The Beginnings of Lady Gaga:
Born in Yonkers, New York, Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta attended
religious private schools and NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Her
earliest band gigs were on the Lower East Side where she fused
underground music and pop, honing her image performing with burlesque
shows.
Where Did the Name Lady Gaga Come From?:
Lady Gaga cites both David Bowie and Queen as influences. Her name
comes from the Queen song "Radio Ga-Ga."
A Singer and a Songwriter:
Lady Gaga was originally signed and then let go from Def Jam Records without any music being released. She then found early success when signed to Interscope Records writing songs for Pussycat Dolls ("Elevator"), New Kids On the Block ("Full Service"), and Britney Spears ("Quicksand"). Working with both Akon and Red One, she to put together her debut album, The Fame which was released in October 2008.
It Takes Time to Just Dance :
Although Just Dance was released in March 2008, it took a long time to
bubble up from the underground. Exposure on TV shows such Miss
Universe, MTV's America's Best Dance Crew, and So You Think You Can Dance helped build the story. Radio came on board and her crossover commercial success came. By the end of 2008, "Just Dance" topped the US and UK pop charts simultaneously.
The Sound and Image Come Together in Lady Gaga's Words:
"I don't write records and then decide what the video will look like.
I instantaneously write things at the same time so it's a complete
vision, the song and the visual, the way that I would perform it on
the stage. It's something that all comes to me at once. So when I say
I make the music for the dress, the dress is a bit of a metaphor for
'I make the music for everything,' for the entire performance vision."
- Quote from Lady Gaga Interview
- Quote from Lady Gaga Interview