Lady Gaga All Music Guide Biography

Lady GaGa is a theatrical dance-pop singer/songwriter whose commercial debut single, the international chart-topping smash hit “Just Dance,” established her as an up-and-coming superstar upon its release in 2008. Born Stefani Germanotta on March 28, 1986, in Yonkers, NY, she attended Convent of the Sacred Heart, a private all-girl Catholic school in Manhattan, before proceeding to study music at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts at age 17. Influenced by flamboyant glam rockers such as David Bowie and Freddie Mercury (indeed, her stage name is drawn from the Queen song “Radio Ga-Ga”) as well as ’80s dance-poppers such as Madonna and Michael Jackson, she began playing the piano at a young age and later began writing songs and performing as a teenager. In 2007 she began to make a name for herself on the downtown Manhattan club scene with a performance art show billed as Lady GaGa and the Starlight Revue (co-featuring Lady Starlight; born Colleen Martin, a DJ and makeup professional), and music industry insiders began to take note. While Lady GaGa was initially signed to Def Jam in 2007, nothing came of that association, and ultimately it was pop-rap superstar Akon who took her under his wing, signing her to his vanity label Kon Live in association with Interscope Records.

In addition to working for Interscope as a songwriter, Lady GaGa began preparing the launch of her solo career. Her debut single, “Just Dance,” was released to radio in April 2008, and her full-length album debut, The Fame, followed in August. Featuring fellow Akon affiliate Colby O’Donis, “Just Dance” took much of 2008 to catch on. The song debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in August, at which time it had already become a massive club hit, but it didn’t reach number one until January 2009. Internationally, the song proved similarly popular, reaching the Top Ten throughout much of Western Europe and beyond. In the wake of Lady GaGa’s international breakthrough success with “Just Dance,” the follow-up single, “Poker Face,” was an even greater success, topping singles charts across the board, from the U.S. and Western Europe to Australia and New Zealand. Both songs were produced by Akon affiliate RedOne, who, along with Rob Fusari, co-wrote and produced much of The Fame, itself an international success in critical as well as commercial terms. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide

© Janet Mayer/PR Photos

The Education of Lady GaGa:

Born March 20, 1986, Stefani Germanotta attended the Convent of the Sacred Heart school in New York. As a teenager she began writing songs and playing open mic nights at clubs in Manhattan. While in high school she performed in a wide range of dramatic plays and musicals. At the age of 17, Stefani was admitted to the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University.

Making a Name in the Underground:

Through her club connections in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, Stefani Germanotta met and began working with producer Rob Fusari in 2006. It was Fusari who helped create the stage name Lady GaGa with inspiration from Queen’s classic hit “Radio GaGa.” It is a reference to sharing the flamboyant spirit of Queen’s Freddie Mercury. Lady GaGa also joined forces with DJ / performance artist Lady Starlight, and the pair made a name for themselves with such stage projects as Lady GaGa and the Starlight Revue.

The Sound of Lady GaGa:

Unlike many of her counterparts in the Lower East Side club scene, Lady GaGa turned away from rock to pop music as her primary inspiration. She takes her inspiration from a wide variety of influences including the Cyndi Lauper music from her childhood, 70′s variety shows, disco, and Madonna.

Reviews of Lady GaGa’s Music:

• “Just Dance”
• “LoveGame”
• “Paparazzi”
• “Poker Face”

Songwriting Success :

Lady GaGa was briefly signed to a contract by Def Jam, but no recordings came out of the agreement. In 2007 she was signed by Interscope as a songwriter and began collaborating with Akon. She also wrote songs for artists like the Pussycat Dolls and New Kids on the Block. While having her do initial reference vocals for recordings, Akon sensed Lady GaGa’s talent and helped begin promoting her career as a solo recording artist.

Lady GaGa Breaks Into the Pop Mainstream:

Working with a creative team titled House of GaGa, Lady GaGa headed to the studio to record her first album The Fame. Interscope released the first single “Just Dance” in April 2008 and sent Lady GaGa on tour with the New Kids on the Block reunion tour. With “Just Dance” in the pop top 40, the debut album The Fame was released in late October, and it debuted inside the top 20 of the album chart.

Pop Superstar: