello, I would start singing 'Radio Ga Ga'. That was her entrance song. [Lady Gaga] was actually a glitch; I typed 'Radio Ga Ga' in a text and it did an [[T9 (predictive text)|autocorrect]] so somehow 'Radio' got changed to 'Lady'. She texted me back, "That's it." After that day, she was Lady Gaga.<ref name="Contactmusic.com" /> She's like, "Don't ever call me Stefani again."<ref name="Nj.com" /> The ''[[New York Post]]'', however, has reported that this story is incorrect, and that the name resulted from a marketing meeting.<ref name='whos-that-lady' />
[[File:Gaga at bazaar.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Gaga performing at The Bazaar in Atlanta, Georgia, sporting one of her earlier looks (2008)|alt=Full right profile of a young blond woman, surrounded by sitting spectators in a pub. She wears a black leotard and her long hair falls around her side. With her right hand she holds a pair of video sunglasses to her eyes.]]
Although the musical relationship between Fusari and Gaga was unsuccessful at first, the pair soon set up a company titled Team Lovechild, in which they recorded and produced electro-beat pop tracks and sent them to music industry bosses.<ref name="jmgaga"/> Joshua Sarubin, the head of [[Artists and repertoire|A&R]] at [[Def Jam Recordings]], responded positively and vied for the record company to take a chance on her "unusual and provocative" performance. After having his boss [[L.A. Reid|Antonio "L.A." Reid]] in agreement, Gaga was signed to Def Jam in September 2006 with the intention of having an album ready in nine months.<ref name="jmgaga"/> However, she was dropped by the label after only three months.<ref name="Allmusic bio">{{cite web |url={{Allmusic |class=artist |id=lady-gaga-p1055684 |pure_url=yes}} |title=Allmusic <nowiki>|</nowiki> Lady Gaga |last=Birchmeier |first=Jason |date=2008-04-20 |publisher=[[Allmusic]]. [[Rovi Corporation]] |accessdate=2010-01-03}}</ref> Devastated, Gaga returned to the solace the family home for Christmas as well as the nightlife culture of the Lower East Side. Becoming fascinated with some of the emerging [[neo-burlesque]] shows, Gaga began [[Go-Go dancing]] in bars dressed in little more than bikini.<ref name="jmgaga"/> She began experimenting with drugs in addition performing in many shows.<ref name="Times Online.co.uk"/> "I was onstage in a thong, with a fringe hanging over my ass thinking that had covered it, lighting hairsprays on fire, Go-Go dancing to [[Black Sabbath]] and singing songs about oral sex. The kids would scream and cheer and then we'd all go grab a beer. It represented freedom to me. I went to a Catholic school but it was on the New York underground that I found myself."<ref name="always-famous"/> Her father, however, did not understand the reason behind her drug intake and could not look at her for several months.<ref name="Times Online.co.uk" /><ref name="Contactmusic.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.contactmusic.com/info/lady_gaga |title=Lady GaGa Profile |accessdate=2009-02-20 |last=Reporter |first=Staff |publisher=[[Contactmusic.com]] }}</ref> During this time, she met performance artist Lady Starlight, who helped mold her on-stage persona.<ref name="Blast">{{cite news |url=http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/entertainment/meet-the-woman-who-inspired-lady-gaga_100324226.html |title=Meet the woman who inspired Lady Gaga |last=Cassis |first=Christine |date=2010-02-22 |publisher=[[Thaindian News]] |accessdate=2010-02-03}}</ref> Starlight explained that, upon their first meeting, Gaga wanted to perform with her to songs she had recorded with Fusari. Like SGBand, the pair began playing gigs at many of the downtown club venues like the Mercury Lounge, The Bitter End, and the Rockwood Music Hall. Their live performance art piece was known as "Lady Gaga and the Starlight Revue"<ref name="seattleweekly">{{cite news |url=http://www.seattleweekly.com/2008-11-19/music/lady-gaga-some-like-it-pop/ |title=Lady GaGa: Some Like it Pop |last=Hobart |first=Erika |date=2008-11-18 |publisher=[[Village Voice Media]] |work=[[Seattle Weekly]] |accessdate=2009-01-10}}</ref><ref name="METRO">{{cite news |url=http://www.metro.co.uk/metrolife/461127-profile-just-who-is-lady-gaga |title=Just Who Is Lady GaGa? |last=Lee |first=Ann |date=2009-01-06 |work=[[Metro (British newspaper)|Metro]] |publisher=[[Associated Newspapers]] |accessdate=2009-02-26}}</ref> and, billed as "The Ultimate Pop Burlesque Rockshow", their act was a low-fi tribute to 1970s variety acts.<ref name="BMI">{{cite web |url=http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/535267 |title=Lady Gaga |date= 2007-07-09 |publisher=[[Broadcast Music Incorporated]] |accessdate=2009-02-26}}</ref><ref name="SUN">{{cite news |url=http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/article2148146.ece |title=GaGa: On stripping, drugs and No 1s |last=Martin |first=Charlotte |date=2009-01-23 |work=[[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]] |accessdate=2009-02-26 |publisher=News International}}</ref> Soon after, the two were invited to play at the 2007 [[Lollapalooza]] music festival in August that year.<ref name="WMagazine">{{cite news |url=http://www.wmagazine.com/celebrities/2007/10/lady_gaga |title=Going Ga-Ga for Lady Gaga |last=D'Souza |first=Nandini |date=2007-10-18 |work=[[W (magazine)|W Magazine]] |accessdate=2009-01-03 |publisher=[[Condé Nast Publications]]}}</ref> The show was critically acclaimed, and their performance received positive reviews.<ref name="Bio" /><ref name="seattleweekly"/> Having initially focused on [[avant-garde]] [[electronic dance music]], Gaga had found her musical niche when she began to incorporate pop melodies and the [[glam rock]] of [[David Bowie]] and Queen into her music.<ref name="Electro Pop Diva">{{cite news | url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1110125/Why-world-going-gaga-electro-pop-diva-Stefani.html | title=Why the world is going gaga for electro-pop diva Stefani | work=[[Daily Mail]] | publisher=Associated Newspapers | first=Adrian |last=Thrills | date=2009-01-09 | accessdate=2009-01-12 }}</ref>
While Gaga and Starlight were busy performing, producer Rob Fusari continued to work on the songs he had created with Gaga. Fusari sent these songs to his friend, producer and [[Music executive|record executive]] Vincent Herbert.<ref name="trans26">{{cite video |title=Transmission Gaga-vision: Episode 26 |date=2008-12-16 |publisher=Lady Gaga Official website |people=Haus of GaGa |accessdate=2009-12-17}}</ref> Herbert was quick to sign her to his label Streamline Records, an [[Trade name|imprint]] of [[Interscope Records]], upon its establishment in 2007.<ref name="newimprent">{{cite journal |last=Mitchell |first=Gail |date=2007-11-10 |title=Interscope's New Imprint |journal=Billboard |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc |volume=119 |issue=45 |page=14 |url=http://books.google.com/?id=xw4EAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA14&dq=%22vincent%20herbert%20launches%20streamline%22&pg=PA14#v=onepage&q= |accessdate=2010-05-06 |issn=0006-2510}}</ref> She credited Herbert as the man who discovered her, adding "I really feel like we made pop history, and we're gonna keep going."<ref name="trans26" /> Having already served as an apprentice songwriter under an internship at [[Famous Music|Famous Music Publishing]], which was later acquired by [[Sony/ATV Music Publishing]], Gaga subsequently struck a [[music publisher (popular music)|music publishing]] deal with Sony/ATV.<ref name="bbcover" /> As a result, she was hired to write songs for [[Britney Spears]] and labelmates [[New Kids on the Block]], [[Fergie (singer)|Fergie]], and the [[Pussycat Dolls]].<ref name="bbcover">{{cite news |last=Harding |first=Cortney |date=2009-08-15 |title=Lady Gaga: The Billboard Cover Story |work=Billboard |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc |url=http://www.billboard.com/news/lady-gaga-the-billboard-cover-story-1004001347.story |accessdate=2010-05-06}}</ref> While Gaga was writing at Interscope, singer-songwriter [[Akon]] recognized her vocal abilities when she sang a reference vocal for one of his tracks in studio.<ref name="totallygaga">{{cite news |url=http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/features/Lady-GaGa-Totally-GaGa.4891798.jp |title=Lady GaGa: Totally Ga-Ga |accessdate=2009-02-20 |last=Cowing |first= Emma |date=2009-01-20 |work=[[The Scotsman]] |publisher=[[Johnston Press]]}}</ref> He then convinced [[Interscope-Geffen-A&M]] Chairman and CEO [[Jimmy Iovine]] to form a joint deal by having her also sign with his own label [[Kon Live Distribution]]<ref name="Allmusic bio" /> and later called her his "franchise player."<ref name="franchise">{{cite news |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1613350/20090605/akon.jhtml |title=Akon Calls Lady Gaga His 'Franchise Player' |last=Vena |first=Jocelyn |date=2009-06-05 |publisher=MTV Networks |work=MTV |accessdate=2009-06-20}}</ref> As 2007 came to a close, her former management company introduced her to songwriter and producer [[RedOne]], whom they also managed.<ref name="hitquarters.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.hitquarters.com/index.php3?page=intrview/opar/intrview_RedOne_Interview.html |title=Interview With RedOne |date=2009-03-23 |publisher=[[HitQuarters]] |accessdate=2009-12-19}}</ref> The first song she produced with RedOne was "Boys Boys Boys",<ref name="hitquarters.com"/> a [[mashup (music)|mash-up]] inspired by [[Mötley Crüe]]'s "[[Girls, Girls, Girls (song)|Girls, Girls, Girls]]" and [[AC/DC]]'s "[[T.N.T. (song)|T.N.T.]]".<ref name="Contactmusic.com" /> Gaga continued her collaboration with RedOne in the recording studio for a week on her debut album<ref name="bbcover"/> and also joined the roster of [[Cherrytree Records]], an Interscope imprint established by producer and songwriter [[Martin Kierszenbaum]], after co-writing four songs with Kierszenbaum including the single "[[Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)]]".<ref name="bbcover" />
===2008–10: ''The Fame'' and ''The Fame Monster''===
[[File:Lady GaGa at 2009 MTV VMA's.jpg|left|thumb|upright|Gaga at the [[2009 MTV Video Music Awards]]|alt=Right profile of a young blond woman. She wears a mauve leotard with purple stripes. Her hair is curled up behind her head. She holds a silver trophy in her right hand. A black background with red letters is visible behind her.]]
By 2008, Gaga had relocated to Los Angeles and worked extensively with her record label in order to finalize her debut album ''[[The Fame]]'' (2008).<ref name="Contactmusic.com" /> She combined different genres on the album, "from [[Def Leppard]] drums and hand claps to [[heavy metal music|metal]] drums on [[urban music|urban tracks]]."<ref name="Allmusic bio" /> ''The Fame'' received positive reviews from contemporary critics; according to the music review aggregation of [[Metacritic]], it garnered an average score of 71/100.<ref name="thefamemeta">{{cite web | url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/the-fame | title=Lady Gaga: The Fame | publisher=[[Metacritic]] | accessdate=2009-01-09}}</ref> The album peaked at number one in United Kingdom, Canada, Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Ireland, and the top-five in Australia, the United States and fifteen other countries.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/L/Lady_GaGa/2009/01/14/8022056-jam.html | title=Lady GaGa's 'Fame' rises to No. 1 | work=[[Jam!]] |publisher=[[Canadian Online Explorer]] | first=John |last=Williams | accessdate=2009-01-14 |date=2009-01-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://acharts.us/album/37558 |title=Lady Gaga – The Fame – World Charts |publisher=aCharts.us |accessdate=2009-01-08}}</ref> Worldwide, ''The Fame'' has sold over fourteen million copies.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.universalmusic.fr/lady-gaga/actu/dance-in-the-dark-le-nouveau-single-de-lady-gaga/ | title="Dance In The Dark", le nouveau single de Lady Gaga | publisher=Universal Music France | language=French | accessdate=2010-10-26 | date=2010-08-25}}</ref> Its lead single "[[Just Dance]]" topped the charts in six countries—Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States—and later received a Grammy Award nomination for [[Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording|Best Dance Recording]].<ref name="Grammy">{{cite web |url=http://www2.grammy.com/grammy_awards/51st_show/list.aspx |title=The 51st Annual Grammy Awards Nominations List |publisher=[[National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences]] |accessdate=2009-01-02}}</ref> The following single "[[Poker Face (Lady Gaga song)|Poker Face]]" was an even greater success, reaching number-one in almost all major music markets in the world, including the United Kingdom and the United States.<ref name="Poker Face on acharts">{{cite web |url=http://acharts.us/song/37371 |title=Lady Gaga – Poker Face – World Charts |publisher=aCharts.us |accessdate=2009-01-03}}</ref> It won the award for Best Dance Recording at the [[52nd Grammy Awards]], over nominations for [[Grammy Award for Song of the Year|Song of the Year]] and [[Grammy Award for Record of the Year|Record of the Year]]. ''The Fame'' was nominated for [[Grammy Award for Album of the Year|Album of the Year]]; it won the [[Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronica Album]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Music/01/31/grammys.winner.list/index.html |title=List of Grammy winners |publisher=CNN. [[Turner Broadcasting System]] |date=2010-02-01 |accessdate=2010-04-25}}</ref> Although her first concert tour happened as an opening act for fellow Interscope pop group, the reformed [[New Kids on the Block]],<ref>{{cite news |title=International Pop Star Lady Gaga Set to Tour With New Kids on the Block |work=Reuters |publisher=Thomson Reuters |date=2008-10-31 |last=Reporter |first=Staff |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2008/10/04/idUS16002+04-Oct-2008+PRN20081004 |accessdate=2009-01-08 |date=2009-01-08}}</ref> she ultimately embarked on her own worldwide concert tour, [[The Fame Ball Tour]], which was critically appreciated and began in March 2009; ending in September of that year.<ref name="billboardreview">{{cite news |url=http://login.vnuemedia.com/bbbiz/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003969033 |title=Lady Gaga / May 2, 2009 / New York (Terminal 5) |last=Menze |first=Jill |date=2009-05-29 |work=Billboard |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc |accessdate=2009-05-05}}</ref> The cover of the annual "Hot 100" issue of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' in May 2009 featured a semi-nude Gaga wearing only strategically placed plastic bubbles.<ref name="mirrorstone">{{cite news |url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/2009/05/28/lady-gaga-gets-naked-for-rolling-stone-cover-shoot-see-her-sexy-pictures-here-115875-21396568/ |title=Lady GaGa gets naked for Rolling Stone cover shoot |last=Gregory |first=Jason |date=2009-05-28 |work=Daily Mirror |publisher=Trinity Mirror |accessdate=2009-05-28}}</ref><ref name="rsannual" /> In the issue she said that while she was beginning her career in the New York club scene, she was romantically involved with a [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]] drummer. She described their relationship and break-up, saying of it, "I was his Sandy, and he was my Danny [of ''[[Grease (film)|Grease]]''], and I just broke." He later became an inspiration behind some of the songs on ''The Fame''.<ref name="rsannual">{{cite journal |last=Hiatt |first=Brian |date=2009-05-30 |title=The Rise of Lady Gaga |journal=Rolling Stone |publisher=[[Jann Wenner]] |location=New York |volume=1080 |issue=43 |accessdate=2009-06-02 |issn=0035-791X}}</ref> She was nominated for a total of nine awards at the [[2009 MTV Video Music Awards]], winning the award for [[MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist|Best New Artist]], while her single "[[Paparazzi (Lady Gaga song)|Paparazzi]]" won two awards for [[MTV Video Music Award for Best Art Direction|Best Art Direction]] and [[MTV Video Music Award for Best Special Effects|Best Special Effects]].<ref name="MTV VMA award winners">{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2009/winners.jhtml |title=2009 MTV Video Music Awards Winners |work=MTV |publisher=MTV Networks |accessdate=2009-09-14}}</ref> In October Gaga received ''Billboard'' magazine's Rising Star of 2009 award.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.billboard.com/news/beyonce-accepts-billboard-s-woman-of-the-1004018301.story |title=Beyonce Accepts Billboard's Woman Of the Year Award, Lady Gaga Is Rising Star |last=Caulfield |first=Keith |date=2009-10-03 |work=Billboard |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc |accessdate=2009-10-06}}</ref> She attended the [[Human Rights Campaign]]'s "National Dinner" the same month, before marching in the [[National Equality March]] for the equal protection of [[LGBT]] people in all matters governed by U.S. civil law in Washington, D.C.<ref name="activist">{{cite news |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/11/AR2009101101892_2.html?hpid=topnews&sid=ST2009101101924 |title=For Gay Activists, The Lady Is a Champ |accessdate=2009-12-12 |last=Zak |first=Dan |date=2009-10-12 |work=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref><ref name="E!">{{cite news |url=http://uk.eonline.com/uberblog/b148428_kanye_who_lady_gaga_teams_up_with.html |title=Kanye Who? Lady Gaga Teams Up With President Obama |accessdate=2009-12-12 |first=Fowler |last=Brand |date=2009-10-12 |work=[[E! Entertainment Television]] |publisher=E! Online}}</ref>
[[File:Gaga-monster ball UK DITD.jpg|thumb|upright|Gaga performing in 2010 at [[The Monster Ball Tour]]|alt= Profile of a young blond woman. Her hair falls in waves up to her shoulders. She wears a purple leotard with visible sequins attached. Ample bosom, arm and leg are visible.]]
Written over the course of 2008–09, ''[[The Fame Monster]]'', a collection of eight songs, was released in November 2009. Each song, dealing with the darker side of fame from personal experience while she traveled the world, is expressed through a [[Paranoia|monster]] metaphor. Its first single "[[Bad Romance]]" topped the charts in eighteen countries, while reaching the top-two in the United States, Australia and New Zealand.<ref name="finance2">{{cite news |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lady-gaga-returns-with-8-new-songs-on-the-fame-monster-63780227.html |title=Lady Gaga Returns With 8 New Songs on 'The Fame Monster' |last=Release |first=Press |date=2009-10-08 |publisher=[[PR Newswire]] |accessdate=2009-10-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://acharts.us/song/51422 |title=Lady Gaga – Bad Romance – World Charts |publisher=acharts.us |accessdate=2010-04-17}}</ref> In the U.S., Gaga became the first artist in digital history to have three singles (along with "Just Dance" and "Poker Face") to pass the four million mark in digital sales.<ref name="ussaleofthefame">{{cite news |url=http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart_watch/55472/week-ending-june-20-2010-lets-thank-him-now/ |title=Week Ending June 20, 2010: Let's Thank Him Now |last=Grein |first=Paul |date=2010-06-23 |publisher=[[Yahoo!]] |accessdate=2009-12-31}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart_watch/59466/chart-watch-extra-gagas-nice-round-number/ |page=2 |title=Chart Watch Extra: Gaga's Nice Round Number |last=Grein |first=Paul |date=2010-07-23 |publisher=Yahoo! |accessdate=2009-07-24}}</ref> The song won a Grammy for [[Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance|Best Female Pop Vocal Performance]] while its accompanying music video won the [[Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/13/53rd-annual-grammy-awards-the-winners-list/ |title=53rd annual Grammy awards: The winners list – The Marquee Blog – CNN.com Blogs |work=[[CNN]] |accessdate=February 21, 2011}}</ref> The album's second single "[[Telephone (song)|Telephone]]", which features singer [[Beyoncé Knowles|Beyoncé]], was nominated for the [[Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals]] and became Gaga's fourth UK number-one single<ref>{{cite news |title=Lady Gaga tops UK album and single charts |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8579244.stm |publisher=BBC News |date=2010-03-22 |accessdate=2010-12-13}}</ref> while its accompanying music video, although controversial, received a more positive reception from contemporary critics: praising her for "the musicality and showmanship of Michael Jackson and the powerful sexuality and provocative instincts of Madonna".<ref>{{cite web |title=Lady GaGa's Telephone video |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopfeatures/7466152/Lady-GaGas-Telephone-video.html |publisher=The Daily Telegraph (London) |author=McCormick, Neil |date=2010-03-17 |accessdate=2010-12-13}}</ref> Her following single "[[Alejandro (song)|Alejandro]]" paired Gaga with fashion photographer [[Steven Klein]] for a music video similarly as controversial—critics complimented its idea and dark nature,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1641026/20100608/lady_gaga.jhtml |title=Lady Gaga's 'Alejandro' Video: German Expressionism With A Beat! |date=2010-06-08 |accessdate=2010-12-13 |last=Montgomery |first=James |work=MTV |publisher=MTV Networks}}</ref> but the [[Catholic League (U.S.)|Catholic League]] attacked Gaga for her alleged use of [[blasphemy]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.catholicleague.org/release.php?id=1881 |publisher=[[Catholic League (U.S.)|Catholic League]] |accessdate=2010-12-13 |title=Catholic League: For Religious and Civil Rights}}</ref> Despite the controversy surrounding her music videos, they made Gaga the first artist to gain over one billion [[Viral video|viral views]] on video-sharing website [[YouTube]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/11626592 |title=Lady Gaga beats Justin Bieber to YouTube record |last=Whitworth |first=Dan |date=2010-10-26 |work=[[BBC]] |publisher=[[Newsbeat|BBC Newsbeat]] |accessdate=2010-12-28}}</ref> Musically, ''The Fame Monster'' has also received abundant success. Equating to the amount of Grammy nominations her debut received, ''The Fame Monster'' garnered a total of six; the album won for [[Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album|Best Pop Vocal Album]] and earned her a second-consecutive nomination for Album of the Year.<ref>[http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/13/53rd-annual-grammy-awards-the-winners-list/ 53rd annual Grammy awards: The winners list – The Marquee Blog – CNN.com Blogs<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Nominations list for the 53rd annual Grammy awards |url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/awards/grammys/2010-12-01-grammy-nominations-list_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip |date=2010-12-01 |publisher=USA Today}}</ref> The success of the album allowed Gaga to start her second worldwide concert tour, [[The Monster Ball Tour]], just weeks after the release of ''The Fame Monster'' and months after having finished The Fame Ball Tour.<ref name="bbannounceball">{{cite news |url=http://www.billboard.com/news/lady-gaga-unveils-monster-ball-tour-dates-1004022735.story |title=Lady Gaga Unveils 'The Monster Ball' |accessdate=2009-10-15 |date=2009-10-15 |last=Herrera |first=Monica |work=Billboard |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc}}</ref> Upon finishing in May 2011, the critically acclaimed<ref name="guardian">{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2009/nov/30/lady-gaga-monster-ball |title=Lady Gaga's Monster Ball, reviewed by a theatre critic |last=Nestruck |first=Kelly |date=2009-11-30 |work=[[The Guardian]] |publisher=[[Guardian News and Media]] |accessdate=2009-12-01}}</ref><ref name="rs">{{cite journal |url= |title=Live Review: Lady Gaga Brings Her Pop Theatricality to Boston in First U.S. "Monster Ball" Show |last=Adams |first=Jeremy |date=2009-12-02 |work=Rolling Stone |publisher=[[Jann Wenner]] |accessdate=2009-12-04 |issn=0035-791X}}</ref> and commercially accomplished<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.billboard.com/#/features/top-25-tours-2010-1004134022.story |title=Top 25 Tours 2010 |date=2010-12-13 |accessdate=2010-12-14 |work=Billboard |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc}}</ref> tour ran for over one and a half years and, according to [[Billboard (magazine)|''Billboard'']], grossed 227.4 million dollars, making it one of the highest-grossing concert tours of all time and the highest-grossing for a debut headlining artist.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/#/events/lady-gaga-s-monster-ball-tour-breaks-record-1005172562.story|title=Lady Gaga's Monster Ball Tour Breaks Record for Debut Headlining Artist|date=2011-05-05|first=Ray|last=Waddell|work=Billboard|publisher=billboard.com, Prometheus Global Media|accessdate=2011-06-02}}</ref> Additionally, Gaga has performed other songs from the album at international events such as the 2009 [[Royal Variety Performance]] where she sang "[[Speechless (Lady Gaga song)|Speechless]]", a [[Power ballads|power ballad]], in the presence of Queen [[Elizabeth II]];<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/2009/12/08/lady-gaga-meets-the-queen-at-royal-variety-performance-115875-21881111/ |title=Lady GaGa meets the Queen at Royal Variety Performance |last=Lawter |first=Daniel |date=2009-12-08 |work=[[Daily Mirror]] |publisher=[[Trinity Mirror]] |accessdate=2009-12-09}}</ref> the [[52nd Grammy Awards]] where her opening performance consisted of the song "Poker Face" and a piano duet of "Speechless" in a medley of "[[Your Song]]" with [[Elton John]];<ref>{{cite web |title=Elton John gets dirty with Lady Gaga as they duet at the Grammys |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1247638/Grammy-Awards-2010-Elton-John-Lady-Gaga-duet-sing-Your-Song-Speechless.html |first=Lizzie |last=Smith |date=2010-02-01 |accessdate=2011-01-05 |work=Daily Mail |location=London}}</ref> and the [[2010 BRIT Awards]] where a performance of an acoustic rendition of "Telephone" followed by "[[Dance in the Dark]]" dedicated to the late fashion designer and close friend, [[Alexander McQueen]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Lady Gaga throws Brit Awards into chaos as she ditches plans for big performance |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1251380/Brit-Awards-2010-Lady-Gaga.html |publisher=The Daily Mail |location=London |date=2010-02-16 |accessdate=2010-12-28 |first1=Lizzie |last1=Smith |first2=Ben |last2=Todd}}</ref> supplemented her hat-trick win at the awards ceremony.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lady Gaga wins Brit Awards triple |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8517579.stm |publisher=BBC News |date=2010-02-16 |accessdate=2010-12-28}}</ref>
Excited about bringing back [[Polaroid Corporation|Polaroid]] and "combining it with the digital era", Gaga was named Chief Creative Officer for a line of imaging products for the international optic company in January 2010 with the intent of creating fashion, technology and photography products.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lady Gaga wears hat made entirely from her own hair |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/fashion/2010/01/08/2010-01-08_lady_gaga_wears_hat_made_entirely_from_her_own_hair.html |last=Eisinger |first=Amy |work=Daily News |publisher=News Corporation |date=2010-01-08 |accessdate=2010-01-10}}</ref> Her production team, Mermaid Music LLC, was sued in March by [[Rob Fusari]]; claiming that he was entitled to a 20% share of its earnings. Gaga's lawyer, Charles Ortner, described the agreement with Fusari as "unlawful" and declined to comment;<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopmusic/7486678/Lady-Gaga-bites-back-at-music-producer.html |title=Lady Gaga bites back at music producer |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |accessdate=2010-03-20 |publisher=Telegraph Media LLC |last=Reporter |first=Staff | location=London | date=2010-03-20}}</ref> five months later, the [[New York Supreme Court]] dismissed both the lawsuit and a countersuit by Gaga.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/09/10/us-ladygaga-idUSTRE6895NZ20100910 |title=Lady Gaga and jilted producer drop legal dispute |date=2010-09-10 |work=[[Reuters]] |publisher=[[Thomson Reuters]] |accessdate=2010-09-11}}</ref> In April, Gaga was named one of ''Time'' magazine's 100 most influential people of the year.<ref name="time2010">{{cite news |url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,1984685,00.html |title=The 2010 TIME 100 |work=Time|publisher=[[Time Inc.]] |accessdate=2010-05-06 |date=2010-05-02}}</ref> While giving an interview to ''[[The Times]]'', Gaga hinted at having [[Systemic lupus erythematosus]], commonly referred to as lupus, which is a connective tissue disease.<ref name="comeparty">{{cite news |url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article7129672.ece |title=Come party with Lady Gaga |date=2010-05-23 |accessdate=2010-05-24 |last=Moran |first=Caitlin |work=[[The Times]] |authorlink=Caitlin Moran}}</ref> She later confirmed with [[Larry King]] that she does not have lupus but "the results were borderline positive".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/02/2916101.htm?section=entertainment |title=Gaga was to open Jackson's This Is It tour |last=Temple |first=Sarah |date=2010-06-02 |accessdate=2010-06-02 |publisher=ABC News}}</ref> With the television host, Gaga also revealed that she was among several artists who would have opened for Michael Jackson during his [[This Is It (Michael Jackson concerts)|This Is It]] concert series at London's O2 Arena. "I was actually asked to open for Michael on his tour," she stated. "We were going to open for him at the O2 and we were working on making it happen." She added: "I believe there was some talk about us, lots of the openers, doing duets with Michael on stage."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/column/news/lady-gaga-talks-michael-jackson-lupus-diagnosis-1004094911.story|title=Lady Gaga Talks Michael Jackson, Lupus Diagnosis with Larry King|date=2010-06-01|accessdate=2011-05-30|first=Monica|last=Herrera|location=New York}}</ref> In November 2010, one month after the singer reported assassination fears,<ref>[http://www.blacksheepmag.com/news/item/2144-lady-gaga-'fears-assassination' "Lady GaGa 'fears assassination'"], Mark Devlin. Black Sheep Magazine. October 14, 2010. Accessed March 1, 2011</ref> a restraining order was issued against Russian Anastasia Obukhova, who had threatened to shoot her in the head.<ref>[http://entertainment.oneindia.in/music/international/2010/lady-gaga-fan-kill-111110.html "Lady Gaga fan restrained for kill threat"], One India Entertainment. November 11, 2010. Accessed March 1, 2011</ref>
===2011–present: ''Born This Way''===
[[File:Lady Gaga Hair GMA.jpg|left|thumb|Gaga promoting ''[[Born This Way]]'' by performing its songs on the ''[[Good Morning America]]'' "Summer Concert Series".]]
Gaga's second studio album and third major release ''[[Born This Way]]'' was released on May 23, 2011. She announced the title of the album during her acceptance speech for [[MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year|Video of the Year]] at the [[2010 MTV Video Music Awards]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://music-mix.ew.com/2010/09/12/lady-gaga-announces-new-album-name-in-vma-speech-steals-show/ |title=Lady Gaga Announces New Album Name in VMA Speech |date=2010-09-12 |accessdate=2010-09-13 |work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Described as "a marriage of electronic music with major [...] metal or rock 'n' roll, pop, anthemic style melodies with really sledge-hammering dance beats" and referred to as an album "about what what keeps us up at night and what makes us afraid",<ref>{{Cite news |title=Lady Gaga Says Born This Way Will Be 'Greatest Album Of This Decade' |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1653141/20101129/lady_gaga.jhtml |date=2010-11-09 |last=Dinh |first=James |publisher=MTV (MTV Networks) |accessdate=2010-11-30}}</ref> She stated, "It came so quickly. I've been working on [the album] for months, and I feel very strongly that it's finished right now. Some artists take years. I don't. I write music every day."<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/jun/23/lady-gaga-new-album-finished |title=Lady Gaga's new album 'finished' |last=Michaels |first=Sean |date=2010-06-23 |accessdate=2010-06-23 |work=The Guardian}}</ref> Likening ''Born This Way'' to "bad kids going to church" that are "having fun on a high level",<ref name="BadChurch">{{Cite news |title=Lady Gaga to Release first Born This Way Single in February |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1653302/20101201/lady_gaga.jhtml |date=2010-12-01 |last=Vena |first=Jocelyn |publisher=MTV (MTV Networks) |accessdate=2010-12-01}}</ref> Gaga characterized her new music as "something so much deeper than a wig or lipstick or a fucking meat dress" and upon hearing it, Akon remarked that she will take music to the "next level."<ref>{{cite web |title=Lady Gaga's Born This Way Will 'Grab All The Monsters,' Akon Says |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1652537/20101117/akon.jhtml |publisher=MTV (MTV Networks) |date=2010-11-18 |accessdate=2010-12-02 |last=Vena |first=Jocelyn}}</ref> Its arrival followed the release of its [[Born This Way (song)|eponymous lead single]] on February 11, 2011,<ref>{{cite news |last=Vena |first=Jocelyn |title=Lady Gaga To Release 'Born This Way' Early |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1657389/lady-gaga-releases-born-this-way.jhtml |date=2011-02-07 |accessdate=2011-02-08 |publisher=MTV (MTV Networks)}}</ref> which was performed live for the first time at the [[53rd Grammy Awards]] two days after its release. The song debuted atop the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]], becoming the 19th number-one debut and the 1,000th number-one single in the history of the charts.<ref>{{cite news |last=Trust |first=Gary |title=Lady Gaga Claims 1,000th Hot 100 No. 1 with 'Born This Way' |work=Billboard |publisher= [[Prometheus Global Media]] |date=2011-02-16 |url=http://www.billboard.com/news/lady-gaga-claims-1-000th-hot-100-no-1-with-1005036702.story |accessdate=2011-02-16}}</ref> Two other singles, "[[Judas (song)|Judas]]"<ref name="judaschartseurope">{{cite web|url=http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Lady+GaGa&titel=Judas&cat=s|title=Lady Gaga – Judas (Nummer)|publisher=[[MegaCharts]]. Hung Medien|language=Dutch|accessdate=2011-06-03}}</ref> and "[[The Edge of Glory]]",<ref name="teogchartseurope">{{cite web|url=http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Lady+GaGa&titel=The+Edge+Of+Glory&cat=s|title=Lady Gaga – The Edge Of Glory (Nummer)|publisher=[[MegaCharts]]. Hung Medien|language=Dutch|accessdate=2011-06-03}}</ref><ref name="teogchartsusa">{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/#/charts/hot-100?chartDate=2011-05-28|title=The Billboard Hot 100: Week Ending May 28, 2011|work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|publisher= [[Prometheus Global Media]]|accessdate=2011-06-03}}</ref><ref name="teogchartsuk">{{cite web|url=http://www.theofficialcharts.com/archive-chart/_/1/2011-05-21|title=Archive Chart: UK Singles: 21st May 2011|publisher=[[The Official Charts Company]]|accessdate=2011-06-03}}</ref> the former being criticized for its references to Biblical characters [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]], [[Jesus|Jesus Christ]] and [[Mary Magdalene]],<ref name="judascatholicleaguereaction">{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodlife.com/2011/04/08/lady-gaga-judas-mary-magdalene-catholic-talentless-offended-bill-donohue/|title=Catholic League On Gaga’s ‘Judas’: ‘If She Had More Talent, We’d Be More Offended’|first=Lorena|last=O'Neil|publisher=The Hollywood Life|date=2011-04-08|accessdate=2011-06-03}}</ref> were released before the album, both placing in the top ten of the major musical markets. Upon release, ''Born This Way'' sold 1.108 million copies in its first week in the United States, debuting atop the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]], and topping the charts in more than 10 other countries.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1664888/lady-gaga-billboard.jhtml |title=Lady Gaga Crashes Billboard With 1.1 Million|last=Montgomery|first=James|date=2011-06-02|accessdate=2011-06-02|publisher=MTV (MTV Networks)}}</ref>
Lending her vocals elsewhere, Gaga paired with [[Elton John]] to record an original duet for the animated feature film ''[[Gnomeo & Juliet]]''. The song, titled "Hello, Hello", was released on February 11, 2011, without Gaga's vocals. The duet version is only featured in the film.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.billboard.com/#/news/lady-gaga-elton-john-duet-won-t-appear-on-1005017032.story |title=Lady Gaga, Elton John Duet Won't Appear On Film Soundtrack |date=2011-01-28 |accessdate=2011-02-04 |last=Herrera |first=Monica |work=Billboard |publisher=Prometheus Global Media}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Elton John and Lady Gaga record duet |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/oct/25/elton-john-lady-gaga-duet |last=Michaels |first=Sean |date=2010-10-25 |accessdate=2010-12-15 |work=The Guardian |location=London}}</ref> She undertook her job as a fashion columnist for ''[[V (American magazine)|V]]'', where she wrote about her creative process, her studying of the world of pop culture, and her ability to tune into the evolution of pop-culture meme.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1663768/lady-gaga-v-magazine.jhtml|title=Lady Gaga Talks About Fashion Obsession In V Magazine|last=Vena|first=Jocelyn|date=2011-05-13|accessdate=2011-05-13|publisher=MTV (MTV Networks)}}</ref> In May 2011, Gaga told Australian radio show ''[[The Kyle & Jackie O Show]]'' that she would be coming to Sydney to perform a one-off concert in July 2011, to promote ''Born This Way'', which occurred at [[Sydney Town Hall]] on Wednesday 13th July, 2011.<ref>{{cite interview |subject=Lady Gaga |title=The Kyle & Jackie O Show |type= Radio interview |url= http://www.2dayfm.com.au |format= FM radio broadcast |program= The Kyle & Jackie O Show |callsign= 104.1FM |city= Sydney |date= 2011-05-30 |accessdate= 2011-05-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.starobserver.com.au/celebrity-2/2011/05/30/gaga-confirms-oz-visit/53176 |title=Gaga confirms Oz visit |first=Mike |last=Mrkic |sate=2011-05-30 |work=[[Sydney Star Observer]] |accessdate=2011-05-30}}</ref>
==Artistry==
=== Musical style and influences ===
{{listen
| filename = Lady_GaGa-Just_Dance.ogg
| title = "Just Dance" (2008)
| description = A 30-second sample of Lady Gaga's "[[Just Dance]]" featuring the chorus sung by Lady Gaga and [[Colby O'Donis]] in the range of B<sub>3</sub> to C{{music|sharp}}, backed by a synth marching beat. The song became her first international hit single.
}}
Gaga has been influenced by [[glam rock]] artists such as [[David Bowie]], [[Queen (band)|Queen]] and [[Elton John]], as well as pop music artists such as [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]], [[Whitney Houston]], [[Britney Spears]] and [[Michael Jackson]].<ref name="Allmusic bio" /><ref name="DR">Musical influences of Lady Gaga:
*{{cite news |url=http://www.popcrunch.com/britney-spears-lady-gaga-collaboration-in-the-works/ |title=Britney Spears/Lady Gaga collaboration in the works |work=The Sun |accessdate=2010-06-20 |publisher=Pop Crunch |last=Reporter |first=Staff | location=London | date=2010-02-10}}
*{{cite web|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/i-cant-wait-to-come-to-india-lady-gaga/143405-45-75.html|title=Lady Gaga: I can't wait to come to India|date=2011-04-21|publisher= [[IBN Live]]|accessdate=2011-05-27}}
*{{Cite news |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/THE+FEAR+FACTOR%3B+Lady+Gaga+used+tough+times+as+inspiration+for+her...-a0213005824 |last=Dingwall |first=John |title=The Fear Factor; Lady Gaga used tough times as inspiration for her new album |work=[[Daily Record (Scotland)|Daily Record]] |pages=48–49 |date=2009-11-27 |accessdate=2009-05-06 |accessdate=2010-05-06}}</ref> The [[Queen (band)|Queen]] song "[[Radio Ga Ga]]" inspired her stage name, "Lady Gaga".<ref name='whos-that-lady' /><ref name="soundtrack">{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/sep/06/lady-gaga-popandrock |title=Soundtrack of my life: Lady Gaga |work=The Guardian |publisher=Guardian News and Media |last=Thomson |first=Graeme |date=2009-09-06 |accessdate=2010-05-06 | location=London}}</ref> She commented: "I adored [[Freddie Mercury]] and Queen had a hit called 'Radio Gaga'. That's why I love the name [...] Freddie was unique—one of the biggest personalities in the whole of pop music."<ref name="DR" /> In response to the comparisons between herself and Madonna, Gaga stated: "I don't want to sound presumptuous, but I've made it my goal to revolutionize pop music. The last revolution was launched by Madonna 25 years ago."<ref name="DR" /> Actress and singer [[Grace Jones]] was also cited as an inspiration, along with [[Blondie (band)|Blondie]] singer [[Debbie Harry]].<ref name="Prefix magazine">{{cite web |url=http://www.prefixmag.com/news/lady-gaga-grace-jones-androgynous-robo-future-fash/26057/ |title=Lady GaGa: "Grace Jones, Androgynous, Robo, Future Fashion Queen" |first=Alexandra |last=Symonds |work=Prefix |accessdate=2009-07-11 |date=2009-07-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/showbiz/article-23694934-debbie-harry-would-love-to-perform-with-lady-gaga.do |title=Debbie Harry Would Love To Perform With Lady Gaga |date=2009-10-25 |last=Smith |first=Liz |work=[[Evening Standard]] |publisher=[[Daily Mail and General Trust]] |accessdate=2009-10-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/jul/01/lady-gaga-review |title=Lady Gaga: Academy, Manchester |last=Simpson |first=Dave |date=2009-07-01 |accessdate=2009-10-30 |work=The Guardian |publisher=Guardian News and Media | location=London}}</ref> In an interview with [[Yahoo!]] [[Singapore]], when she answered questions for the media, she stated that [[Cyndi Lauper]] is someone she admired, and she also stated the reason why her sophomore album, ''Born This Way'', was more rock-supported. She stated that she wanted her album to be for her fans, as they reacted a stronger way for rock songs than pop, which influenced her rock elements in the album.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Tann |first=Remmy |date=2011-07-11 |title=I was born this way: Lady Gaga |publisher=Yahoo! |accessdate=2011-07-11 |url=http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/what-is-buzzing/born-way-lady-gaga-145116015.html}}</ref>
[[File:Gagafameball.jpg|left|thumb|upright|alt=A blond woman in a bob-cut, sitting cross-legged on a transparent platform full of bubbles and lit from inside in pink. The woman is wearing a dress made of transparent bubbles of varying sizes. She is holding a microphone in her left hand and appears to be smiling.|Gaga wearing a plastic bubble dress while performing on The Fame Ball Tour]]
Gaga has the vocal range of a [[contralto]]. <ref>Matson, Andrew (August 17, 2010). [http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/matsononmusic/2012642463_concert_preview_lady_gaga_at_t.html "Concert preview: Lady Gaga at the Tacoma Dome"]. ''[[Seattle Times]]''</ref> Her vocals have drawn frequent comparison to those of Madonna and [[Gwen Stefani]], while the structure of her music is said to echo classic 1980s pop and 1990s [[Europop]].<ref name=BG>{{Cite news |last=Petridis |first=Alexis |title=Lady Gaga: The Fame |work=The Guardian |date=2009-01-09 |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/jan/09/lady-gaga-the-fame |authorlink=Alexis Petridis |date=2009-01-03 |accessdate=2010-05-06 |publisher=Guardian News and Media | location=London}}</ref> While reviewing her debut album ''The Fame'', ''The Sunday Times'' asserted "in combining music, fashion, art and technology, [Gaga] evokes Madonna, Gwen Stefani circa '[[Hollaback Girl]]', [[Kylie Minogue]] 2001 or Grace Jones right now."<ref>{{Cite news |title=Lady GaGa: the future of pop? |url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article5325327.ece?token=null&offset=0&page=1 |newspaper=The Sunday Times |date=2008-12-14 |accessdate=2009-08-09 |last=Hajibageri |first=Sarah |publisher=News International | location=London}}</ref> Similarly, ''[[The Boston Globe]]'' critic Sarah Rodman commented that she draws "obvious inspirations from Madonna to Gwen Stefani... in [her] girlish but sturdy pipes and bubbly beats."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rodman |first=Sarah |title=Lady Gaga |url=http://articles.boston.com/2008-10-27/ae/29278306_1_lady-gaga-disco-interscope |work=[[The Boston Globe]] |date=2008-10-27 |accessdate=2009-08-09}}</ref> Though her lyrics are said to lack intellectual stimulation, "[she] does manage to get you moving and grooving at an almost effortless pace."<ref name="popmatters">{{cite web |url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/68939-lady-gaga-the-fame/ |title=Lady GaGa The Fame |last=Sawdey |first=Evan |date=2009-01-12 |publisher=[[PopMatters]] |accessdate=2009-04-30}}</ref> Music critic [[Simon Reynolds]] wrote that "Everything about Gaga came from [[electroclash]], except the music, which wasn't particularly 1980s, just ruthlessly catchy [[2000s (decade)|naughties]] pop glazed with [[Auto-Tune]] and undergirded with [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]]-ish beats.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2010/jan/22/eighties-revival-decade |title =The 1980s revival that lasted an entire decade |first=Simon |last=Reynolds |authorlink=Simon Reynolds |work=The Guardian |publisher=Guardian News and Media |accessdate=2010-01-22 |date=2010-01-22 | location=London}}</ref>
Gaga has identified fashion as a major influence.<ref name="Times Online.co.uk" /><ref name="mtv 55" /> She considers [[Donatella Versace]] her [[muse]].<ref name="Times Online.co.uk" /> Gaga has her own creative production team called the [[Haus of Gaga]], which she handles personally. The team creates many of her clothes, stage props, and hairdos.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2009/03/143_40885.html |title=Lady Gaga Burning Up Album Charts |first=Cathy |last=Garcia |date=2009-03-08 |accessdate=2009-03-10 |publisher=[[Hankook Ilbo]] |work=[[The Korea Times]]}}</ref> Her love of fashion came from her mother, who she stated was "always very well kept and beautiful."<ref name="timesonline2" /> "When I'm writing music, I'm thinking about the clothes I want to wear on stage. It's all about everything altogether—performance art, pop performance art, fashion. For me, it's everything coming together and being a real story that will bring back the super-fan. I want to bring that back. I want the imagery to be so strong that fans will want to eat and taste and lick every part of us."<ref name="mtv 55" /> The [[Global Language Monitor]] named "Lady Gaga" as the Top Fashion Buzzword with her trademark "no pants" coming in at No. 3.<ref>{{cite news |last=Silva |first=Horacio |url=http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/04/the-world-according-to-gaga/ |title=The World According to Gaga |work=[[The New York Times]] |first=Horatio |date=2010-03-04 |accessdate=2010-04-25}}</ref> ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' put her outfits on its end of the decade "best-of" list, saying, "Whether it's a dress made of Muppets or strategically placed bubbles, Gaga's outré ensembles brought performance art into the mainstream."<ref>{{cite journal |last=Geier |first=Thom |date=2009-12-11 |title=The 100 Greatest Movies.. Trends That Entertained Us Over The Past 10 Years |work=Entertainment Weekly |volume=1079/1080 |issue=74 |page=84 |publisher=Time Inc. |accessdate=2010-05-06 |issn=10490434}}</ref>
===Public image===
[[File:Lady Gaga covered in blood.jpg|thumb|upright|Gaga, well-recognized for her unconventionality, during a "blood soaked" performance on The Monster Ball Tour]]
Critical reception of Gaga's music, fashion sense and persona are mixed. Her status as a role model, trailblazer and fashion icon is by turns affirmed and denied.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/12/24/style/YEARGAGA1227_index.html?ref=lady_gaga |title=The Year in Style <nowiki>|</nowiki> Lady Gaga |last=Buckner |first=Michael |date=2009-12-28 |accessdate=2010-06-17 |work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref name="nytimesreview">{{cite news |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/04/arts/music/04gaga.html?_r=1 |title=An Artist Whose Chief Work Is Herself |last=Caramanica |first=Jon |date=2009-05-03 |accessdate=2010-06-17 |work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://newsroom.mtv.com/2009/07/27/lady-gaga-you-are-no-grace-jones/ |title=Lady Gaga, You Are No Grace Jones |last=Vineyard |first=Jennifer |date=2009-07-07 |accessdate=2010-06-17 |publisher=MTV}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/newmusicalexpress/2110/lady-gaga-vs-roisin-murphyspot-the-difference/ |title=Lady Gaga Vs. Roisin Murphy – Spot The Difference |last=Lewis |first=Luke |date=2009-08-09 |accessdate=2010-06-18 |publisher=Yahoo!}}</ref> Gaga's albums have received mostly positive reviews,<ref name="thefamemeta" /> with critics pointing out her unique place in pop music, the need for new movements in popular culture, the attention Gaga brings to important social issues, and the inherently subjective nature of her art.<ref>{{cite journal |issn=10490434 |title=Is Lady GaGa a saviour of Pop? |last=Browne |first=David |date=2010-01-09 |volume=1091 |issue=02 |work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://out.com/detail.asp?id=26601 |title=Heather Cassils: Lady Gaga's Prison Yard Girlfriend |last=Andres |first=Joanna |date=2010-04-09 |accessdate=2010-06-18 |work=[[Out (magazine)|Out]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.elle.com/Fashion/Fashion-Spotlight/Celebrity-Fashion-Lady-Gaga |title=Lady Gaga Fashion – Vote on 15 of Lady Gaga's Outfits |date=2009-12-01 |accessdate=2010-06-18 |work=Elle}}</ref> Her role as a self-esteem booster for her fans is also lauded, as is her role in breathing life into the fashion industry.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.hollywoodnews.com/2010/06/15/kylie-minogue-thinks-theres-an-element-of-her-in-lady-gaga/ |title=Kylie Minogue thinks there's an element of her in Lady Gaga |date=2010-06-13 |accessdate=2010-06-18 |publisher=Hollywood News}}</ref> Her performances are described as "highly entertaining and innovative"; in particular, the blood-spurting performance of "Paparazzi" at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards was described as "eye-popping" by MTV.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1621395/20090913/lady_gaga.jhtml |title=Lady Gaga Lets It Bleed During Eye-Popping VMA Performance |date=2009-09-13 |accessdate=2010-06-18 |last=Vena |first=Jocelyn |publisher=MTV}}</ref> She continued the "blood soaked" theme in The Monster Ball Tour, in which she wore a revealing leather corset and is "attacked" by a performer dressed in black who gnaws on her throat, causing "blood" to spurt down her chest, after which she lies "dying" in a pool of blood. Her performances of that scene in [[Manchester]], England, triggered protests from family groups and fans in the aftermath of a local tragedy, in which a taxi driver had murdered 12 people.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/2010/06/03/2010-06-03_fans_protest_lady_gagas_bloodspattered_monster_ball_show_in_england_after_shooti.html |title=Fans protest Lady Gaga's blood-spattered Monster Ball show in England after shooting spree |last=Roberts |first=Sorya |date=2010-06-03 |accessdate=2010-06-23 |work=New York Daily News}}</ref> "What happened in [[Bradford]] is very fresh in people's minds and given all the violence which happened in [[Cumbria]] just hours earlier, it was insensitive," said Lynn Costello of Mothers Against Violence.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/Gaga-s-bloody-stage-show-sparks-fury/Article1-552890.aspx |title=Gaga's bloody stage show sparks fury |date=2010-06-04 |accessdate=2010-06-23 |work=[[Hindustan Times]]}}</ref> [[Chris Rock]] later defended her flamboyant, provocative behavior. "Well, she's Lady Gaga," he said. "She's not 'Lady Behave Yourself.' Do you want great behavior from a person named Gaga? Is this what you were expecting?"<ref>{{cite web |title=Q&A with Chris Rock |url=http://www.danpatrick.com/?/blog/116941/index.html |last=Patrick |first=Dan |date=2010-07-09 |publisher=CNN |accessdate= 2010-07-16}}</ref> She later returned to the [[2010 MTV Video Music Awards]] wearing a dress supplemented by boots, a purse and a hat—each fabricated from the flesh of a dead animal.<ref name=autogenerated2>{{cite web |title=Lady Gaga's meat dress divides opinion |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/8001267/Lady-Gagas-meat-dress-divides-opinion.html |date=2010-09-14 |accessdate=2010-06-12 |last=Roberts |first= Laura |work=The Daily Telegraph}}</ref> The dress, named ''Time'' magazine's Fashion Statement of 2010<ref>{{cite news |title=Lady Gaga – The Top 10 Everything of 2010 – TIME |url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2035319_2034464,00.html |last=Luscombe |first= Belinda |date=2010-12-09 |accessdate=2010-12-15 |work=Time}}</ref> and more widely known as the "[[Meat dress of Lady Gaga|meat dress]]", was made by Argentinian designer [[Franc Fernandez]] and received divided opinions—evoking the attention of worldwide media but invoking the fury of animal rights organization [[People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals|PETA]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Five interpretations of Lady Gaga's meat dress |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11297832 |date=2010-09-14 |accessdate=2010-06-12 |first=Denise |last=Winterman |first2= Jon |last2=Kelly |publisher=BBC (BBC Online)}}</ref> Gaga, however, later denied any intention of causing disrespect to any person or organization and wished for the dress to be interpreted as a statement of human rights with focus upon those in the LGBT community.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web |title=Lady Gaga defends meat dress by claiming she's no 'piece of meat' |url=http://www.metro.co.uk/music/840850-lady-gaga-defends-meat-dress-by-claiming-shes-no-piece-of-meat |date=2010-09-14 |accessdate=2010-06-12 |last=Lee |first= Ann |work=[[Metro (British newspaper)|Metro]]}}</ref>
Contrary to her outré style, the ''New York Post'' described her early look as like "a refugee from ''[[Jersey Shore (TV series)|Jersey Shore]]''" with "big black hair, heavy eye makeup and tight, revealing clothes."<ref name='whos-that-lady' /> Gaga is a natural [[brunette]]; she bleached her hair blonde because she was often mistaken for [[Amy Winehouse]].<ref name="timesonline2" /> She often refers to her fans as her "little monsters" and in dedication, she had that inscription [[tattoo]]ed on "the arm that holds [her] mic[rophone]."<ref name="monsters">{{cite news |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2010/02/03/2010-02-03_lady_gaga_dedicates_her_new_little_monsters_tattoo_to_her_fans.html |title=Lady Gaga dedicates her new 'Little Monsters' tattoo to her fans |publisher=News Corporation |work=Daily News |accessdate=2010-04-02 |last=Odell |first=Amy |date=2010-02-03}}</ref> She has another six known tattoos, among them a [[peace symbol]], which was inspired by [[John Lennon]], who she stated was her hero,<ref name="soundtrack" /> and a curling German script on her left arm quoting the poet [[Rainer Maria Rilke]], her favorite [[philosophy|philosopher]], commenting that his "philosophy of solitude" spoke to her.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2009/08/11/2009-08-11_lady_gaga_shows_off_new_german_quote_tattoo_while_on_tour_in_japan.html | title=Lady Gaga shows off new German quote tattoo while on tour in Japan | publisher=News Corporation | work=Daily News | date=2009-08-11 | accessdate=2009-09-06 |last=Odell |first=Amy }}</ref> Towards the end of 2008, comparisons were made between the fashions of Gaga and fellow recording artist [[Christina Aguilera]] that noted similarities in their styling, hair, and make-up.<ref name="Times Online.co.uk" /> Aguilera stated that she was "completely unaware of [Gaga]" and "didn't know if it [was] a man or a woman."<ref name="Times Online.co.uk" /> Gaga released a statement in which she welcomed the comparisons due to the attention providing useful publicity, saying, "She's such a huge star and if anything I should send her flowers, because a lot of people in America didn't know who I was until that whole thing happened. It really put me on the map in a way."<ref name="who copied?">{{cite news | url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1135704/So-copied-Lookalikes-Lady-GaGa-Christina-Aguilera-embroiled-style-row.html | title=So who copied who? Lookalikes Lady GaGa and Christina Aguilera | work=Daily Mail | first=Daily Mail |last=Reporter | date=2009-02-03 | accessdate=2009-02-06 |publisher=Associated Newspapers}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.ok.co.uk/celebnews/view/6299/GaGa-I-m-thankful-for-Christina/ |title=GaGa: I'm thankful for Christina |date=2008-12-31 |publisher=[[Northern & Shell]] |work=[[OK!]] |accessdate=2009-01-08 |last=Temple |first=Sonic}}</ref> When interviewed by [[Barbara Walters]] for her annual [[ABC News]] special ''[[Barbara Walters' 10 Most Fascinating People|10 Most Fascinating People]]'' in 2009, Gaga dismissed the claim that she is [[intersex]] as an [[urban legend]]. Responding to a question on this issue, she stated, "At first it was very strange and everyone sorta said, 'That's really quite a story!' But in a sense, I portray myself in a very [[androgyny|androgynous]] way, and I love androgyny."<ref name="walters">{{cite web |url=http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=9640579 |title=Lady Gaga: 'I Love Androgyny' |publisher=[[ABC News]] |accessdate=2010-05-03 |last=Walters |first=Barbara |date=2009-12-30 |authorlink=Barbara Walters}}</ref> In addition to Aguilera's statement, comparisons continued into 2010 when Aguilera released the music video of her single "[[Not Myself Tonight]]". Critics noted similarities between the song and its accompanying music video with Gaga's video for "Bad Romance".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1269136/Christina-Aguilera-copies-Lady-GaGa-dons-PVC-outfit-new-video.html |title=Christina Aguilera Copies Lady GaGa |date=2010-05-02 |accessdate=2010-05-10 |work=Daily Mail |publisher=Associated Newspapers |last=Thrills |first=Adrian}}</ref> There have also been similar comparisons made between Gaga's style and that of fashion icon [[Dale Bozzio]] from the band [[Missing Persons (band)|Missing Persons]]. Some have considered their respective images to be strikingly parallel although fans of Missing Persons note that Bozzio had pioneered the look more than thirty years earlier.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://musicblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/12/dale-bozzio-should-be-flattere.html |title= Dale Bozzio should be flattered...maybe |last=Tarradell |first=Mario |date=2009-12-14 |accessdate=2010-11-03 |work=[[The Dallas Morning News]]}}</ref><!-- . Lady Gaga, was named one of Vogue.com UK's Best Dressed people of 2010<ref>[http://www.vogue.co.uk/celebrity-photos/101214-best-dressed-list-2010.aspx VOGUE.COM UK] ''VOGUE.COM UK'' – The Best Dressed People of the Year 2010</ref> and her stylist, Dazed & Confused creative director Nicola Formichetti, won the Fashion Creator of the Year Award at the British Fashion Awards.<ref>[http://www.vogue.co.uk/special-events/101124-british-fashion-awards-2010.aspx VOGUE.COM UK] ''VOGUE.COM UK'' – The British Fashion Awards 2010</ref> -->
During an interview with ''[[Harper's Bazaar]]'' magazine published in May 2011, Gaga discussed the recent appearance of horn-like ridges on her cheekbones, temples, and shoulders. When asked about the necessary makeup to attach the prosthetics, she responded, "They're not prosthetics, they're my bones." She also clarified that they were not the result of [[plastic surgery]], believing such surgery to only be the modern byproduct of fame-induced insecurity to which she does not subscribe. Further probing by the interviewer only got her to state that they are an artistic representation of her inner inspirational light, part of the "performance piece" that is her musical persona, an inevitability of her becoming who she now is.<ref>{{Cite journal | last =Blasberg | first =Derek | author-link =Derek Blasberg | publication-date = | date =May 2011 | year = | title =Lady GaGa: the interview | work =[[Harper's Bazaar]] | series = | publication-place =New York | place = | publisher =[[Hearst Communications]] | volume = | issue =3594| pages =156–162 | page = | at = | url =http://www.harpersbazaar.com/magazine/feature-articles/lady-gaga-interview | archiveurl = | archivedate = | issn =0017-7873 | pmid = | pmc = | doi = | oclc =719731102 | accessdate =2011-05-10| postscript = | ref =}}</ref>
In view of Lady Gaga's influence on modern culture and her rise to global fame, sociologist Mathieu Deflem of the [[University of South Carolina]] since the Spring of 2011 organizes a course titled "Lady Gaga and the Sociology of the Fame"<ref>{{Cite news |title=US College Offering Lady GaGa Degree |url=http://www.mtv.co.uk/artists/lady-gaga/news/244144-us-college-offering-lady-gaga-degree |work=MTV |publisher=MTV Netweoks |last=Vena |first=Jocelyn |accessdate=2010-11-03 |date=2010-10-30}}</ref> with the objective of unravelling "sociologically relevant dimensions of the fame of Lady Gaga with respect to her music, videos, fashion, and other artistic endeavors".<ref>{{cite web |title=SOCY 398D – Lady Gaga and the Sociology of the Fame |first= Mathieu |last=Deflem |url=http://www.cas.sc.edu/socy/faculty/deflem/gaga.html |publisher=[[University of South Carolina]] |accessdate=2010-03-11}}</ref>
Gaga's treatment of her fans as "Little Monsters" has inspired criticism, due to the highly commercial nature of her music and image.<ref name="nytimesreview" /> To some, this dichotomy contravenes the concept of outsider culture. Writing for ''The Guardian'', [[Kitty Empire]] opined that the dichotomy "...allows the viewer to have a 'transgressive' experience without being required to think. At [her performance's] core, though, is the idea that Gaga is at one with the freaks and outcasts. The Monster Ball is where we can all be free. This is arrant nonsense, as the scads of people buying Gaga's cunningly commercial music are not limited to the niche worlds of [[drag queen]]s and hip night creatures from which she draws her inspiration. But Gaga seems sincere."<ref name=autogenerated3>{{cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/feb/21/lady-gaga-men-arena-manchester|title=Lady Gaga at MEN arena, Manchester|date=2010-02-21|accessdate=2010-06-18|last=Empire|first=Kitty|work=The Guardian|location=london}}</ref> [[Camille Paglia]] wrote a cover story "Lady Gaga and the death of sex" on September 12, 2010, in ''[[The Sunday Times]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shakenstir.co.uk/index.php/features/gaga-and-the-death-of-sex/features/20608/ |title=Lady Gaga and the death of sex|authorlink=Camille Paglia|last=Paglia|first=Camille|date=2010-09-12|accessdate=2010-10-04|work=The Sunday Times}}</ref> in which she asserts that Gaga "is more an identity thief than an erotic taboo breaker, a mainstream manufactured product who claims to be singing for the freaks, the rebellious and the dispossessed when she is none of those."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/opinion/lady-gagas-grab-for-attention-enough-to-make-you-gag/story-e6freri6-1225923966643 |title=Lady Gaga's grab for attention enough to make you gag|first=Jane |last=Fynes-Clinton|work=[[The Courier-Mail]]|date=2010-09-15|accessdate=2010-10-04}}</ref>
==Philanthropy==
Besides her career in music, Gaga has enhanced her repertoire as a philanthropist who has contributed to various charities and [[humanitarianism|humanitarian]] works. Although declining an invitation to record [[We Are the World 25 for Haiti|a benefit song]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Lady Gaga Explains Her Absence From 'We Are The World' Recording |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1631353/lady-gaga-explains-her-absence-from-we-world-recording.jhtml |date=2010-02-05 |accessdate=2011-01-06 |work=MTV |publisher=MTV Networks |first=Jocelyn |last=Vena}}</ref> Gaga held a concert of The Monster Ball Tour following the [[2010 Haiti earthquake]] and dedicated it to the country's reconstruction relief fund. This concert, held at the [[Radio City Music Hall]], New York, on January 24, 2010, donated any received revenue to the relief fund while, in addition, all profits from sales of products on Gaga's official online store on that same day were donated. Gaga announced that an estimated total of [[United States dollar|$]]500,000 was collected for the fund.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1630614/20100127/lady_gaga.jhtml |title=Lady Gaga Says She Raised $500,000 For Haiti Relief |last=Kaufman |first=Gil |date=2010-01-27 |work=MTV |publisher=MTV Networks |accessdate=2011-01-06}}</ref> Hours after the [[2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami]] hit Japan on March 11, 2011, Gaga tweeted a message and a link to Japan Prayer Bracelets. With the company, she designed a bracelet, with all sales revenue going to Japanese relief efforts.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1659769/japanese-tsunami-bracelet-lady-gaga.jhtml |title= Lady Gaga Designs Japanese Tsunami Relief Wristband |date=2011-03-21 |accessdate=2011-03-29 |last=Vena |first=Jocelyn |publisher=MTV (MTV Networks)}}</ref> The bracelets raised $1.5 million (as of March 29, 2011).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2011/03/29/today-in-tech-lady-gaga-gives-to-zynga-apple-delaying-iphone-5/ |title=Today in Tech: Lady Gaga gives to Zynga, Apple delaying iPhone 5? |last=Mangalindan |first=JP |date=2011-03-29 |accessdate=2011-03-29 |publisher=CNN}}</ref> Performing at [[MTV Japan]]'s charity show on June 25, 2011 in [[Makuhari Messe]], Gaga will appear for the benefit of the Japan Red Cross which aids victims suffering in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami.<ref>{{cite news |last=Schwartz |first=Rob |title=Lady Gaga to Appear at MTV Japan Charity Event |url=http://www.billboard.com/news/lady-gaga-to-appear-at-mtv-japan-charity-1005135862.story |date=2011-04-14 |accessdate= 2011-04-15 |work=Billboard |publisher=Prometheus Global Media}}</ref> However, attorney Alyson Oliver filed a lawsuit against Gaga in [[Detroit]] in June 2011, noting that the bracelet was subject to a sales tax and an extra $3.99 shipping charge was added to the price. She also believed that not all proceeds from the bracelets would go to the relief efforts, demanding a public accounting of the campaign and refunds for people who had bought the bracelet. Gaga's spokesperson called the lawsuit "meritless" and "misleading".<ref name="msnbc-gaga-bracelet-lawsuit">{{Cite news|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43582514/ns/us_news-giving/t/lady-gaga-sued-over-fundraising-japan/|title=Lady Gaga sued over fundraising for Japan|date=June 29, 2011|publisher=MSNBC|agency=Associated Press|accessdate=June 30, 2011}}</ref>
Gaga also contributes in the fight against [[HIV]] and [[AIDS]] with the focus upon educating young women about the risks of the disease. In collaboration with [[Cyndi Lauper]], Gaga joined forces with [[Make-up Art Cosmetics|MAC Cosmetics]] to launch a line of lipstick under their supplementary cosmetic line, Viva Glam. Titled Viva Glam Gaga and Viva Glam Cyndi for each contributor respectively, all net proceeds of the lipstick line were donated to the cosmetic company's campaign to prevent HIV and AIDS worldwide.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lady Gaga gets lippy: The pop star teams with Mac to raise Aids awareness |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-1264165/Lady-Gaga-gets-lippy-The-pop-star-teams-Mac-raise-Aids-awareness.html |date=2010-04-10 |accessdate=2011-01-06 |first=Benji |last=Wilson |work=Daily Mail |location=London}}</ref> In a press release, Gaga declared, "I don't want Viva Glam to be just a lipstick you buy to help a cause. I want it to be a reminder when you go out at night to put a condom in your purse right next to your lipstick."<ref>{{cite web |title=Going Gaga |url=http://www.marieclaire.com/celebrity-lifestyle/celebrities/interviews/lady-gaga-interview |date=Undated |accessdate=2011-01-06 |first=Ning |last=Chao |work=Marie Claire}}</ref>
With the performance of the bilingual song "Americano" from her second studio album ''[[Born This Way]]'' (2011), Gaga jumped into the debate surrounding [[SB 1070]], Arizona's immigration law. She premiered the tune for the first time on the Guadalajara, Mexico stop of her Monster Ball tour telling the local press that she could not “stand by many of the unjust immigration laws" in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.latina.com/entertainment/music/fernando-alejandro-latinos-behind-lady-gaga|title=From Fernando to Alejandro: the Latinos Behind Lady Gaga|date=10 May 2011|last=Latina Staff|publisher=[[Latina (magazine)|Latina]]|accessdate=13 May 2011}}</ref>
===LGBT advocacy===
[[File:LadyGaga-EqualityMarch-Crop.jpg|upright |thumb |Gaga delivers a speech at the [[National Equality March]], October 11, 2009 |alt=A blond woman wearing a white shirt and black glasses speaking on a lectern carrying a 'National Equality March' poster. Behind her is a white stone balustrade of a building.]]
Gaga attributes much of her early success as a mainstream artist to her [[homosexuality|gay]] fans and is considered to be a [[gay icon]].<ref name="fabmag">{{cite journal|page=45|volume=54|issue=09|title=Going Gaga |last=Thomas |first=Matt |publisher=[[Pink Triangle Press]] |work=[[fab (magazine)|Fab]] |accessdate=2009-08-11 |date=2009-07-09}}</ref> Early in her career she had difficulty getting [[airplay|radio airplay]], and stated, "The turning point for me was the gay community. I've got so many gay fans and they're so loyal to me and they really lifted me up. They'll always stand by me and I'll always stand by them. It's not an easy thing to create a fanbase."<ref name="mtvgayicon">{{cite news |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1610781/20090506/lady_gaga.jhtml |title=Lady Gaga On Success: 'The Turning Point For Me Was The Gay Community' |last=Vena |first=Jocelyn |date=2009-05-07 |work=MTV |publisher=MTV Networks |accessdate=2009-08-11}}</ref> She thanked FlyLife, a [[Manhattan]]-based [[LGBT]] marketing company with whom her label Interscope works, in the liner notes of ''The Fame'', saying, "I love you so much. You were the first heartbeat in this project, and your support and brilliance means the world to me. I will always fight for the gay community hand in hand with this incredible team."<ref name="thefame">{{cite album-notes |artist=Lady Gaga |title=[[The Fame]] |format=Liner notes |publisher=[[Interscope Records]] |year=2008 |publisherid=2726601}}</ref> One of her first televised performances was in May 2008 at the [[NewNowNext Awards]], an awards show aired by the LGBT television network [[Logo (TV channel)|Logo]], where she sang her song "Just Dance".<ref name="newnownext">{{cite web |url=http://www.logotv.com/video/franchise.jhtml?ctid=1956 |title=NewNowNext Awards |accessdate=2009-08-11 |date=2008-05-03}}</ref> In June of the same year, she performed the song again at the [[San Francisco Pride]] event.<ref name="sfpride">{{cite news |url=http://www.sfpride.org/celeb/mainstage_08.html |title=2008 Main Stage Line-Up |accessdate=2009-08-11 |date=2008-06-13 |publisher=[[San Francisco Pride]]}}</ref>
After ''The Fame'' was released, she revealed that the song "Poker Face" was about her [[bisexuality]]. In an interview with ''Rolling Stone'', she spoke about how her boyfriends tended to react to her bisexuality, saying "The fact that I'm into women, they're all intimidated by it. It makes them uncomfortable. They're like, 'I don't need to have a threesome. I'm happy with just you'."<ref name="rsannual" /> When she appeared as a guest on ''[[The Ellen DeGeneres Show]]'' in May 2009, she praised DeGeneres for being "an inspiration for women and for the gay community".<ref name="ellen">{{cite news | url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1181210/Lady-GaGas-wacky-headgear-knocks-chat-host-Ellen-DeGeneres.html | title=Lady GaGa's wacky headgear almost knocks out chat show host Ellen DeGeneres | date=2009-05-13 | work=Daily Mail | accessdate=2009-08-11 |publisher=Associated Newspapers}}</ref> She proclaimed that the October 11, 2009, [[National Equality March]] rally on the [[National Mall]] was "the single most important event of her career." As she exited, she left with an exultant "Bless God and bless the gays,"<ref name="E!" /> similar to her [[2009 MTV Video Music Awards]] acceptance speech for Best New Artist a month earlier.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1621407/20090914/lady_gaga.jhtml | title=Lady Gaga's Shocking 2009 VMA Fashion Choices | date=2009-08-14 | last=Vena |first=Jocelyn |work=MTV |publisher=MTV Networks | accessdate=2009-08-19}}</ref> At the Human Rights Campaign Dinner, held the same weekend as the rally, she performed a cover of [[John Lennon]]'s "[[Imagine (song)|Imagine]]" declaring that "I'm not going to [play] one of my songs tonight because tonight is not about me, it's about you." She changed the original lyrics of the song to reflect the death of [[Matthew Shepard]], a college student murdered because of his sexuality.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lady Gaga performs her version of 'Imagine' at the Human Rights Campaign dinner in Washington D.C. |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2009/10/12/2009-10-12_lady_gaga_performs_her_version_of_imagine_at_the_human_rights_campaign_dinner_in.html |publisher=News Corporation |work=Daily News |date=2009-12-10 |accessdate=2010-06-12 |author=Carter, Nicole}}</ref>
[[File:DADT rally Lady Gaga.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Gaga addresses the crowd at [[Servicemembers Legal Defense Network|SLDN]]'s "[[Don't ask, don't tell]]" rally in 2010]]
Gaga attended the [[2010 MTV Video Music Awards]] accompanied by four service members of the [[United States Armed Forces]] (Mike Almy; David Hall; Katie Miller and Stacy Vasquez). All of whom, under the U.S. military's "[[Don't ask, don't tell]]" (DADT) policy, had been prohibited from serving [[Coming out|openly]] because of their sexuality.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lady Gaga Goes Political in Maine |newspaper=The New York Times |date=2010-09-20 |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/21/us/politics/21gaga.html?_r=1&src=me |last=Zezima |first=Katy |accessdate=2010-09-21}}</ref> In addition, Gaga wore a dress fabricated from the flesh of a dead animal to the awards ceremony.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> Gaga wished that the dress, more widely known as the "meat dress", was interpreted as a statement of human rights with focus upon those in the LGBT community adding that "If we don't stand up for what we believe in and if we don't fight for our rights, pretty soon we're going to have as much rights as the meat on our own bones."<ref name=autogenerated1 /> She later released three YouTube videos urging her fans to contact their Senators in an effort to overturn the policy. In late September 2010, she spoke at the [[Servicemembers Legal Defense Network]]'s "4the14K" Rally in [[Deering Oaks|Deering Oaks Park]] in [[Portland, Maine|Portland]], [[Maine]]. The name of the rally signified the number – an estimated 14,000 – of service members discharged under the DADT policy at the time. During her remarks, she urged members of the U.S. Senate (and in particular, moderate Republican Senators from Maine, [[Olympia Snowe]] and [[Susan Collins]]) to vote in favor of legislation that would repeal the DADT policy. Following this event, editors of ''[[The Advocate]]'' commented that she had become "the real fierce advocate" for gays and lesbians,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/09/21/Lady_Gaga_Weve_Found_Our_Fierce_Advocate/ |title=Gaga: We've Found Our Fierce Advocate |accessdate=2010-09-21 |date=2010-09-28 |work=The Advocate}}</ref> one that [[Barack Obama]] had promised to be.<ref>{{cite news |title=Obama: I’m a ‘Fierce Advocate’ for Gay and Lesbians |work=The Washington Independent |date=2008-12-08 |url=http://washingtonindependent.com/22526/obama-im-a-fierce-advocate-for-gay-and-lesbians |last=McGann |first=Laura |accessdate=2010-09-28}}</ref>
Gaga has most recently appeared at [[Europride]], a pan-European international event dedicated to LGBT pride, held in [[Rome]] in June 2011. In a nearly twenty-minute speech,<ref>{{cite web|title=Lady Gaga speaks out at massive Europride event in Rome: Can she meaningfully affect gay rights? -- VIDEO|url=http://music-mix.ew.com/2011/06/13/lady-gaga-rome-europride-gay-rights/|date=2011-06-13|accessdate=2011-06-20|first=Christian|last=Blauvelt|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> she criticized the intolerant state of [[LGBT rights in Europe|gay rights in many European countries]] and described homosexuals as "revolutionaries of love"<ref name=mtvrome>{{cite web|title=Lady GaGa Performs At EuroPride In Rome|url=http://www.mtv.co.uk/artists/lady-gaga/news/276972-lady-gaga-europride-italy-gay-rights|date=2011-06-13|accessdate=2011-06-20|work=MTV}}</ref> before performing acoustic renderings of "Born This Way" and "[[The Edge of Glory]]" in front of thousands at the [[Circus Maximus]]. She stated that "Today and every day we fight for freedom. We fight for justice. We beckon for compassion, understanding and above all we want full equality now".<ref name=metro>{{cite web|title=Lady Gaga champions gay rights at EuroPride|url=http://www.metro.co.uk/music/866055-lady-gaga-champions-gay-rights-at-europride|work=Metro|location=London|date=2011-06-12|accessdate=2011-06-20}}</ref> Gaga revealed that she is often questioned why she dedicates herself to "gayspeak" and "how gay" she is, to which, she told the audience: "Why is this question, why is this issue so important? My answer is: I am a child of diversity, I am one with my generation, I feel a moral obligation as a woman, or a man, to exercise my revolutionary potential and make the world a better place." She then joked: "On a gay scale from 1 to 10, I'm a [[Judy Garland]] fucking 42."<ref>{{cite web|title=Australians accept marriage equality|url=http://www.ebar.com/news/article.php?sec=news&article=5784|first=Rex|last=Wockner|date=2011-06-16|accessdate=2011-06-20|work=The Bay Area Reporter}}</ref>
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== Discography ==
{{main|Lady Gaga discography}}
* ''[[The Fame]]'' (2008)
* ''[[The Fame Monster]]'' (2009) <!--Added per talk page consensus, reached in late Nov – early Dec 2010, to include this EP on the list. Please don't remove unless discussion in the talk page produces a new consensus.-->
* ''[[Born This Way]]'' (2011)
== Tours ==
* [[The Fame Ball Tour]] (2009)
* [[The Monster Ball Tour]] (2009–11)
==Awards and nominations==
{{main|List of awards and nominations received by Lady Gaga}}
== See also ==
{{Portal box|Lady Gaga|Music}}
*[[Honorific nicknames in popular music]]
* [[List of best-selling music artists]]
== References ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=25em}}
== Further reading ==
*{{Cite book
| last = Herbert
| first = Emily
| year = 2010
| title = [[Lady Gaga: Queen of Pop]]
| publisher = [[John Blake Publishing]]
| isbn = 978-1-84454-963-4
}}
*{{Cite book
| last = Parvis
| first = Sarah
| title = Lady Gaga
| year = 2010
| publisher = [[Andrews McMeel Publishing]]
| isbn = 0740797956}}
*{{Cite book
| last = Phoenix
| first = Helia
| year = 2010
| title = Lady Gaga: Just Dance—The Biography
| publisher = [[Orion Publishing Group]]
| isbn = 978-1-40911-567-0}}
*{{Cite book
| last = Goodman
| first= Elizabeth
| year = 2010
| title = Lady Gaga: Critical Mass Fashion
| publisher = [[St. Martin's Press]]
| isbn = 0312668406}}
*{{Cite book
| last = Morgan
| first = Johnny
| title = Gaga
| year = 2010
| publisher = [[Sterling Publishing]]
| isbn = 1402780591}}
*[http://bnreview.barnesandnoble.com/t5/Rock-Roll/Monster-Anthems/ba-p/5087 Monster Anthems] (2011) by [[Robert Christgau]]
== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
{{wikiquote}}
* {{Official website|http://www.ladygaga.com/}}
* {{IMDb name|3078932}}
* [http://www.life.com/gallery/53051#index/0 Year in Gaga: A Provocative 2010]—slideshow by ''[[Life (magazine)|Life]]''
* [http://hken.ibtimes.com/articles/118272/20110303/lady-gaga-fashion-debut-paris-fashion-week-thierry-mugler-fall-winter-2011-2012-stylist-nicola-formi.htm Lady Gaga’s catwalk debut at Paris Fashion Week] slideshow by [http://hken.ibtimes.com/ IBTimes HK]
{{Lady Gaga}}
{{UK best-selling singles (by year) 1990–2009}}
{{good article}}
{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]] -->
| NAME=Germanotta, Stefani Joanne Angelina
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Lady Gaga
| SHORT DESCRIPTION=Pop singer
| DATE OF BIRTH=March 28, 1986
| PLACE OF BIRTH=New York City, New York
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lady Gaga}}
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[[Category:American Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:Androgyny]]
[[Category:Bisexual musicians]]
[[Category:BRIT Award winners]]
[[Category:English-language singers]]
[[Category:Feminist musicians]]
[[Category:Grammy Award winners]]
[[Category:Interscope Records artists]]
[[Category:Keytarists]]
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[[Category:LGBT musicians from the United States]]
[[Category:LGBT rights activists from the United States]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Manhattan]]
[[Category:Pseudonymous musicians]]
[[Category:Singers from New York City]]
[[Category:Sony/ATV Music Publishing artists]]
[[Category:Synthpop musicians]]
[[Category:Tisch School of the Arts alumni]]
[[Category:Wonky Pop acts]]
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[[zh:女神卡卡]]' |
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{{Infobox musical artist <!-- For individuals; see Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
| Name = Lady Gaga
| Img = The Monster Ball - Poker Face revamped2-tweak.jpg<!-- To avoid edit warring, please discuss on the talk page before changing the image -->
| Img_capt = Gaga performing on [[The Monster Ball Tour]] in 2010
| Img_alt = Portrait of a young, pale-skinned Caucasian female with blond hair
| Background = solo_singer
| Birth_name = Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta
| Born = {{Birth date and age|1986|3|28}}
| birth_place = New York City, United States
| Instrument = [[Singing|Vocals]], [[piano]], [[synthesizer]], [[keytar]]
| Genre = [[Pop music|Pop]], [[Dance music|dance]]
| Occupation = Singer-songwriter, performance artist,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.forbes.com/profile/lady-gaga |title=Lady Gaga Profile |work=[[Forbes]] |accessdate=2010-10-08}}</ref> record producer, dancer, businesswoman, activist<ref name=activist />
| Years_active = 2005–present
| Label = [[Def Jam Recordings|Def Jam]], [[Cherrytree Records|Cherrytree]], Streamline, [[Kon Live]], [[Interscope Records|Interscope]]
| URL = {{url|www.ladygaga.com}}
}}
'''Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta''' (born March 28, 1986), better known by her [[stage name]] '''Lady Gaga''', is an American pop [[singer-songwriter]]. After enrolling at [[New York University]]'s [[Tisch School of the Arts]] in 2003 and later performing in the rock music scene of New York City's [[Lower East Side]], she signed with Streamline Records, an imprint of [[Interscope Records]]. During her early time at Interscope, she worked as a songwriter for fellow label artists and captured the attention of recording artist [[Akon]] who, recognizing her vocal abilities, signed her to his own label, [[Kon Live Distribution]].
Gaga came to prominence following the release of her debut studio album ''[[The Fame]]'' (2008), which was a critical and commercial success and achieved international popularity with the singles "[[Just Dance]]" and "[[Poker Face (Lady Gaga song)|Poker Face]]". The album reached number one on the record charts of six countries, topped the [[Dance/Electronic Albums|''Billboard'' Dance/Electronic Albums]] chart while simultaneously peaking at number two on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] chart in the United States and accomplished positions within the top ten worldwide. Achieving similar worldwide success, ''[[The Fame Monster]]'' (2009), its follow-up, produced a further three global chart-topping singles "[[Bad Romance]]", "[[Telephone (song)|Telephone]]" and "[[Alejandro (song)|Alejandro]]" and allowed her to embark on her second global concert tour, [[The Monster Ball Tour]], just months after having finished her first, [[The Fame Ball Tour]]. Her second studio album ''[[Born This Way]]'' (2011) topped the charts in all major musical markets after the arrival of its singles "[[Born This Way (song)|Born This Way]]", "[[Judas (song)|Judas]]" and "[[The Edge of Glory]]" – the first-mentioned achieved the number-one spot in countries worldwide and was the fastest-selling single in the history of [[iTunes]], selling one million copies in five days.<ref name="mtv itunes">{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1658317/lady-gaga-born-this-way-itunes.jhtml |title= Lady Gaga's 'Born This Way' Is Fastest-Selling Single In iTunes History |author=Gil Kaufman |publisher=MTV |date=2011-02-18 |accessdate=2011-02-18}}</ref>
Inspired by [[glam rock]] artists like [[David Bowie]], [[Elton John]] and [[Queen (band)|Queen]], as well as pop singers such as [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]] and [[Michael Jackson]], Gaga is well-recognized for her outré and ever-changing sense of style in music, in fashion, in performance and in her music videos. Her contributions to the music industry have accrued her numerous achievements including five [[Grammy Award]]s, among twelve nominations; two ''[[Guinness World Records]]'';<ref>{{cite web |title=Lady Gaga Lands In 'Guinness World Records' Book |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1647973/20100916/lady_gaga.jhtml |author=Kaufman, Gill |date=2010-09-16 |accessdate=2010-12-16}}</ref> and the estimated sale of 13–15 million albums and 40–51 million singles worldwide.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2010/06/12/2010-06-12_seen_this_act_before_word_to_gaga__madonna_did_it_first_and_did_it_better.html |title=Word of advice to Lady Gaga: Madonna did it first and she did it better |last=Molloy |first=Joanna |date=2010-06-12 |work=[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]] |accessdate=2010-08-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://newsroom.mtv.com/2010/08/12/lady-gaga-los-angeles/ |title=Spotted: Lady Gaga Celebrates Success In Los Angeles |date=2010-08-12 |publisher=[[MTV News]] |accessdate=2010-08-18}}</ref> ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' named her the Artist of the Year in 2010,<ref>{{cite web |title=Lady Gaga Is Billboard's 2010 Artist of the Year, Ke$ha Takes Top New Act |url=http://www.billboard.com/news/lady-gaga-is-billboard-s-2010-artist-of-1004134049.story |date=2010-09-12 |author=Caulfield, Keith |work=Billboard |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc}}</ref> ranking her as the 73rd Artist of the 2000s decade.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.billboard.com/#/charts-decade-end/artists-of-the-decade?year=2009&begin=71&order=position |title=Artists of the Decade: Lady Gaga |date=2009-12-21 |accessdate=2010-05-21 |work=Billboard |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc}}</ref> Gaga has been included in ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine's annual [[Time 100]] list of the most influential people in the world as well as being listed in a number of ''[[Forbes]]''' annual lists.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.forbes.com/profile/lady-gaga|accessdate=2011-06-03|title=Forbes Profile: Lady Gaga|publisher=[[Forbes]]}}</ref>
== Life and career ==
=== 1986–2004: Early life ===
Lady Gaga was born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta on March 28, 1986, in New York City.<ref name="tvguide">{{cite web |url=http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/lady-gaga/bio/294098 |title=Lady GaGa: Biography |work=[[TV Guide]] |accessdate=2010-07-28}}</ref> The first child of [[Italian American]] Joseph Germanotta, an internet entrepreneur, and Cynthia (née [[Bissett (surname)|Bissett]]),<ref name="timesonline2">{{cite news |url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article5746827.ece | title=Lady Gaga: ready for her close-up | first=Ruby | last=Warrington | work=[[The Sunday Times]] | publisher=[[News International]] | date=2009-02-22 | accessdate=2009-02-22 | location=London}}</ref> Gaga has one sister, Natali, who was born in 1992.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.eonline.com/uberblog/b171698_lady_gagas_sis_makes_cameo_in_telephone.html|title=Lady Gaga's Sis Makes Cameo in "Telephone" Video|publisher=uk.eonline.com, [[E! Online]]|accessdate=2011-03-15|accessdate=2011-05-30}}</ref><!-- <ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.news-register.net/page/content.detail/id/525756.html |title=Pop Star Lady Gaga Has Roots in Ohio Valley |work=[[The Intelligencer & Wheeling News Register]] |publisher=[[Ogden Newspapers]] |date=2008-12-06 |accessdate=2009-12-22 |last=Severt |first=Holand}}</ref> --> Gaga is left-handed<ref name="Bio2">{{cite web | url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNa_-1d_0tA | title=Musicians @ google interview | publisher=youtube.com | accessdate=2011-03-22}}</ref> and began learning to play piano aged four, went on to write her first piano ballad at 13, and began performing at [[open mike]] nights by the age of 14.<ref name="Bio">{{cite web | url=http://www.ladygaga.com/bio/ | title=Biography of Lady Gaga | publisher=LadyGaga.com | accessdate=2009-01-09}}</ref> Raised as a [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]]<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1641149/lady-gagas-alejandro-director-defends-videos-religious-symbolism.jhtml |title=Lady Gaga's 'Alejandro' Director Defends Video's Religious Symbolism |last=Montogomery |first=James |date=2010-06-09 |accessdate=2011-01-11 |publisher=MTV (MTV Networks)}}</ref> on Manhattan's [[Upper West Side]] after the family moved there in 1993,<ref name="jmgaga">{{Cite book|last=Morgan|first=Johnny|title=Gaga|year=2010|publisher=[[Sterling Publishing]]|isbn=1402780591}}</ref> Gaga attended the [[Convent of the Sacred Heart (New York)|Convent of the Sacred Heart]], a private all-girls Roman Catholic school on Manhattan's [[Upper East Side]], from the age of 11.<ref name="Times Online.co.uk">{{cite news |url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article5325327.ece?token=null&offset=0&page=1 |title=Lady GaGa: the future of pop? |date=2008-12-14 |work=The Sunday Times |publisher=News International | first=Collins |last=Hattie |accessdate=2009-12-06 | location=London}}</ref><ref name="independent">{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/lady-gaga-how-the-world-went-crazy-for-the-new-queen-of-pop-1684375.html |title=Lady Gaga: How the world went crazy for the new queen of pop |last=Sturges |first=Fiona |date=2009-05-16 |work=[[The Independent]] |publisher=[[Independent News & Media]] |accessdate=2009-05-26 | location=London}}</ref> Despite the comparative wealth between the Upper East and West Sides, Gaga stressed that she did not come from a wealthy background, stating that her parents "both came from lower-class families, so we've worked for everything—my mother worked eight to eight out of the house, in [[telecommunication]]s, and so did my father."<ref name="TimesOnlineDec09">{{cite news | first=Lynn | last=Barber | title=Shady lady: The truth about pop's Lady Gaga | work=The Sunday Times | url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article6940885.ece | authorlink=Lynn Barber | date=2009-12-06 | accessdate=2010-06-14 | publisher=News International | location=London}}</ref> She described her academic life in high school as "very dedicated, very studious, very disciplined" but also "a bit insecure" as she told in an interview, "I used to get made fun of for being either too provocative or too eccentric, so I started to tone it down. I didn't fit in, and I felt like a freak."<ref>{{cite news | first=Jon | last=Bream |title=Don't Gag on Gaga | date=2009-03-21 | publisher=The Star Tribune Company | url =http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/music/41533957.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUsZ | work =[[Star Tribune]] | accessdate = 2010-01-23 | language = }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | first=Seth | last=Poppell | title=Lady Gaga was surprisingly normal | date=2009-12-22 | publisher=[[Bauer Media Group]] | url =http://www.intouchweekly.com/2009/12/in_touch_exclusivelady_gaga_wa.php | work =[[In Touch Weekly]] | accessdate = 2010-01-23 }}</ref> Acquaintances dispute that she did not fit in at school. "She had a core group of friends; she was a good student. She liked boys a lot, but singing was No. 1," recalled a former high school classmate.<ref name='whos-that-lady'>{{cite news | first=Maureen |last=Callahan |first2= Sara |last2= Stewart | title=Who's that lady? | date=2010-01-22 | publisher= News Corporation | url =http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/music/who_that_lady_CBlHI927dRlLmIwjVfGrwK | work =[[New York Post]] | accessdate = 2010-03-26 }}</ref>
An avid actor in high school [[Musical theatre|musicals]], Gaga portrayed the lead roles of Adelaide in ''[[Guys and Dolls]]'' and Philia in ''[[A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum]]''.<ref name='growingupgaga'>{{cite news | first= Vanessa | last=Grigoriadis |authorlink= Vanessa Grigoriadis | title=Growing Up Gaga| date=2010-03-28 | publisher=New York Media Holdings |url=http://nymag.com/arts/popmusic/features/65127 | work =[[New York (magazine)|New York]] |page=7 |accessdate=2010-03-29 }}</ref> She also appeared in a very small role as a mischievous classmate in the television drama series ''[[The Sopranos]]'' in a 2001 episode titled "[[The Telltale Moozadell]]".<ref>{{cite web|title=Lady Gaga's 'Sopranos' Cameo Surfaces|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1649702/lady-gagas-sopranos-cameo-surfaces.jhtml|date=2010-10-11|accessdate=2011-07-02|first=Eric|last=Ditzian|work=MTV}}</ref> At 16, she began to sing and play in front of live audiences and unsuccessfully auditioned for parts in New York shows.<ref name="jmgaga"/> When her time at the Convent of the Sacred Heart came to an end, her mother encouraged her to apply to [[New York University]] to study drama and performance – specifically the [[Collaborative Arts Project 21 (CAP21)|Collaborative Arts Project 21]] (CAP21), which is a faculty of the [[Tisch School of the Arts]].<ref name="jmgaga"/> Aged 17, Gaga gained early admission and lived in a [[New York University residence halls|NYU dorm]] on 11th Street. There, she studied music and sharpened her songwriting skills by composing essays and analytical papers focusing on topics such as art, religion, social issues and politics.<ref name="Bio" /><ref name=ARTISTdirect>{{cite web |url=http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/news/article/0,,4931544,00.html |title= Interview: Lady GaGa |accessdate=2009-02-18 |last=Florino |first= Rick |date=2009-01-30 |publisher=[[Artistdirect]]. Artistdirect, Inc.}}</ref> Gaga wrote a [[thesis]] on pop artists [[Spencer Tunick]] and [[Damien Hirst]]; research that prepared her for her future career focus in "music, art, sex and celebrity."<ref name='always-famous'>{{cite news | title = Lady Gaga: 'I’ve always been famous, you just didn’t know it' | date = 2010-02-16 | url = http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopfeatures/7221051/Lady-Gaga-Ive-always-been-famous-you-just-didnt-know-it.html | work = The Telegraph | last= Carlton |first=Andrew |accessdate = 2011-02-09}}</ref> Gaga felt that she was more creative than some of her classmates. "Once you learn how to think about art, you can teach yourself," she said. Being part of such a prestigious performance course, Gaga tried for and passed auditions while at CAP21,<ref name="jmgaga"/> including the part of an unsuspecting diner customer where MTV's ''[[Boiling Points]]'', a prank reality television show, was being filmed.<ref>{{cite web|title=Vintage Lady Gaga! Watch Gaga On MTV's 'Boiling Points' In 2005|url=http://buzzworthy.mtv.com/2009/10/05/vintage-lady-gaga-watch-gaga-on-mtvs-boiling-points-in-2005/|work=MTV|date=2009-10-05|accessdate=2011-07-02|first=Tamar|last=Anitai}}</ref> However, by the second semester of her sophomore year, she withdrew from the school to focus on her musical career.<ref name="mtv 55">{{cite news |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1589013/20080609/lady_gaga.jhtml |title=Lady GaGa Brings Her Artistic Vision Of Pop Music To New Album |last=Harris |first=Chris |date=2008-06-09 |accessdate=2009-05-07 |work=MTV |publisher=[[MTV Networks]]}}</ref> Her father agreed to pay her rent for a year, on the condition that she re-enroll at Tisch if she was unsuccessful. "I left my entire family, got the cheapest apartment I could find, and ate shit until somebody would listen," she said.<ref name='growingupgaga' />
=== 2005–07: Career beginnings ===
[[File:Lady Gaga at Lollapalooza 2007.jpg|thumb|Gaga (''right'') performing with Lady Starlight (''left'') at [[Lollapalooza]] 2007]]
Settled in a small apartment on [[Rivington Street (Manhattan)|Rivington Street]] towards the summer of 2005,<ref name="jmgaga"/> Gaga recorded a couple of songs with hip-hop singer [[Melle Mel|Grandmaster Melle Mel]], for an audio book accompanying the children's book ''The Portal in the Park'', by Cricket Casey.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://blogs.villagevoice.com/dailymusto/2010/01/lady_gaga_did_a.php | title=Lady Gaga Did a Children's Book In 2007! | date=2010-01-19 |work=[[The Village Voice]] |publisher= |last=Musto |first=Michael |accessdate=2010-01-19}}</ref> She also began a band called the Stefani Germanotta Band (SGBand) with some friends from NYU – guitarist Calvin Pia, bassist Eli Silverman and drummer Alex Beckham – in September of that year.<ref name="jmgaga"/> The band played a mixture of songs: some self-penned, along with classic rock numbers like [[Led Zeppelin]]'s "[[D'yer Mak'er]]".<ref name="jmgaga"/> Playing in [[Lower East Side]] bars like [[The Bitter End]] and the [[Mercury Lounge]], the band developed a small fan base and caught the eye of music producer Joe Vulpis.<ref name="jmgaga"/> Soon after arranging time in Vulpis' studio beneath a New Jersey liquor store in the months that followed, SGBand were selling their extended plays ''Words'' and ''Red and Blue'' at gigs around New York while becoming a local fixture of the downtown Lower East Side club scene.<ref name="growingupgaga"/> While at the peak of their career, SGBand performed at the 2006 [[Songwriters Hall of Fame]] New Songwriters Showcase at [[The Cutting Room]] in June where Wendy Starland, a singing model, appeared as a talent scout for music producer [[Rob Fusari]] who was searching for a female singer to front a new band. After Starland had informed Fusari of Gaga's ability, he contacted her. By this time, SGBand had grown apart and Gaga left to work with the music producer in New Jersey where she would travel daily to work on songs she had written and compose new material.<ref name="jmgaga"/> While in collaboration, Fusari compared some of her vocal harmonies to those of [[Freddie Mercury]], lead singer of [[Queen (band)|Queen]].<ref name="mirrorstone" /> It was Fusari who helped created the moniker Gaga after the Queen song "[[Radio Ga Ga]]". Gaga was in the process of trying to come up with a stage name when she received a text message from Fusari that read "Lady Gaga."<ref name="Nj.com">{{cite news | first=Lisa | last=Rose |title=Lady Gaga's outrageous persona born in Parsippany, New Jersey | date=2010-01-21 | publisher=[[Advance Publications]] | url =http://www.nj.com/entertainment/music/index.ssf/2010/01/lady_gaga_her_outrageous_perso.html | work =[[The Star-Ledger]] |accessdate = 2010-01-23}}</ref> He explained, "Every day, when Stef came to the studio, instead of saying hello, I would start singing 'Radio Ga Ga'. That was her entrance song. [Lady Gaga] was actually a glitch; I typed 'Radio Ga Ga' in a text and it did an [[T9 (predictive text)|autocorrect]] so somehow 'Radio' got changed to 'Lady'. She texted me back, "That's it." After that day, she was Lady Gaga.<ref name="Contactmusic.com" /> She's like, "Don't ever call me Stefani again."<ref name="Nj.com" /> The ''[[New York Post]]'', however, has reported that this story is incorrect, and that the name resulted from a marketing meeting.<ref name='whos-that-lady' />
[[File:Gaga at bazaar.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Gaga performing at The Bazaar in Atlanta, Georgia, sporting one of her earlier looks (2008)|alt=Full right profile of a young blond woman, surrounded by sitting spectators in a pub. She wears a black leotard and her long hair falls around her side. With her right hand she holds a pair of video sunglasses to her eyes.]]
Although the musical relationship between Fusari and Gaga was unsuccessful at first, the pair soon set up a company titled Team Lovechild, in which they recorded and produced electro-beat pop tracks and sent them to music industry bosses.<ref name="jmgaga"/> Joshua Sarubin, the head of [[Artists and repertoire|A&R]] at [[Def Jam Recordings]], responded positively and vied for the record company to take a chance on her "unusual and provocative" performance. After having his boss [[L.A. Reid|Antonio "L.A." Reid]] in agreement, Gaga was signed to Def Jam in September 2006 with the intention of having an album ready in nine months.<ref name="jmgaga"/> However, she was dropped by the label after only three months.<ref name="Allmusic bio">{{cite web |url={{Allmusic |class=artist |id=lady-gaga-p1055684 |pure_url=yes}} |title=Allmusic <nowiki>|</nowiki> Lady Gaga |last=Birchmeier |first=Jason |date=2008-04-20 |publisher=[[Allmusic]]. [[Rovi Corporation]] |accessdate=2010-01-03}}</ref> Devastated, Gaga returned to the solace the family home for Christmas as well as the nightlife culture of the Lower East Side. Becoming fascinated with some of the emerging [[neo-burlesque]] shows, Gaga began [[Go-Go dancing]] in bars dressed in little more than bikini.<ref name="jmgaga"/> She began experimenting with drugs in addition performing in many shows.<ref name="Times Online.co.uk"/> "I was onstage in a thong, with a fringe hanging over my ass thinking that had covered it, lighting hairsprays on fire, Go-Go dancing to [[Black Sabbath]] and singing songs about oral sex. The kids would scream and cheer and then we'd all go grab a beer. It represented freedom to me. I went to a Catholic school but it was on the New York underground that I found myself."<ref name="always-famous"/> Her father, however, did not understand the reason behind her drug intake and could not look at her for several months.<ref name="Times Online.co.uk" /><ref name="Contactmusic.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.contactmusic.com/info/lady_gaga |title=Lady GaGa Profile |accessdate=2009-02-20 |last=Reporter |first=Staff |publisher=[[Contactmusic.com]] }}</ref> During this time, she met performance artist Lady Starlight, who helped mold her on-stage persona.<ref name="Blast">{{cite news |url=http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/entertainment/meet-the-woman-who-inspired-lady-gaga_100324226.html |title=Meet the woman who inspired Lady Gaga |last=Cassis |first=Christine |date=2010-02-22 |publisher=[[Thaindian News]] |accessdate=2010-02-03}}</ref> Starlight explained that, upon their first meeting, Gaga wanted to perform with her to songs she had recorded with Fusari. Like SGBand, the pair began playing gigs at many of the downtown club venues like the Mercury Lounge, The Bitter End, and the Rockwood Music Hall. Their live performance art piece was known as "Lady Gaga and the Starlight Revue"<ref name="seattleweekly">{{cite news |url=http://www.seattleweekly.com/2008-11-19/music/lady-gaga-some-like-it-pop/ |title=Lady GaGa: Some Like it Pop |last=Hobart |first=Erika |date=2008-11-18 |publisher=[[Village Voice Media]] |work=[[Seattle Weekly]] |accessdate=2009-01-10}}</ref><ref name="METRO">{{cite news |url=http://www.metro.co.uk/metrolife/461127-profile-just-who-is-lady-gaga |title=Just Who Is Lady GaGa? |last=Lee |first=Ann |date=2009-01-06 |work=[[Metro (British newspaper)|Metro]] |publisher=[[Associated Newspapers]] |accessdate=2009-02-26}}</ref> and, billed as "The Ultimate Pop Burlesque Rockshow", their act was a low-fi tribute to 1970s variety acts.<ref name="BMI">{{cite web |url=http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/535267 |title=Lady Gaga |date= 2007-07-09 |publisher=[[Broadcast Music Incorporated]] |accessdate=2009-02-26}}</ref><ref name="SUN">{{cite news |url=http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/article2148146.ece |title=GaGa: On stripping, drugs and No 1s |last=Martin |first=Charlotte |date=2009-01-23 |work=[[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]] |accessdate=2009-02-26 |publisher=News International}}</ref> Soon after, the two were invited to play at the 2007 [[Lollapalooza]] music festival in August that year.<ref name="WMagazine">{{cite news |url=http://www.wmagazine.com/celebrities/2007/10/lady_gaga |title=Going Ga-Ga for Lady Gaga |last=D'Souza |first=Nandini |date=2007-10-18 |work=[[W (magazine)|W Magazine]] |accessdate=2009-01-03 |publisher=[[Condé Nast Publications]]}}</ref> The show was critically acclaimed, and their performance received positive reviews.<ref name="Bio" /><ref name="seattleweekly"/> Having initially focused on [[avant-garde]] [[electronic dance music]], Gaga had found her musical niche when she began to incorporate pop melodies and the [[glam rock]] of [[David Bowie]] and Queen into her music.<ref name="Electro Pop Diva">{{cite news | url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1110125/Why-world-going-gaga-electro-pop-diva-Stefani.html | title=Why the world is going gaga for electro-pop diva Stefani | work=[[Daily Mail]] | publisher=Associated Newspapers | first=Adrian |last=Thrills | date=2009-01-09 | accessdate=2009-01-12 }}</ref>
While Gaga and Starlight were busy performing, producer Rob Fusari continued to work on the songs he had created with Gaga. Fusari sent these songs to his friend, producer and [[Music executive|record executive]] Vincent Herbert.<ref name="trans26">{{cite video |title=Transmission Gaga-vision: Episode 26 |date=2008-12-16 |publisher=Lady Gaga Official website |people=Haus of GaGa |accessdate=2009-12-17}}</ref> Herbert was quick to sign her to his label Streamline Records, an [[Trade name|imprint]] of [[Interscope Records]], upon its establishment in 2007.<ref name="newimprent">{{cite journal |last=Mitchell |first=Gail |date=2007-11-10 |title=Interscope's New Imprint |journal=Billboard |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc |volume=119 |issue=45 |page=14 |url=http://books.google.com/?id=xw4EAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA14&dq=%22vincent%20herbert%20launches%20streamline%22&pg=PA14#v=onepage&q= |accessdate=2010-05-06 |issn=0006-2510}}</ref> She credited Herbert as the man who discovered her, adding "I really feel like we made pop history, and we're gonna keep going."<ref name="trans26" /> Having already served as an apprentice songwriter under an internship at [[Famous Music|Famous Music Publishing]], which was later acquired by [[Sony/ATV Music Publishing]], Gaga subsequently struck a [[music publisher (popular music)|music publishing]] deal with Sony/ATV.<ref name="bbcover" /> As a result, she was hired to write songs for [[Britney Spears]] and labelmates [[New Kids on the Block]], [[Fergie (singer)|Fergie]], and the [[Pussycat Dolls]].<ref name="bbcover">{{cite news |last=Harding |first=Cortney |date=2009-08-15 |title=Lady Gaga: The Billboard Cover Story |work=Billboard |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc |url=http://www.billboard.com/news/lady-gaga-the-billboard-cover-story-1004001347.story |accessdate=2010-05-06}}</ref> While Gaga was writing at Interscope, singer-songwriter [[Akon]] recognized her vocal abilities when she sang a reference vocal for one of his tracks in studio.<ref name="totallygaga">{{cite news |url=http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/features/Lady-GaGa-Totally-GaGa.4891798.jp |title=Lady GaGa: Totally Ga-Ga |accessdate=2009-02-20 |last=Cowing |first= Emma |date=2009-01-20 |work=[[The Scotsman]] |publisher=[[Johnston Press]]}}</ref> He then convinced [[Interscope-Geffen-A&M]] Chairman and CEO [[Jimmy Iovine]] to form a joint deal by having her also sign with his own label [[Kon Live Distribution]]<ref name="Allmusic bio" /> and later called her his "franchise player."<ref name="franchise">{{cite news |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1613350/20090605/akon.jhtml |title=Akon Calls Lady Gaga His 'Franchise Player' |last=Vena |first=Jocelyn |date=2009-06-05 |publisher=MTV Networks |work=MTV |accessdate=2009-06-20}}</ref> As 2007 came to a close, her former management company introduced her to songwriter and producer [[RedOne]], whom they also managed.<ref name="hitquarters.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.hitquarters.com/index.php3?page=intrview/opar/intrview_RedOne_Interview.html |title=Interview With RedOne |date=2009-03-23 |publisher=[[HitQuarters]] |accessdate=2009-12-19}}</ref> The first song she produced with RedOne was "Boys Boys Boys",<ref name="hitquarters.com"/> a [[mashup (music)|mash-up]] inspired by [[Mötley Crüe]]'s "[[Girls, Girls, Girls (song)|Girls, Girls, Girls]]" and [[AC/DC]]'s "[[T.N.T. (song)|T.N.T.]]".<ref name="Contactmusic.com" /> Gaga continued her collaboration with RedOne in the recording studio for a week on her debut album<ref name="bbcover"/> and also joined the roster of [[Cherrytree Records]], an Interscope imprint established by producer and songwriter [[Martin Kierszenbaum]], after co-writing four songs with Kierszenbaum including the single "[[Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)]]".<ref name="bbcover" />
===2008–10: ''The Fame'' and ''The Fame Monster''===
[[File:Lady GaGa at 2009 MTV VMA's.jpg|left|thumb|upright|Gaga at the [[2009 MTV Video Music Awards]]|alt=Right profile of a young blond woman. She wears a mauve leotard with purple stripes. Her hair is curled up behind her head. She holds a silver trophy in her right hand. A black background with red letters is visible behind her.]]
By 2008, Gaga had relocated to Los Angeles and worked extensively with her record label in order to finalize her debut album ''[[The Fame]]'' (2008).<ref name="Contactmusic.com" /> She combined different genres on the album, "from [[Def Leppard]] drums and hand claps to [[heavy metal music|metal]] drums on [[urban music|urban tracks]]."<ref name="Allmusic bio" /> ''The Fame'' received positive reviews from contemporary critics; according to the music review aggregation of [[Metacritic]], it garnered an average score of 71/100.<ref name="thefamemeta">{{cite web | url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/the-fame | title=Lady Gaga: The Fame | publisher=[[Metacritic]] | accessdate=2009-01-09}}</ref> The album peaked at number one in United Kingdom, Canada, Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Ireland, and the top-five in Australia, the United States and fifteen other countries.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/L/Lady_GaGa/2009/01/14/8022056-jam.html | title=Lady GaGa's 'Fame' rises to No. 1 | work=[[Jam!]] |publisher=[[Canadian Online Explorer]] | first=John |last=Williams | accessdate=2009-01-14 |date=2009-01-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://acharts.us/album/37558 |title=Lady Gaga – The Fame – World Charts |publisher=aCharts.us |accessdate=2009-01-08}}</ref> Worldwide, ''The Fame'' has sold over fourteen million copies.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.universalmusic.fr/lady-gaga/actu/dance-in-the-dark-le-nouveau-single-de-lady-gaga/ | title="Dance In The Dark", le nouveau single de Lady Gaga | publisher=Universal Music France | language=French | accessdate=2010-10-26 | date=2010-08-25}}</ref> Its lead single "[[Just Dance]]" topped the charts in six countries—Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States—and later received a Grammy Award nomination for [[Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording|Best Dance Recording]].<ref name="Grammy">{{cite web |url=http://www2.grammy.com/grammy_awards/51st_show/list.aspx |title=The 51st Annual Grammy Awards Nominations List |publisher=[[National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences]] |accessdate=2009-01-02}}</ref> The following single "[[Poker Face (Lady Gaga song)|Poker Face]]" was an even greater success, reaching number-one in almost all major music markets in the world, including the United Kingdom and the United States.<ref name="Poker Face on acharts">{{cite web |url=http://acharts.us/song/37371 |title=Lady Gaga – Poker Face – World Charts |publisher=aCharts.us |accessdate=2009-01-03}}</ref> It won the award for Best Dance Recording at the [[52nd Grammy Awards]], over nominations for [[Grammy Award for Song of the Year|Song of the Year]] and [[Grammy Award for Record of the Year|Record of the Year]]. ''The Fame'' was nominated for [[Grammy Award for Album of the Year|Album of the Year]]; it won the [[Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronica Album]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Music/01/31/grammys.winner.list/index.html |title=List of Grammy winners |publisher=CNN. [[Turner Broadcasting System]] |date=2010-02-01 |accessdate=2010-04-25}}</ref> Although her first concert tour happened as an opening act for fellow Interscope pop group, the reformed [[New Kids on the Block]],<ref>{{cite news |title=International Pop Star Lady Gaga Set to Tour With New Kids on the Block |work=Reuters |publisher=Thomson Reuters |date=2008-10-31 |last=Reporter |first=Staff |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2008/10/04/idUS16002+04-Oct-2008+PRN20081004 |accessdate=2009-01-08 |date=2009-01-08}}</ref> she ultimately embarked on her own worldwide concert tour, [[The Fame Ball Tour]], which was critically appreciated and began in March 2009; ending in September of that year.<ref name="billboardreview">{{cite news |url=http://login.vnuemedia.com/bbbiz/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003969033 |title=Lady Gaga / May 2, 2009 / New York (Terminal 5) |last=Menze |first=Jill |date=2009-05-29 |work=Billboard |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc |accessdate=2009-05-05}}</ref> The cover of the annual "Hot 100" issue of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' in May 2009 featured a semi-nude Gaga wearing only strategically placed plastic bubbles.<ref name="mirrorstone">{{cite news |url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/2009/05/28/lady-gaga-gets-naked-for-rolling-stone-cover-shoot-see-her-sexy-pictures-here-115875-21396568/ |title=Lady GaGa gets naked for Rolling Stone cover shoot |last=Gregory |first=Jason |date=2009-05-28 |work=Daily Mirror |publisher=Trinity Mirror |accessdate=2009-05-28}}</ref><ref name="rsannual" /> In the issue she said that while she was beginning her career in the New York club scene, she was romantically involved with a [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]] drummer. She described their relationship and break-up, saying of it, "I was his Sandy, and he was my Danny [of ''[[Grease (film)|Grease]]''], and I just broke." He later became an inspiration behind some of the songs on ''The Fame''.<ref name="rsannual">{{cite journal |last=Hiatt |first=Brian |date=2009-05-30 |title=The Rise of Lady Gaga |journal=Rolling Stone |publisher=[[Jann Wenner]] |location=New York |volume=1080 |issue=43 |accessdate=2009-06-02 |issn=0035-791X}}</ref> She was nominated for a total of nine awards at the [[2009 MTV Video Music Awards]], winning the award for [[MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist|Best New Artist]], while her single "[[Paparazzi (Lady Gaga song)|Paparazzi]]" won two awards for [[MTV Video Music Award for Best Art Direction|Best Art Direction]] and [[MTV Video Music Award for Best Special Effects|Best Special Effects]].<ref name="MTV VMA award winners">{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2009/winners.jhtml |title=2009 MTV Video Music Awards Winners |work=MTV |publisher=MTV Networks |accessdate=2009-09-14}}</ref> In October Gaga received ''Billboard'' magazine's Rising Star of 2009 award.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.billboard.com/news/beyonce-accepts-billboard-s-woman-of-the-1004018301.story |title=Beyonce Accepts Billboard's Woman Of the Year Award, Lady Gaga Is Rising Star |last=Caulfield |first=Keith |date=2009-10-03 |work=Billboard |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc |accessdate=2009-10-06}}</ref> She attended the [[Human Rights Campaign]]'s "National Dinner" the same month, before marching in the [[National Equality March]] for the equal protection of [[LGBT]] people in all matters governed by U.S. civil law in Washington, D.C.<ref name="activist">{{cite news |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/11/AR2009101101892_2.html?hpid=topnews&sid=ST2009101101924 |title=For Gay Activists, The Lady Is a Champ |accessdate=2009-12-12 |last=Zak |first=Dan |date=2009-10-12 |work=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref><ref name="E!">{{cite news |url=http://uk.eonline.com/uberblog/b148428_kanye_who_lady_gaga_teams_up_with.html |title=Kanye Who? Lady Gaga Teams Up With President Obama |accessdate=2009-12-12 |first=Fowler |last=Brand |date=2009-10-12 |work=[[E! Entertainment Television]] |publisher=E! Online}}</ref>
[[File:Gaga-monster ball UK DITD.jpg|thumb|upright|Gaga performing in 2010 at [[The Monster Ball Tour]]|alt= Profile of a young blond woman. Her hair falls in waves up to her shoulders. She wears a purple leotard with visible sequins attached. Ample bosom, arm and leg are visible.]]
Written over the course of 2008–09, ''[[The Fame Monster]]'', a collection of eight songs, was released in November 2009. Each song, dealing with the darker side of fame from personal experience while she traveled the world, is expressed through a [[Paranoia|monster]] metaphor. Its first single "[[Bad Romance]]" topped the charts in eighteen countries, while reaching the top-two in the United States, Australia and New Zealand.<ref name="finance2">{{cite news |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lady-gaga-returns-with-8-new-songs-on-the-fame-monster-63780227.html |title=Lady Gaga Returns With 8 New Songs on 'The Fame Monster' |last=Release |first=Press |date=2009-10-08 |publisher=[[PR Newswire]] |accessdate=2009-10-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://acharts.us/song/51422 |title=Lady Gaga – Bad Romance – World Charts |publisher=acharts.us |accessdate=2010-04-17}}</ref> In the U.S., Gaga became the first artist in digital history to have three singles (along with "Just Dance" and "Poker Face") to pass the four million mark in digital sales.<ref name="ussaleofthefame">{{cite news |url=http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart_watch/55472/week-ending-june-20-2010-lets-thank-him-now/ |title=Week Ending June 20, 2010: Let's Thank Him Now |last=Grein |first=Paul |date=2010-06-23 |publisher=[[Yahoo!]] |accessdate=2009-12-31}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart_watch/59466/chart-watch-extra-gagas-nice-round-number/ |page=2 |title=Chart Watch Extra: Gaga's Nice Round Number |last=Grein |first=Paul |date=2010-07-23 |publisher=Yahoo! |accessdate=2009-07-24}}</ref> The song won a Grammy for [[Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance|Best Female Pop Vocal Performance]] while its accompanying music video won the [[Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/13/53rd-annual-grammy-awards-the-winners-list/ |title=53rd annual Grammy awards: The winners list – The Marquee Blog – CNN.com Blogs |work=[[CNN]] |accessdate=February 21, 2011}}</ref> The album's second single "[[Telephone (song)|Telephone]]", which features singer [[Beyoncé Knowles|Beyoncé]], was nominated for the [[Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals]] and became Gaga's fourth UK number-one single<ref>{{cite news |title=Lady Gaga tops UK album and single charts |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8579244.stm |publisher=BBC News |date=2010-03-22 |accessdate=2010-12-13}}</ref> while its accompanying music video, although controversial, received a more positive reception from contemporary critics: praising her for "the musicality and showmanship of Michael Jackson and the powerful sexuality and provocative instincts of Madonna".<ref>{{cite web |title=Lady GaGa's Telephone video |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopfeatures/7466152/Lady-GaGas-Telephone-video.html |publisher=The Daily Telegraph (London) |author=McCormick, Neil |date=2010-03-17 |accessdate=2010-12-13}}</ref> Her following single "[[Alejandro (song)|Alejandro]]" paired Gaga with fashion photographer [[Steven Klein]] for a music video similarly as controversial—critics complimented its idea and dark nature,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1641026/20100608/lady_gaga.jhtml |title=Lady Gaga's 'Alejandro' Video: German Expressionism With A Beat! |date=2010-06-08 |accessdate=2010-12-13 |last=Montgomery |first=James |work=MTV |publisher=MTV Networks}}</ref> but the [[Catholic League (U.S.)|Catholic League]] attacked Gaga for her alleged use of [[blasphemy]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.catholicleague.org/release.php?id=1881 |publisher=[[Catholic League (U.S.)|Catholic League]] |accessdate=2010-12-13 |title=Catholic League: For Religious and Civil Rights}}</ref> Despite the controversy surrounding her music videos, they made Gaga the first artist to gain over one billion [[Viral video|viral views]] on video-sharing website [[YouTube]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/11626592 |title=Lady Gaga beats Justin Bieber to YouTube record |last=Whitworth |first=Dan |date=2010-10-26 |work=[[BBC]] |publisher=[[Newsbeat|BBC Newsbeat]] |accessdate=2010-12-28}}</ref> Musically, ''The Fame Monster'' has also received abundant success. Equating to the amount of Grammy nominations her debut received, ''The Fame Monster'' garnered a total of six; the album won for [[Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album|Best Pop Vocal Album]] and earned her a second-consecutive nomination for Album of the Year.<ref>[http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/13/53rd-annual-grammy-awards-the-winners-list/ 53rd annual Grammy awards: The winners list – The Marquee Blog – CNN.com Blogs<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Nominations list for the 53rd annual Grammy awards |url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/awards/grammys/2010-12-01-grammy-nominations-list_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip |date=2010-12-01 |publisher=USA Today}}</ref> The success of the album allowed Gaga to start her second worldwide concert tour, [[The Monster Ball Tour]], just weeks after the release of ''The Fame Monster'' and months after having finished The Fame Ball Tour.<ref name="bbannounceball">{{cite news |url=http://www.billboard.com/news/lady-gaga-unveils-monster-ball-tour-dates-1004022735.story |title=Lady Gaga Unveils 'The Monster Ball' |accessdate=2009-10-15 |date=2009-10-15 |last=Herrera |first=Monica |work=Billboard |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc}}</ref> Upon finishing in May 2011, the critically acclaimed<ref name="guardian">{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2009/nov/30/lady-gaga-monster-ball |title=Lady Gaga's Monster Ball, reviewed by a theatre critic |last=Nestruck |first=Kelly |date=2009-11-30 |work=[[The Guardian]] |publisher=[[Guardian News and Media]] |accessdate=2009-12-01}}</ref><ref name="rs">{{cite journal |url= |title=Live Review: Lady Gaga Brings Her Pop Theatricality to Boston in First U.S. "Monster Ball" Show |last=Adams |first=Jeremy |date=2009-12-02 |work=Rolling Stone |publisher=[[Jann Wenner]] |accessdate=2009-12-04 |issn=0035-791X}}</ref> and commercially accomplished<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.billboard.com/#/features/top-25-tours-2010-1004134022.story |title=Top 25 Tours 2010 |date=2010-12-13 |accessdate=2010-12-14 |work=Billboard |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc}}</ref> tour ran for over one and a half years and, according to [[Billboard (magazine)|''Billboard'']], grossed 227.4 million dollars, making it one of the highest-grossing concert tours of all time and the highest-grossing for a debut headlining artist.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/#/events/lady-gaga-s-monster-ball-tour-breaks-record-1005172562.story|title=Lady Gaga's Monster Ball Tour Breaks Record for Debut Headlining Artist|date=2011-05-05|first=Ray|last=Waddell|work=Billboard|publisher=billboard.com, Prometheus Global Media|accessdate=2011-06-02}}</ref> Additionally, Gaga has performed other songs from the album at international events such as the 2009 [[Royal Variety Performance]] where she sang "[[Speechless (Lady Gaga song)|Speechless]]", a [[Power ballads|power ballad]], in the presence of Queen [[Elizabeth II]];<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/2009/12/08/lady-gaga-meets-the-queen-at-royal-variety-performance-115875-21881111/ |title=Lady GaGa meets the Queen at Royal Variety Performance |last=Lawter |first=Daniel |date=2009-12-08 |work=[[Daily Mirror]] |publisher=[[Trinity Mirror]] |accessdate=2009-12-09}}</ref> the [[52nd Grammy Awards]] where her opening performance consisted of the song "Poker Face" and a piano duet of "Speechless" in a medley of "[[Your Song]]" with [[Elton John]];<ref>{{cite web |title=Elton John gets dirty with Lady Gaga as they duet at the Grammys |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1247638/Grammy-Awards-2010-Elton-John-Lady-Gaga-duet-sing-Your-Song-Speechless.html |first=Lizzie |last=Smith |date=2010-02-01 |accessdate=2011-01-05 |work=Daily Mail |location=London}}</ref> and the [[2010 BRIT Awards]] where a performance of an acoustic rendition of "Telephone" followed by "[[Dance in the Dark]]" dedicated to the late fashion designer and close friend, [[Alexander McQueen]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Lady Gaga throws Brit Awards into chaos as she ditches plans for big performance |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1251380/Brit-Awards-2010-Lady-Gaga.html |publisher=The Daily Mail |location=London |date=2010-02-16 |accessdate=2010-12-28 |first1=Lizzie |last1=Smith |first2=Ben |last2=Todd}}</ref> supplemented her hat-trick win at the awards ceremony.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lady Gaga wins Brit Awards triple |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8517579.stm |publisher=BBC News |date=2010-02-16 |accessdate=2010-12-28}}</ref>
Excited about bringing back [[Polaroid Corporation|Polaroid]] and "combining it with the digital era", Gaga was named Chief Creative Officer for a line of imaging products for the international optic company in January 2010 with the intent of creating fashion, technology and photography products.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lady Gaga wears hat made entirely from her own hair |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/fashion/2010/01/08/2010-01-08_lady_gaga_wears_hat_made_entirely_from_her_own_hair.html |last=Eisinger |first=Amy |work=Daily News |publisher=News Corporation |date=2010-01-08 |accessdate=2010-01-10}}</ref> Her production team, Mermaid Music LLC, was sued in March by [[Rob Fusari]]; claiming that he was entitled to a 20% share of its earnings. Gaga's lawyer, Charles Ortner, described the agreement with Fusari as "unlawful" and declined to comment;<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopmusic/7486678/Lady-Gaga-bites-back-at-music-producer.html |title=Lady Gaga bites back at music producer |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |accessdate=2010-03-20 |publisher=Telegraph Media LLC |last=Reporter |first=Staff | location=London | date=2010-03-20}}</ref> five months later, the [[New York Supreme Court]] dismissed both the lawsuit and a countersuit by Gaga.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/09/10/us-ladygaga-idUSTRE6895NZ20100910 |title=Lady Gaga and jilted producer drop legal dispute |date=2010-09-10 |work=[[Reuters]] |publisher=[[Thomson Reuters]] |accessdate=2010-09-11}}</ref> In April, Gaga was named one of ''Time'' magazine's 100 most influential people of the year.<ref name="time2010">{{cite news |url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,1984685,00.html |title=The 2010 TIME 100 |work=Time|publisher=[[Time Inc.]] |accessdate=2010-05-06 |date=2010-05-02}}</ref> While giving an interview to ''[[The Times]]'', Gaga hinted at having [[Systemic lupus erythematosus]], commonly referred to as lupus, which is a connective tissue disease.<ref name="comeparty">{{cite news |url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article7129672.ece |title=Come party with Lady Gaga |date=2010-05-23 |accessdate=2010-05-24 |last=Moran |first=Caitlin |work=[[The Times]] |authorlink=Caitlin Moran}}</ref> She later confirmed with [[Larry King]] that she does not have lupus but "the results were borderline positive".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/02/2916101.htm?section=entertainment |title=Gaga was to open Jackson's This Is It tour |last=Temple |first=Sarah |date=2010-06-02 |accessdate=2010-06-02 |publisher=ABC News}}</ref> With the television host, Gaga also revealed that she was among several artists who would have opened for Michael Jackson during his [[This Is It (Michael Jackson concerts)|This Is It]] concert series at London's O2 Arena. "I was actually asked to open for Michael on his tour," she stated. "We were going to open for him at the O2 and we were working on making it happen." She added: "I believe there was some talk about us, lots of the openers, doing duets with Michael on stage."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/column/news/lady-gaga-talks-michael-jackson-lupus-diagnosis-1004094911.story|title=Lady Gaga Talks Michael Jackson, Lupus Diagnosis with Larry King|date=2010-06-01|accessdate=2011-05-30|first=Monica|last=Herrera|location=New York}}</ref> In November 2010, one month after the singer reported assassination fears,<ref>[http://www.blacksheepmag.com/news/item/2144-lady-gaga-'fears-assassination' "Lady GaGa 'fears assassination'"], Mark Devlin. Black Sheep Magazine. October 14, 2010. Accessed March 1, 2011</ref> a restraining order was issued against Russian Anastasia Obukhova, who had threatened to shoot her in the head.<ref>[http://entertainment.oneindia.in/music/international/2010/lady-gaga-fan-kill-111110.html "Lady Gaga fan restrained for kill threat"], One India Entertainment. November 11, 2010. Accessed March 1, 2011</ref>
===2011–present: ''Born This Way''===
[[File:Lady Gaga Hair GMA.jpg|left|thumb|Gaga promoting ''[[Born This Way]]'' by performing its songs on the ''[[Good Morning America]]'' "Summer Concert Series".]]
Gaga's second studio album and third major release ''[[Born This Way]]'' was released on May 23, 2011. She announced the title of the album during her acceptance speech for [[MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year|Video of the Year]] at the [[2010 MTV Video Music Awards]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://music-mix.ew.com/2010/09/12/lady-gaga-announces-new-album-name-in-vma-speech-steals-show/ |title=Lady Gaga Announces New Album Name in VMA Speech |date=2010-09-12 |accessdate=2010-09-13 |work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Described as "a marriage of electronic music with major [...] metal or rock 'n' roll, pop, anthemic style melodies with really sledge-hammering dance beats" and referred to as an album "about what what keeps us up at night and what makes us afraid",<ref>{{Cite news |title=Lady Gaga Says Born This Way Will Be 'Greatest Album Of This Decade' |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1653141/20101129/lady_gaga.jhtml |date=2010-11-09 |last=Dinh |first=James |publisher=MTV (MTV Networks) |accessdate=2010-11-30}}</ref> She stated, "It came so quickly. I've been working on [the album] for months, and I feel very strongly that it's finished right now. Some artists take years. I don't. I write music every day."<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/jun/23/lady-gaga-new-album-finished |title=Lady Gaga's new album 'finished' |last=Michaels |first=Sean |date=2010-06-23 |accessdate=2010-06-23 |work=The Guardian}}</ref> Likening ''Born This Way'' to "bad kids going to church" that are "having fun on a high level",<ref name="BadChurch">{{Cite news |title=Lady Gaga to Release first Born This Way Single in February |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1653302/20101201/lady_gaga.jhtml |date=2010-12-01 |last=Vena |first=Jocelyn |publisher=MTV (MTV Networks) |accessdate=2010-12-01}}</ref> Gaga characterized her new music as "something so much deeper than a wig or lipstick or a fucking meat dress" and upon hearing it, Akon remarked that she will take music to the "next level."<ref>{{cite web |title=Lady Gaga's Born This Way Will 'Grab All The Monsters,' Akon Says |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1652537/20101117/akon.jhtml |publisher=MTV (MTV Networks) |date=2010-11-18 |accessdate=2010-12-02 |last=Vena |first=Jocelyn}}</ref> Its arrival followed the release of its [[Born This Way (song)|eponymous lead single]] on February 11, 2011,<ref>{{cite news |last=Vena |first=Jocelyn |title=Lady Gaga To Release 'Born This Way' Early |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1657389/lady-gaga-releases-born-this-way.jhtml |date=2011-02-07 |accessdate=2011-02-08 |publisher=MTV (MTV Networks)}}</ref> which was performed live for the first time at the [[53rd Grammy Awards]] two days after its release. The song debuted atop the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]], becoming the 19th number-one debut and the 1,000th number-one single in the history of the charts.<ref>{{cite news |last=Trust |first=Gary |title=Lady Gaga Claims 1,000th Hot 100 No. 1 with 'Born This Way' |work=Billboard |publisher= [[Prometheus Global Media]] |date=2011-02-16 |url=http://www.billboard.com/news/lady-gaga-claims-1-000th-hot-100-no-1-with-1005036702.story |accessdate=2011-02-16}}</ref> Two other singles, "[[Judas (song)|Judas]]"<ref name="judaschartseurope">{{cite web|url=http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Lady+GaGa&titel=Judas&cat=s|title=Lady Gaga – Judas (Nummer)|publisher=[[MegaCharts]]. Hung Medien|language=Dutch|accessdate=2011-06-03}}</ref> and "[[The Edge of Glory]]",<ref name="teogchartseurope">{{cite web|url=http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Lady+GaGa&titel=The+Edge+Of+Glory&cat=s|title=Lady Gaga – The Edge Of Glory (Nummer)|publisher=[[MegaCharts]]. Hung Medien|language=Dutch|accessdate=2011-06-03}}</ref><ref name="teogchartsusa">{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/#/charts/hot-100?chartDate=2011-05-28|title=The Billboard Hot 100: Week Ending May 28, 2011|work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|publisher= [[Prometheus Global Media]]|accessdate=2011-06-03}}</ref><ref name="teogchartsuk">{{cite web|url=http://www.theofficialcharts.com/archive-chart/_/1/2011-05-21|title=Archive Chart: UK Singles: 21st May 2011|publisher=[[The Official Charts Company]]|accessdate=2011-06-03}}</ref> the former being criticized for its references to Biblical characters [[Judas Iscariot|Judas]], [[Jesus|Jesus Christ]] and [[Mary Magdalene]],<ref name="judascatholicleaguereaction">{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodlife.com/2011/04/08/lady-gaga-judas-mary-magdalene-catholic-talentless-offended-bill-donohue/|title=Catholic League On Gaga’s ‘Judas’: ‘If She Had More Talent, We’d Be More Offended’|first=Lorena|last=O'Neil|publisher=The Hollywood Life|date=2011-04-08|accessdate=2011-06-03}}</ref> were released before the album, both placing in the top ten of the major musical markets. Upon release, ''Born This Way'' sold 1.108 million copies in its first week in the United States, debuting atop the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]], and topping the charts in more than 10 other countries.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1664888/lady-gaga-billboard.jhtml |title=Lady Gaga Crashes Billboard With 1.1 Million|last=Montgomery|first=James|date=2011-06-02|accessdate=2011-06-02|publisher=MTV (MTV Networks)}}</ref>
Lending her vocals elsewhere, Gaga paired with [[Elton John]] to record an original duet for the animated feature film ''[[Gnomeo & Juliet]]''. The song, titled "Hello, Hello", was released on February 11, 2011, without Gaga's vocals. The duet version is only featured in the film.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.billboard.com/#/news/lady-gaga-elton-john-duet-won-t-appear-on-1005017032.story |title=Lady Gaga, Elton John Duet Won't Appear On Film Soundtrack |date=2011-01-28 |accessdate=2011-02-04 |last=Herrera |first=Monica |work=Billboard |publisher=Prometheus Global Media}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Elton John and Lady Gaga record duet |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/oct/25/elton-john-lady-gaga-duet |last=Michaels |first=Sean |date=2010-10-25 |accessdate=2010-12-15 |work=The Guardian |location=London}}</ref> She undertook her job as a fashion columnist for ''[[V (American magazine)|V]]'', where she wrote about her creative process, her studying of the world of pop culture, and her ability to tune into the evolution of pop-culture meme.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1663768/lady-gaga-v-magazine.jhtml|title=Lady Gaga Talks About Fashion Obsession In V Magazine|last=Vena|first=Jocelyn|date=2011-05-13|accessdate=2011-05-13|publisher=MTV (MTV Networks)}}</ref> In May 2011, Gaga told Australian radio show ''[[The Kyle & Jackie O Show]]'' that she would be coming to Sydney to perform a one-off concert in July 2011, to promote ''Born This Way'', which occurred at [[Sydney Town Hall]] on Wednesday 13th July, 2011.<ref>{{cite interview |subject=Lady Gaga |title=The Kyle & Jackie O Show |type= Radio interview |url= http://www.2dayfm.com.au |format= FM radio broadcast |program= The Kyle & Jackie O Show |callsign= 104.1FM |city= Sydney |date= 2011-05-30 |accessdate= 2011-05-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.starobserver.com.au/celebrity-2/2011/05/30/gaga-confirms-oz-visit/53176 |title=Gaga confirms Oz visit |first=Mike |last=Mrkic |sate=2011-05-30 |work=[[Sydney Star Observer]] |accessdate=2011-05-30}}</ref>
==Artistry==
=== Musical style and influences ===
{{listen
| filename = Lady_GaGa-Just_Dance.ogg
| title = "Just Dance" (2008)
| description = A 30-second sample of Lady Gaga's "[[Just Dance]]" featuring the chorus sung by Lady Gaga and [[Colby O'Donis]] in the range of B<sub>3</sub> to C{{music|sharp}}, backed by a synth marching beat. The song became her first international hit single.
}}
Gaga has been influenced by [[glam rock]] artists such as [[David Bowie]], [[Queen (band)|Queen]] and [[Elton John]], as well as pop music artists such as [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]], [[Whitney Houston]], [[Britney Spears]] and [[Michael Jackson]].<ref name="Allmusic bio" /><ref name="DR">Musical influences of Lady Gaga:
*{{cite news |url=http://www.popcrunch.com/britney-spears-lady-gaga-collaboration-in-the-works/ |title=Britney Spears/Lady Gaga collaboration in the works |work=The Sun |accessdate=2010-06-20 |publisher=Pop Crunch |last=Reporter |first=Staff | location=London | date=2010-02-10}}
*{{cite web|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/i-cant-wait-to-come-to-india-lady-gaga/143405-45-75.html|title=Lady Gaga: I can't wait to come to India|date=2011-04-21|publisher= [[IBN Live]]|accessdate=2011-05-27}}
*{{Cite news |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/THE+FEAR+FACTOR%3B+Lady+Gaga+used+tough+times+as+inspiration+for+her...-a0213005824 |last=Dingwall |first=John |title=The Fear Factor; Lady Gaga used tough times as inspiration for her new album |work=[[Daily Record (Scotland)|Daily Record]] |pages=48–49 |date=2009-11-27 |accessdate=2009-05-06 |accessdate=2010-05-06}}</ref> The [[Queen (band)|Queen]] song "[[Radio Ga Ga]]" inspired her stage name, "Lady Gaga".<ref name='whos-that-lady' /><ref name="soundtrack">{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/sep/06/lady-gaga-popandrock |title=Soundtrack of my life: Lady Gaga |work=The Guardian |publisher=Guardian News and Media |last=Thomson |first=Graeme |date=2009-09-06 |accessdate=2010-05-06 | location=London}}</ref> She commented: "I adored [[Freddie Mercury]] and Queen had a hit called 'Radio Gaga'. That's why I love the name [...] Freddie was unique—one of the biggest personalities in the whole of pop music."<ref name="DR" /> In response to the comparisons between herself and Madonna, Gaga stated: "I don't want to sound presumptuous, but I've made it my goal to revolutionize pop music. The last revolution was launched by Madonna 25 years ago."<ref name="DR" /> Actress and singer [[Grace Jones]] was also cited as an inspiration, along with [[Blondie (band)|Blondie]] singer [[Debbie Harry]].<ref name="Prefix magazine">{{cite web |url=http://www.prefixmag.com/news/lady-gaga-grace-jones-androgynous-robo-future-fash/26057/ |title=Lady GaGa: "Grace Jones, Androgynous, Robo, Future Fashion Queen" |first=Alexandra |last=Symonds |work=Prefix |accessdate=2009-07-11 |date=2009-07-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/showbiz/article-23694934-debbie-harry-would-love-to-perform-with-lady-gaga.do |title=Debbie Harry Would Love To Perform With Lady Gaga |date=2009-10-25 |last=Smith |first=Liz |work=[[Evening Standard]] |publisher=[[Daily Mail and General Trust]] |accessdate=2009-10-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/jul/01/lady-gaga-review |title=Lady Gaga: Academy, Manchester |last=Simpson |first=Dave |date=2009-07-01 |accessdate=2009-10-30 |work=The Guardian |publisher=Guardian News and Media | location=London}}</ref> In an interview with [[Yahoo!]] [[Singapore]], when she answered questions for the media, she stated that [[Cyndi Lauper]] is someone she admired, and she also stated the reason why her sophomore album, ''Born This Way'', was more rock-supported. She stated that she wanted her album to be for her fans, as they reacted a stronger way for rock songs than pop, which influenced her rock elements in the album.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Tann |first=Remmy |date=2011-07-11 |title=I was born this way: Lady Gaga |publisher=Yahoo! |accessdate=2011-07-11 |url=http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/what-is-buzzing/born-way-lady-gaga-145116015.html}}</ref>
[[File:Gagafameball.jpg|left|thumb|upright|alt=A blond woman in a bob-cut, sitting cross-legged on a transparent platform full of bubbles and lit from inside in pink. The woman is wearing a dress made of transparent bubbles of varying sizes. She is holding a microphone in her left hand and appears to be smiling.|Gaga wearing a plastic bubble dress while performing on The Fame Ball Tour]]
Gaga has the vocal range of a [[contralto]]. <ref>Matson, Andrew (August 17, 2010). [http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/matsononmusic/2012642463_concert_preview_lady_gaga_at_t.html "Concert preview: Lady Gaga at the Tacoma Dome"]. ''[[Seattle Times]]''</ref> Her vocals have drawn frequent comparison to those of Madonna and [[Gwen Stefani]], while the structure of her music is said to echo classic 1980s pop and 1990s [[Europop]].<ref name=BG>{{Cite news |last=Petridis |first=Alexis |title=Lady Gaga: The Fame |work=The Guardian |date=2009-01-09 |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/jan/09/lady-gaga-the-fame |authorlink=Alexis Petridis |date=2009-01-03 |accessdate=2010-05-06 |publisher=Guardian News and Media | location=London}}</ref> While reviewing her debut album ''The Fame'', ''The Sunday Times'' asserted "in combining music, fashion, art and technology, [Gaga] evokes Madonna, Gwen Stefani circa '[[Hollaback Girl]]', [[Kylie Minogue]] 2001 or Grace Jones right now."<ref>{{Cite news |title=Lady GaGa: the future of pop? |url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article5325327.ece?token=null&offset=0&page=1 |newspaper=The Sunday Times |date=2008-12-14 |accessdate=2009-08-09 |last=Hajibageri |first=Sarah |publisher=News International | location=London}}</ref> Similarly, ''[[The Boston Globe]]'' critic Sarah Rodman commented that she draws "obvious inspirations from Madonna to Gwen Stefani... in [her] girlish but sturdy pipes and bubbly beats."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rodman |first=Sarah |title=Lady Gaga |url=http://articles.boston.com/2008-10-27/ae/29278306_1_lady-gaga-disco-interscope |work=[[The Boston Globe]] |date=2008-10-27 |accessdate=2009-08-09}}</ref> Though her lyrics are said to lack intellectual stimulation, "[she] does manage to get you moving and grooving at an almost effortless pace."<ref name="popmatters">{{cite web |url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/68939-lady-gaga-the-fame/ |title=Lady GaGa The Fame |last=Sawdey |first=Evan |date=2009-01-12 |publisher=[[PopMatters]] |accessdate=2009-04-30}}</ref> Music critic [[Simon Reynolds]] wrote that "Everything about Gaga came from [[electroclash]], except the music, which wasn't particularly 1980s, just ruthlessly catchy [[2000s (decade)|naughties]] pop glazed with [[Auto-Tune]] and undergirded with [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]]-ish beats.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2010/jan/22/eighties-revival-decade |title =The 1980s revival that lasted an entire decade |first=Simon |last=Reynolds |authorlink=Simon Reynolds |work=The Guardian |publisher=Guardian News and Media |accessdate=2010-01-22 |date=2010-01-22 | location=London}}</ref>
Gaga has identified fashion as a major influence.<ref name="Times Online.co.uk" /><ref name="mtv 55" /> She considers [[Donatella Versace]] her [[muse]].<ref name="Times Online.co.uk" /> Gaga has her own creative production team called the [[Haus of Gaga]], which she handles personally. The team creates many of her clothes, stage props, and hairdos.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2009/03/143_40885.html |title=Lady Gaga Burning Up Album Charts |first=Cathy |last=Garcia |date=2009-03-08 |accessdate=2009-03-10 |publisher=[[Hankook Ilbo]] |work=[[The Korea Times]]}}</ref> Her love of fashion came from her mother, who she stated was "always very well kept and beautiful."<ref name="timesonline2" /> "When I'm writing music, I'm thinking about the clothes I want to wear on stage. It's all about everything altogether—performance art, pop performance art, fashion. For me, it's everything coming together and being a real story that will bring back the super-fan. I want to bring that back. I want the imagery to be so strong that fans will want to eat and taste and lick every part of us."<ref name="mtv 55" /> The [[Global Language Monitor]] named "Lady Gaga" as the Top Fashion Buzzword with her trademark "no pants" coming in at No. 3.<ref>{{cite news |last=Silva |first=Horacio |url=http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/04/the-world-according-to-gaga/ |title=The World According to Gaga |work=[[The New York Times]] |first=Horatio |date=2010-03-04 |accessdate=2010-04-25}}</ref> ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' put her outfits on its end of the decade "best-of" list, saying, "Whether it's a dress made of Muppets or strategically placed bubbles, Gaga's outré ensembles brought performance art into the mainstream."<ref>{{cite journal |last=Geier |first=Thom |date=2009-12-11 |title=The 100 Greatest Movies.. Trends That Entertained Us Over The Past 10 Years |work=Entertainment Weekly |volume=1079/1080 |issue=74 |page=84 |publisher=Time Inc. |accessdate=2010-05-06 |issn=10490434}}</ref>
===Public image===
[[File:Lady Gaga covered in blood.jpg|thumb|upright|Gaga, well-recognized for her unconventionality, during a "blood soaked" performance on The Monster Ball Tour]]
Critical reception of Gaga's music, fashion sense and persona are mixed. Her status as a role model, trailblazer and fashion icon is by turns affirmed and denied.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/12/24/style/YEARGAGA1227_index.html?ref=lady_gaga |title=The Year in Style <nowiki>|</nowiki> Lady Gaga |last=Buckner |first=Michael |date=2009-12-28 |accessdate=2010-06-17 |work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref name="nytimesreview">{{cite news |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/04/arts/music/04gaga.html?_r=1 |title=An Artist Whose Chief Work Is Herself |last=Caramanica |first=Jon |date=2009-05-03 |accessdate=2010-06-17 |work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://newsroom.mtv.com/2009/07/27/lady-gaga-you-are-no-grace-jones/ |title=Lady Gaga, You Are No Grace Jones |last=Vineyard |first=Jennifer |date=2009-07-07 |accessdate=2010-06-17 |publisher=MTV}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/newmusicalexpress/2110/lady-gaga-vs-roisin-murphyspot-the-difference/ |title=Lady Gaga Vs. Roisin Murphy – Spot The Difference |last=Lewis |first=Luke |date=2009-08-09 |accessdate=2010-06-18 |publisher=Yahoo!}}</ref> Gaga's albums have received mostly positive reviews,<ref name="thefamemeta" /> with critics pointing out her unique place in pop music, the need for new movements in popular culture, the attention Gaga brings to important social issues, and the inherently subjective nature of her art.<ref>{{cite journal |issn=10490434 |title=Is Lady GaGa a saviour of Pop? |last=Browne |first=David |date=2010-01-09 |volume=1091 |issue=02 |work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://out.com/detail.asp?id=26601 |title=Heather Cassils: Lady Gaga's Prison Yard Girlfriend |last=Andres |first=Joanna |date=2010-04-09 |accessdate=2010-06-18 |work=[[Out (magazine)|Out]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.elle.com/Fashion/Fashion-Spotlight/Celebrity-Fashion-Lady-Gaga |title=Lady Gaga Fashion – Vote on 15 of Lady Gaga's Outfits |date=2009-12-01 |accessdate=2010-06-18 |work=Elle}}</ref> Her role as a self-esteem booster for her fans is also lauded, as is her role in breathing life into the fashion industry.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.hollywoodnews.com/2010/06/15/kylie-minogue-thinks-theres-an-element-of-her-in-lady-gaga/ |title=Kylie Minogue thinks there's an element of her in Lady Gaga |date=2010-06-13 |accessdate=2010-06-18 |publisher=Hollywood News}}</ref> Her performances are described as "highly entertaining and innovative"; in particular, the blood-spurting performance of "Paparazzi" at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards was described as "eye-popping" by MTV.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1621395/20090913/lady_gaga.jhtml |title=Lady Gaga Lets It Bleed During Eye-Popping VMA Performance |date=2009-09-13 |accessdate=2010-06-18 |last=Vena |first=Jocelyn |publisher=MTV}}</ref> She continued the "blood soaked" theme in The Monster Ball Tour, in which she wore a revealing leather corset and is "attacked" by a performer dressed in black who gnaws on her throat, causing "blood" to spurt down her chest, after which she lies "dying" in a pool of blood. Her performances of that scene in [[Manchester]], England, triggered protests from family groups and fans in the aftermath of a local tragedy, in which a taxi driver had murdered 12 people.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/2010/06/03/2010-06-03_fans_protest_lady_gagas_bloodspattered_monster_ball_show_in_england_after_shooti.html |title=Fans protest Lady Gaga's blood-spattered Monster Ball show in England after shooting spree |last=Roberts |first=Sorya |date=2010-06-03 |accessdate=2010-06-23 |work=New York Daily News}}</ref> "What happened in [[Bradford]] is very fresh in people's minds and given all the violence which happened in [[Cumbria]] just hours earlier, it was insensitive," said Lynn Costello of Mothers Against Violence.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/Gaga-s-bloody-stage-show-sparks-fury/Article1-552890.aspx |title=Gaga's bloody stage show sparks fury |date=2010-06-04 |accessdate=2010-06-23 |work=[[Hindustan Times]]}}</ref> [[Chris Rock]] later defended her flamboyant, provocative behavior. "Well, she's Lady Gaga," he said. "She's not 'Lady Behave Yourself.' Do you want great behavior from a person named Gaga? Is this what you were expecting?"<ref>{{cite web |title=Q&A with Chris Rock |url=http://www.danpatrick.com/?/blog/116941/index.html |last=Patrick |first=Dan |date=2010-07-09 |publisher=CNN |accessdate= 2010-07-16}}</ref> She later returned to the [[2010 MTV Video Music Awards]] wearing a dress supplemented by boots, a purse and a hat—each fabricated from the flesh of a dead animal.<ref name=autogenerated2>{{cite web |title=Lady Gaga's meat dress divides opinion |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/8001267/Lady-Gagas-meat-dress-divides-opinion.html |date=2010-09-14 |accessdate=2010-06-12 |last=Roberts |first= Laura |work=The Daily Telegraph}}</ref> The dress, named ''Time'' magazine's Fashion Statement of 2010<ref>{{cite news |title=Lady Gaga – The Top 10 Everything of 2010 – TIME |url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2035319_2034464,00.html |last=Luscombe |first= Belinda |date=2010-12-09 |accessdate=2010-12-15 |work=Time}}</ref> and more widely known as the "[[Meat dress of Lady Gaga|meat dress]]", was made by Argentinian designer [[Franc Fernandez]] and received divided opinions—evoking the attention of worldwide media but invoking the fury of animal rights organization [[People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals|PETA]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Five interpretations of Lady Gaga's meat dress |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11297832 |date=2010-09-14 |accessdate=2010-06-12 |first=Denise |last=Winterman |first2= Jon |last2=Kelly |publisher=BBC (BBC Online)}}</ref> Gaga, however, later denied any intention of causing disrespect to any person or organization and wished for the dress to be interpreted as a statement of human rights with focus upon those in the LGBT community.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web |title=Lady Gaga defends meat dress by claiming she's no 'piece of meat' |url=http://www.metro.co.uk/music/840850-lady-gaga-defends-meat-dress-by-claiming-shes-no-piece-of-meat |date=2010-09-14 |accessdate=2010-06-12 |last=Lee |first= Ann |work=[[Metro (British newspaper)|Metro]]}}</ref>
Contrary to her outré style, the ''New York Post'' described her early look as like "a refugee from ''[[Jersey Shore (TV series)|Jersey Shore]]''" with "big black hair, heavy eye makeup and tight, revealing clothes."<ref name='whos-that-lady' /> Gaga is a natural [[brunette]]; she bleached her hair blonde because she was often mistaken for [[Amy Winehouse]].<ref name="timesonline2" /> She often refers to her fans as her "little monsters" and in dedication, she had that inscription [[tattoo]]ed on "the arm that holds [her] mic[rophone]."<ref name="monsters">{{cite news |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2010/02/03/2010-02-03_lady_gaga_dedicates_her_new_little_monsters_tattoo_to_her_fans.html |title=Lady Gaga dedicates her new 'Little Monsters' tattoo to her fans |publisher=News Corporation |work=Daily News |accessdate=2010-04-02 |last=Odell |first=Amy |date=2010-02-03}}</ref> She has another six known tattoos, among them a [[peace symbol]], which was inspired by [[John Lennon]], who she stated was her hero,<ref name="soundtrack" /> and a curling German script on her left arm quoting the poet [[Rainer Maria Rilke]], her favorite [[philosophy|philosopher]], commenting that his "philosophy of solitude" spoke to her.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2009/08/11/2009-08-11_lady_gaga_shows_off_new_german_quote_tattoo_while_on_tour_in_japan.html | title=Lady Gaga shows off new German quote tattoo while on tour in Japan | publisher=News Corporation | work=Daily News | date=2009-08-11 | accessdate=2009-09-06 |last=Odell |first=Amy }}</ref> Towards the end of 2008, comparisons were made between the fashions of Gaga and fellow recording artist [[Christina Aguilera]] that noted similarities in their styling, hair, and make-up.<ref name="Times Online.co.uk" /> Aguilera stated that she was "completely unaware of [Gaga]" and "didn't know if it [was] a man or a woman."<ref name="Times Online.co.uk" /> Gaga released a statement in which she welcomed the comparisons due to the attention providing useful publicity, saying, "She's such a huge star and if anything I should send her flowers, because a lot of people in America didn't know who I was until that whole thing happened. It really put me on the map in a way."<ref name="who copied?">{{cite news | url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1135704/So-copied-Lookalikes-Lady-GaGa-Christina-Aguilera-embroiled-style-row.html | title=So who copied who? Lookalikes Lady GaGa and Christina Aguilera | work=Daily Mail | first=Daily Mail |last=Reporter | date=2009-02-03 | accessdate=2009-02-06 |publisher=Associated Newspapers}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.ok.co.uk/celebnews/view/6299/GaGa-I-m-thankful-for-Christina/ |title=GaGa: I'm thankful for Christina |date=2008-12-31 |publisher=[[Northern & Shell]] |work=[[OK!]] |accessdate=2009-01-08 |last=Temple |first=Sonic}}</ref> When interviewed by [[Barbara Walters]] for her annual [[ABC News]] special ''[[Barbara Walters' 10 Most Fascinating People|10 Most Fascinating People]]'' in 2009, Gaga dismissed the claim that she is [[intersex]] as an [[urban legend]]. Responding to a question on this issue, she stated, "At first it was very strange and everyone sorta said, 'That's really quite a story!' But in a sense, I portray myself in a very [[androgyny|androgynous]] way, and I love androgyny."<ref name="walters">{{cite web |url=http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=9640579 |title=Lady Gaga: 'I Love Androgyny' |publisher=[[ABC News]] |accessdate=2010-05-03 |last=Walters |first=Barbara |date=2009-12-30 |authorlink=Barbara Walters}}</ref> In addition to Aguilera's statement, comparisons continued into 2010 when Aguilera released the music video of her single "[[Not Myself Tonight]]". Critics noted similarities between the song and its accompanying music video with Gaga's video for "Bad Romance".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1269136/Christina-Aguilera-copies-Lady-GaGa-dons-PVC-outfit-new-video.html |title=Christina Aguilera Copies Lady GaGa |date=2010-05-02 |accessdate=2010-05-10 |work=Daily Mail |publisher=Associated Newspapers |last=Thrills |first=Adrian}}</ref> There have also been similar comparisons made between Gaga's style and that of fashion icon [[Dale Bozzio]] from the band [[Missing Persons (band)|Missing Persons]]. Some have considered their respective images to be strikingly parallel although fans of Missing Persons note that Bozzio had pioneered the look more than thirty years earlier.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://musicblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/12/dale-bozzio-should-be-flattere.html |title= Dale Bozzio should be flattered...maybe |last=Tarradell |first=Mario |date=2009-12-14 |accessdate=2010-11-03 |work=[[The Dallas Morning News]]}}</ref><!-- . Lady Gaga, was named one of Vogue.com UK's Best Dressed people of 2010<ref>[http://www.vogue.co.uk/celebrity-photos/101214-best-dressed-list-2010.aspx VOGUE.COM UK] ''VOGUE.COM UK'' – The Best Dressed People of the Year 2010</ref> and her stylist, Dazed & Confused creative director Nicola Formichetti, won the Fashion Creator of the Year Award at the British Fashion Awards.<ref>[http://www.vogue.co.uk/special-events/101124-british-fashion-awards-2010.aspx VOGUE.COM UK] ''VOGUE.COM UK'' – The British Fashion Awards 2010</ref> -->
During an interview with ''[[Harper's Bazaar]]'' magazine published in May 2011, Gaga discussed the recent appearance of horn-like ridges on her cheekbones, temples, and shoulders. When asked about the necessary makeup to attach the prosthetics, she responded, "They're not prosthetics, they're my bones." She also clarified that they were not the result of [[plastic surgery]], believing such surgery to only be the modern byproduct of fame-induced insecurity to which she does not subscribe. Further probing by the interviewer only got her to state that they are an artistic representation of her inner inspirational light, part of the "performance piece" that is her musical persona, an inevitability of her becoming who she now is.<ref>{{Cite journal | last =Blasberg | first =Derek | author-link =Derek Blasberg | publication-date = | date =May 2011 | year = | title =Lady GaGa: the interview | work =[[Harper's Bazaar]] | series = | publication-place =New York | place = | publisher =[[Hearst Communications]] | volume = | issue =3594| pages =156–162 | page = | at = | url =http://www.harpersbazaar.com/magazine/feature-articles/lady-gaga-interview | archiveurl = | archivedate = | issn =0017-7873 | pmid = | pmc = | doi = | oclc =719731102 | accessdate =2011-05-10| postscript = | ref =}}</ref>
In view of Lady Gaga's influence on modern culture and her rise to global fame, sociologist Mathieu Deflem of the [[University of South Carolina]] since the Spring of 2011 organizes a course titled "Lady Gaga and the Sociology of the Fame"<ref>{{Cite news |title=US College Offering Lady GaGa Degree |url=http://www.mtv.co.uk/artists/lady-gaga/news/244144-us-college-offering-lady-gaga-degree |work=MTV |publisher=MTV Netweoks |last=Vena |first=Jocelyn |accessdate=2010-11-03 |date=2010-10-30}}</ref> with the objective of unravelling "sociologically relevant dimensions of the fame of Lady Gaga with respect to her music, videos, fashion, and other artistic endeavors".<ref>{{cite web |title=SOCY 398D – Lady Gaga and the Sociology of the Fame |first= Mathieu |last=Deflem |url=http://www.cas.sc.edu/socy/faculty/deflem/gaga.html |publisher=[[University of South Carolina]] |accessdate=2010-03-11}}</ref>
Gaga's treatment of her fans as "Little Monsters" has inspired criticism, due to the highly commercial nature of her music and image.<ref name="nytimesreview" /> To some, this dichotomy contravenes the concept of outsider culture. Writing for ''The Guardian'', [[Kitty Empire]] opined that the dichotomy "...allows the viewer to have a 'transgressive' experience without being required to think. At [her performance's] core, though, is the idea that Gaga is at one with the freaks and outcasts. The Monster Ball is where we can all be free. This is arrant nonsense, as the scads of people buying Gaga's cunningly commercial music are not limited to the niche worlds of [[drag queen]]s and hip night creatures from which she draws her inspiration. But Gaga seems sincere."<ref name=autogenerated3>{{cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/feb/21/lady-gaga-men-arena-manchester|title=Lady Gaga at MEN arena, Manchester|date=2010-02-21|accessdate=2010-06-18|last=Empire|first=Kitty|work=The Guardian|location=london}}</ref> [[Camille Paglia]] wrote a cover story "Lady Gaga and the death of sex" on September 12, 2010, in ''[[The Sunday Times]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shakenstir.co.uk/index.php/features/gaga-and-the-death-of-sex/features/20608/ |title=Lady Gaga and the death of sex|authorlink=Camille Paglia|last=Paglia|first=Camille|date=2010-09-12|accessdate=2010-10-04|work=The Sunday Times}}</ref> in which she asserts that Gaga "is more an identity thief than an erotic taboo breaker, a mainstream manufactured product who claims to be singing for the freaks, the rebellious and the dispossessed when she is none of those."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/opinion/lady-gagas-grab-for-attention-enough-to-make-you-gag/story-e6freri6-1225923966643 |title=Lady Gaga's grab for attention enough to make you gag|first=Jane |last=Fynes-Clinton|work=[[The Courier-Mail]]|date=2010-09-15|accessdate=2010-10-04}}</ref>
In March 2011 Lady Gaga reported that she is going bald from use of blonde dye, which is thinning her hair and causing it to fall out. From 2007 - 2011 she has been using blonde dye off and on, <ref>{{cite news|title=Lady Gaga Hair Falling Out From Dying Hair|url=http://thedailyglam.com/lady-gaga-bald/769/|accessdate=14 July 2011|newspaper=The Daily Glam}}</ref> . GaGa also confessed to missing her dark hair whenever she gets a chemical haircut because her “blonde her is falling out," before giving fans her biggest piece of beauty advice – be yourself. Lady Gaga warned others about going blonde saying “Just go with your gut,” she said. “Whenever you try to be someone else, it’s boring.” <ref>{{cite news|title=Lady Gaga: "My hair is falling out"|url=http://starlounge.ie.msn.com/gallery.aspx?cp-documentid=156607821|accessdate=14 July 2011|newspaper=Starlounge MSN}}</ref> In June 2011 she made several performances bald and with a wig, suggesting she has had a chemical haircut. <ref>{{cite news|title=Lady Gaga stuns Paul O'Grady|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2005074/Lady-Gaga-stuns-Paul-OGrady-Live-audience-reveals-bald-head.html|accessdate=14 July 2011|newspaper=Daily Mail}}</ref>
==Philanthropy==
Besides her career in music, Gaga has enhanced her repertoire as a philanthropist who has contributed to various charities and [[humanitarianism|humanitarian]] works. Although declining an invitation to record [[We Are the World 25 for Haiti|a benefit song]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Lady Gaga Explains Her Absence From 'We Are The World' Recording |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1631353/lady-gaga-explains-her-absence-from-we-world-recording.jhtml |date=2010-02-05 |accessdate=2011-01-06 |work=MTV |publisher=MTV Networks |first=Jocelyn |last=Vena}}</ref> Gaga held a concert of The Monster Ball Tour following the [[2010 Haiti earthquake]] and dedicated it to the country's reconstruction relief fund. This concert, held at the [[Radio City Music Hall]], New York, on January 24, 2010, donated any received revenue to the relief fund while, in addition, all profits from sales of products on Gaga's official online store on that same day were donated. Gaga announced that an estimated total of [[United States dollar|$]]500,000 was collected for the fund.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1630614/20100127/lady_gaga.jhtml |title=Lady Gaga Says She Raised $500,000 For Haiti Relief |last=Kaufman |first=Gil |date=2010-01-27 |work=MTV |publisher=MTV Networks |accessdate=2011-01-06}}</ref> Hours after the [[2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami]] hit Japan on March 11, 2011, Gaga tweeted a message and a link to Japan Prayer Bracelets. With the company, she designed a bracelet, with all sales revenue going to Japanese relief efforts.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1659769/japanese-tsunami-bracelet-lady-gaga.jhtml |title= Lady Gaga Designs Japanese Tsunami Relief Wristband |date=2011-03-21 |accessdate=2011-03-29 |last=Vena |first=Jocelyn |publisher=MTV (MTV Networks)}}</ref> The bracelets raised $1.5 million (as of March 29, 2011).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2011/03/29/today-in-tech-lady-gaga-gives-to-zynga-apple-delaying-iphone-5/ |title=Today in Tech: Lady Gaga gives to Zynga, Apple delaying iPhone 5? |last=Mangalindan |first=JP |date=2011-03-29 |accessdate=2011-03-29 |publisher=CNN}}</ref> Performing at [[MTV Japan]]'s charity show on June 25, 2011 in [[Makuhari Messe]], Gaga will appear for the benefit of the Japan Red Cross which aids victims suffering in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami.<ref>{{cite news |last=Schwartz |first=Rob |title=Lady Gaga to Appear at MTV Japan Charity Event |url=http://www.billboard.com/news/lady-gaga-to-appear-at-mtv-japan-charity-1005135862.story |date=2011-04-14 |accessdate= 2011-04-15 |work=Billboard |publisher=Prometheus Global Media}}</ref> However, attorney Alyson Oliver filed a lawsuit against Gaga in [[Detroit]] in June 2011, noting that the bracelet was subject to a sales tax and an extra $3.99 shipping charge was added to the price. She also believed that not all proceeds from the bracelets would go to the relief efforts, demanding a public accounting of the campaign and refunds for people who had bought the bracelet. Gaga's spokesperson called the lawsuit "meritless" and "misleading".<ref name="msnbc-gaga-bracelet-lawsuit">{{Cite news|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43582514/ns/us_news-giving/t/lady-gaga-sued-over-fundraising-japan/|title=Lady Gaga sued over fundraising for Japan|date=June 29, 2011|publisher=MSNBC|agency=Associated Press|accessdate=June 30, 2011}}</ref>
Gaga also contributes in the fight against [[HIV]] and [[AIDS]] with the focus upon educating young women about the risks of the disease. In collaboration with [[Cyndi Lauper]], Gaga joined forces with [[Make-up Art Cosmetics|MAC Cosmetics]] to launch a line of lipstick under their supplementary cosmetic line, Viva Glam. Titled Viva Glam Gaga and Viva Glam Cyndi for each contributor respectively, all net proceeds of the lipstick line were donated to the cosmetic company's campaign to prevent HIV and AIDS worldwide.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lady Gaga gets lippy: The pop star teams with Mac to raise Aids awareness |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-1264165/Lady-Gaga-gets-lippy-The-pop-star-teams-Mac-raise-Aids-awareness.html |date=2010-04-10 |accessdate=2011-01-06 |first=Benji |last=Wilson |work=Daily Mail |location=London}}</ref> In a press release, Gaga declared, "I don't want Viva Glam to be just a lipstick you buy to help a cause. I want it to be a reminder when you go out at night to put a condom in your purse right next to your lipstick."<ref>{{cite web |title=Going Gaga |url=http://www.marieclaire.com/celebrity-lifestyle/celebrities/interviews/lady-gaga-interview |date=Undated |accessdate=2011-01-06 |first=Ning |last=Chao |work=Marie Claire}}</ref>
With the performance of the bilingual song "Americano" from her second studio album ''[[Born This Way]]'' (2011), Gaga jumped into the debate surrounding [[SB 1070]], Arizona's immigration law. She premiered the tune for the first time on the Guadalajara, Mexico stop of her Monster Ball tour telling the local press that she could not “stand by many of the unjust immigration laws" in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.latina.com/entertainment/music/fernando-alejandro-latinos-behind-lady-gaga|title=From Fernando to Alejandro: the Latinos Behind Lady Gaga|date=10 May 2011|last=Latina Staff|publisher=[[Latina (magazine)|Latina]]|accessdate=13 May 2011}}</ref>
===LGBT advocacy===
[[File:LadyGaga-EqualityMarch-Crop.jpg|upright |thumb |Gaga delivers a speech at the [[National Equality March]], October 11, 2009 |alt=A blond woman wearing a white shirt and black glasses speaking on a lectern carrying a 'National Equality March' poster. Behind her is a white stone balustrade of a building.]]
Gaga attributes much of her early success as a mainstream artist to her [[homosexuality|gay]] fans and is considered to be a [[gay icon]].<ref name="fabmag">{{cite journal|page=45|volume=54|issue=09|title=Going Gaga |last=Thomas |first=Matt |publisher=[[Pink Triangle Press]] |work=[[fab (magazine)|Fab]] |accessdate=2009-08-11 |date=2009-07-09}}</ref> Early in her career she had difficulty getting [[airplay|radio airplay]], and stated, "The turning point for me was the gay community. I've got so many gay fans and they're so loyal to me and they really lifted me up. They'll always stand by me and I'll always stand by them. It's not an easy thing to create a fanbase."<ref name="mtvgayicon">{{cite news |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1610781/20090506/lady_gaga.jhtml |title=Lady Gaga On Success: 'The Turning Point For Me Was The Gay Community' |last=Vena |first=Jocelyn |date=2009-05-07 |work=MTV |publisher=MTV Networks |accessdate=2009-08-11}}</ref> She thanked FlyLife, a [[Manhattan]]-based [[LGBT]] marketing company with whom her label Interscope works, in the liner notes of ''The Fame'', saying, "I love you so much. You were the first heartbeat in this project, and your support and brilliance means the world to me. I will always fight for the gay community hand in hand with this incredible team."<ref name="thefame">{{cite album-notes |artist=Lady Gaga |title=[[The Fame]] |format=Liner notes |publisher=[[Interscope Records]] |year=2008 |publisherid=2726601}}</ref> One of her first televised performances was in May 2008 at the [[NewNowNext Awards]], an awards show aired by the LGBT television network [[Logo (TV channel)|Logo]], where she sang her song "Just Dance".<ref name="newnownext">{{cite web |url=http://www.logotv.com/video/franchise.jhtml?ctid=1956 |title=NewNowNext Awards |accessdate=2009-08-11 |date=2008-05-03}}</ref> In June of the same year, she performed the song again at the [[San Francisco Pride]] event.<ref name="sfpride">{{cite news |url=http://www.sfpride.org/celeb/mainstage_08.html |title=2008 Main Stage Line-Up |accessdate=2009-08-11 |date=2008-06-13 |publisher=[[San Francisco Pride]]}}</ref>
After ''The Fame'' was released, she revealed that the song "Poker Face" was about her [[bisexuality]]. In an interview with ''Rolling Stone'', she spoke about how her boyfriends tended to react to her bisexuality, saying "The fact that I'm into women, they're all intimidated by it. It makes them uncomfortable. They're like, 'I don't need to have a threesome. I'm happy with just you'."<ref name="rsannual" /> When she appeared as a guest on ''[[The Ellen DeGeneres Show]]'' in May 2009, she praised DeGeneres for being "an inspiration for women and for the gay community".<ref name="ellen">{{cite news | url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1181210/Lady-GaGas-wacky-headgear-knocks-chat-host-Ellen-DeGeneres.html | title=Lady GaGa's wacky headgear almost knocks out chat show host Ellen DeGeneres | date=2009-05-13 | work=Daily Mail | accessdate=2009-08-11 |publisher=Associated Newspapers}}</ref> She proclaimed that the October 11, 2009, [[National Equality March]] rally on the [[National Mall]] was "the single most important event of her career." As she exited, she left with an exultant "Bless God and bless the gays,"<ref name="E!" /> similar to her [[2009 MTV Video Music Awards]] acceptance speech for Best New Artist a month earlier.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1621407/20090914/lady_gaga.jhtml | title=Lady Gaga's Shocking 2009 VMA Fashion Choices | date=2009-08-14 | last=Vena |first=Jocelyn |work=MTV |publisher=MTV Networks | accessdate=2009-08-19}}</ref> At the Human Rights Campaign Dinner, held the same weekend as the rally, she performed a cover of [[John Lennon]]'s "[[Imagine (song)|Imagine]]" declaring that "I'm not going to [play] one of my songs tonight because tonight is not about me, it's about you." She changed the original lyrics of the song to reflect the death of [[Matthew Shepard]], a college student murdered because of his sexuality.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lady Gaga performs her version of 'Imagine' at the Human Rights Campaign dinner in Washington D.C. |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2009/10/12/2009-10-12_lady_gaga_performs_her_version_of_imagine_at_the_human_rights_campaign_dinner_in.html |publisher=News Corporation |work=Daily News |date=2009-12-10 |accessdate=2010-06-12 |author=Carter, Nicole}}</ref>
[[File:DADT rally Lady Gaga.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Gaga addresses the crowd at [[Servicemembers Legal Defense Network|SLDN]]'s "[[Don't ask, don't tell]]" rally in 2010]]
Gaga attended the [[2010 MTV Video Music Awards]] accompanied by four service members of the [[United States Armed Forces]] (Mike Almy; David Hall; Katie Miller and Stacy Vasquez). All of whom, under the U.S. military's "[[Don't ask, don't tell]]" (DADT) policy, had been prohibited from serving [[Coming out|openly]] because of their sexuality.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lady Gaga Goes Political in Maine |newspaper=The New York Times |date=2010-09-20 |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/21/us/politics/21gaga.html?_r=1&src=me |last=Zezima |first=Katy |accessdate=2010-09-21}}</ref> In addition, Gaga wore a dress fabricated from the flesh of a dead animal to the awards ceremony.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> Gaga wished that the dress, more widely known as the "meat dress", was interpreted as a statement of human rights with focus upon those in the LGBT community adding that "If we don't stand up for what we believe in and if we don't fight for our rights, pretty soon we're going to have as much rights as the meat on our own bones."<ref name=autogenerated1 /> She later released three YouTube videos urging her fans to contact their Senators in an effort to overturn the policy. In late September 2010, she spoke at the [[Servicemembers Legal Defense Network]]'s "4the14K" Rally in [[Deering Oaks|Deering Oaks Park]] in [[Portland, Maine|Portland]], [[Maine]]. The name of the rally signified the number – an estimated 14,000 – of service members discharged under the DADT policy at the time. During her remarks, she urged members of the U.S. Senate (and in particular, moderate Republican Senators from Maine, [[Olympia Snowe]] and [[Susan Collins]]) to vote in favor of legislation that would repeal the DADT policy. Following this event, editors of ''[[The Advocate]]'' commented that she had become "the real fierce advocate" for gays and lesbians,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/09/21/Lady_Gaga_Weve_Found_Our_Fierce_Advocate/ |title=Gaga: We've Found Our Fierce Advocate |accessdate=2010-09-21 |date=2010-09-28 |work=The Advocate}}</ref> one that [[Barack Obama]] had promised to be.<ref>{{cite news |title=Obama: I’m a ‘Fierce Advocate’ for Gay and Lesbians |work=The Washington Independent |date=2008-12-08 |url=http://washingtonindependent.com/22526/obama-im-a-fierce-advocate-for-gay-and-lesbians |last=McGann |first=Laura |accessdate=2010-09-28}}</ref>
Gaga has most recently appeared at [[Europride]], a pan-European international event dedicated to LGBT pride, held in [[Rome]] in June 2011. In a nearly twenty-minute speech,<ref>{{cite web|title=Lady Gaga speaks out at massive Europride event in Rome: Can she meaningfully affect gay rights? -- VIDEO|url=http://music-mix.ew.com/2011/06/13/lady-gaga-rome-europride-gay-rights/|date=2011-06-13|accessdate=2011-06-20|first=Christian|last=Blauvelt|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> she criticized the intolerant state of [[LGBT rights in Europe|gay rights in many European countries]] and described homosexuals as "revolutionaries of love"<ref name=mtvrome>{{cite web|title=Lady GaGa Performs At EuroPride In Rome|url=http://www.mtv.co.uk/artists/lady-gaga/news/276972-lady-gaga-europride-italy-gay-rights|date=2011-06-13|accessdate=2011-06-20|work=MTV}}</ref> before performing acoustic renderings of "Born This Way" and "[[The Edge of Glory]]" in front of thousands at the [[Circus Maximus]]. She stated that "Today and every day we fight for freedom. We fight for justice. We beckon for compassion, understanding and above all we want full equality now".<ref name=metro>{{cite web|title=Lady Gaga champions gay rights at EuroPride|url=http://www.metro.co.uk/music/866055-lady-gaga-champions-gay-rights-at-europride|work=Metro|location=London|date=2011-06-12|accessdate=2011-06-20}}</ref> Gaga revealed that she is often questioned why she dedicates herself to "gayspeak" and "how gay" she is, to which, she told the audience: "Why is this question, why is this issue so important? My answer is: I am a child of diversity, I am one with my generation, I feel a moral obligation as a woman, or a man, to exercise my revolutionary potential and make the world a better place." She then joked: "On a gay scale from 1 to 10, I'm a [[Judy Garland]] fucking 42."<ref>{{cite web|title=Australians accept marriage equality|url=http://www.ebar.com/news/article.php?sec=news&article=5784|first=Rex|last=Wockner|date=2011-06-16|accessdate=2011-06-20|work=The Bay Area Reporter}}</ref>
{{-}}
== Discography ==
{{main|Lady Gaga discography}}
* ''[[The Fame]]'' (2008)
* ''[[The Fame Monster]]'' (2009) <!--Added per talk page consensus, reached in late Nov – early Dec 2010, to include this EP on the list. Please don't remove unless discussion in the talk page produces a new consensus.-->
* ''[[Born This Way]]'' (2011)
== Tours ==
* [[The Fame Ball Tour]] (2009)
* [[The Monster Ball Tour]] (2009–11)
==Awards and nominations==
{{main|List of awards and nominations received by Lady Gaga}}
== See also ==
{{Portal box|Lady Gaga|Music}}
*[[Honorific nicknames in popular music]]
* [[List of best-selling music artists]]
== References ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=25em}}
== Further reading ==
*{{Cite book
| last = Herbert
| first = Emily
| year = 2010
| title = [[Lady Gaga: Queen of Pop]]
| publisher = [[John Blake Publishing]]
| isbn = 978-1-84454-963-4
}}
*{{Cite book
| last = Parvis
| first = Sarah
| title = Lady Gaga
| year = 2010
| publisher = [[Andrews McMeel Publishing]]
| isbn = 0740797956}}
*{{Cite book
| last = Phoenix
| first = Helia
| year = 2010
| title = Lady Gaga: Just Dance—The Biography
| publisher = [[Orion Publishing Group]]
| isbn = 978-1-40911-567-0}}
*{{Cite book
| last = Goodman
| first= Elizabeth
| year = 2010
| title = Lady Gaga: Critical Mass Fashion
| publisher = [[St. Martin's Press]]
| isbn = 0312668406}}
*{{Cite book
| last = Morgan
| first = Johnny
| title = Gaga
| year = 2010
| publisher = [[Sterling Publishing]]
| isbn = 1402780591}}
*[http://bnreview.barnesandnoble.com/t5/Rock-Roll/Monster-Anthems/ba-p/5087 Monster Anthems] (2011) by [[Robert Christgau]]
== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
{{wikiquote}}
* {{Official website|http://www.ladygaga.com/}}
* {{IMDb name|3078932}}
* [http://www.life.com/gallery/53051#index/0 Year in Gaga: A Provocative 2010]—slideshow by ''[[Life (magazine)|Life]]''
* [http://hken.ibtimes.com/articles/118272/20110303/lady-gaga-fashion-debut-paris-fashion-week-thierry-mugler-fall-winter-2011-2012-stylist-nicola-formi.htm Lady Gaga’s catwalk debut at Paris Fashion Week] slideshow by [http://hken.ibtimes.com/ IBTimes HK]
{{Lady Gaga}}
{{UK best-selling singles (by year) 1990–2009}}
{{good article}}
{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]] -->
| NAME=Germanotta, Stefani Joanne Angelina
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Lady Gaga
| SHORT DESCRIPTION=Pop singer
| DATE OF BIRTH=March 28, 1986
| PLACE OF BIRTH=New York City, New York
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lady Gaga}}
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[[Category:American dance musicians]]
[[Category:American electronic musicians]]
[[Category:American female pop singers]]
[[Category:American musicians of Italian descent]]
[[Category:American pop singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:American Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:Androgyny]]
[[Category:Bisexual musicians]]
[[Category:BRIT Award winners]]
[[Category:English-language singers]]
[[Category:Feminist musicians]]
[[Category:Grammy Award winners]]
[[Category:Interscope Records artists]]
[[Category:Keytarists]]
[[Category:Lady Gaga| ]]
[[Category:LGBT Christians]]
[[Category:LGBT musicians from the United States]]
[[Category:LGBT rights activists from the United States]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Manhattan]]
[[Category:Pseudonymous musicians]]
[[Category:Singers from New York City]]
[[Category:Sony/ATV Music Publishing artists]]
[[Category:Synthpop musicians]]
[[Category:Tisch School of the Arts alumni]]
[[Category:Wonky Pop acts]]
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[[zh:女神卡卡]]' |
