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"I'm half living my life between reality and fantasy at all times." Lady Gaga is, perhaps, one of the most unlikely superstars of all time. Gaga broke into the music industry in 2008 with pop-hits that would sprawl across the globe via the radio. She would become known for her eccentric fashion and her willingness to go far beyond the confines of 'normalcy'. Despite her 'out there' image, Gaga would make all of the right moves that a rising superstar should make.  We'll discuss more about this later.

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Most recently, Gaga has become a celebrated actress thanks to her work on A Star is Born alongside superstar Bradley Cooper. The film would earn Gaga her first Oscar for Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures. Gaga would also get an Oscar nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role. While her work on film has gotten much of her recent press, Gaga has also sold more than 27 million records during her career en route to winning nine Grammy Awards and earning her way into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

The Early Years

Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta was born March 28, 1986, in Manhattan, New York City. She was born to Cynthia Louise and Joseph Germanotta. Cynthia worked as a business executive and prominent philanthropist while Joseph was an entrepreneur who worked through the internet. Gaga grew up with a younger sister named Natali. She was raised in a Catholic household on the Upper West Side in Manhattan. While her family came from the lower-class, they never stopped working in order to better their lives.

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At age 11, Gaga would begin attending a private Roman Catholic school for girls called Convent of the Sacred Heart. Despite being studios and disciplined, Gaga was considered something of a troublemaker during her time in school. She was mocked for being 'provocative' and 'eccentric' despite being an 11-year-old child. Gaga would pour her tendencies into her music as she began playing the piano at a young age. Gaga would take lessons throughout her childhood, though she was largely taught by ear rather than via sheet music.  Gaga would enroll at the Creative Arts Camp as a teenager and before long she was playing at open mic nights around the city.

While Gaga was largely focused on her music, she also wanted to act. Gaga would train at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute for a decade as she studied method acting. This work would pay off as she scored a bit part in the hit HBO show, The Sopranos, back in 2001. Gaga would then attend Collaborative Arts Project 21 at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. 

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A Global Superstar

Lady Gaga would make her professional debut in 2005 after being signed to Def Jam Records. Despite landing such a high-profile record deal, she was ultimately dropped by the label just a few months later. Gaga would continue to work on her own by performing in venues throughout the Lower East Side. She played with several bands while also beginning to experiment with fashion.

By the time that 2007 rolled around, Gaga would be working with Interscope Records. She performed as a songwriter for a number of other artists on the label, including the Pussycat Dolls, Britney Spears, and New Kids on the Block. Later, the rapper Akon would discover Gaga during her performance at a burlesque show titled, Lady Gaga and the Starlight Revue. Akon would sign her as a performer to his record label, Kon Live. Gaga would release her debut album in 2007 which was titled, The Fame. The record scored positive reviews and was an overall success in the United States. Her big singles from the record were Just Dance and Poker Face. 

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By 2009, Gaga would be headlining her on a worldwide tour, known as The Fame Ball Tour. During this traveling show, Gaga showcased all of her skills including her eccentric fashion sense and willingness to be provocative on stage. Gaga would also land several prominent business partnerships during this period of her career. She would partner with Monster Cable Products and Polaroid. 

Lady Gaga would go on to release The Fame Monster as a follow-up to her debut record. This sophomore effort would contain eight songs. In 2011, Gaga would release Born This Way to massive critical and commercial success, despite the record failing to draw numbers similar to her past efforts. When 2014 rolled around, Gaga took a hard right during her career. She would collaborate with Tony Bennett on a jazz album titled Cheek to Cheek which would lead to a Grammy win for Gaga. By this point in her life, Gaga was one of the biggest stars in the world. She had released a number of solo and collaborative albums while also dipping her feet into the world of acting. With all of that being said, Gaga still hadn't reached her peak. In 2016, Gaga would release Joanne to immense critical and commercial appeal. The album would be followed by the Joanne World Tour before transitioning into a performance at Super Bowl 50s halftime show.

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When 2016 rolled around, it was announced that Lady Gaga had been cast alongside Bradley Cooper in a remake of the Barbra Streisand film, A Star is Born. Despite public criticism of the casting, A Star is Born would turn into a smash hit as it netted nearly $400 billion globally. Both Cooper and Gaga would win every honor that a performer could want, including a Golden Globe, Oscar, and Grammy. While A Star is Born was Gaga's most prolific acting work to date, it was far from her only experience on camera. Gaga had won over fans for a fifteen episode arc in American Horror Story (2015) as well as several cameo appearances in films like Machete Kills (2013) and Muppets Most Wanted (2014).

Lady Gaga is currently working on her sixth studio album, though no title has been released. Outside of her work in the studio, Gaga recently signed a two-year residency at the MGM Park Theater in Las Vegas. Her residency will include two shows under the moniker, Lady Gaga Enigma. The show will feature all of Gaga's greatest hits blended with a theatrical backdrop. Gaga has also recently launched her own makeup line titled Haus Laboratories which will be available exclusively on Amazon.