Something interesting happens when children get teased in grade school – some fall into woeful pits of despair that last deep into adulthood while others end up performing at the MTV VMA’s in front of mesmerized throngs of people. Cue the smoke machines.
Lady Gaga (nee Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta) started playing piano by ear at age 4, wrote her first piano ballad at 13, and was signed to Def Jam Records at 19. Her precocious talents as a musician and unique personality did indeed earn her some unwanted childhood attention, but her experiences prepared her for the life of the public figure she would soon become.
Despite her young age (born 1986) Gaga gained invaluable experience showcasing and performing throughout New York City’s club scene. Her early shows featured touches of leather-thonged burlesque, much like the skin-baring performances she has become known for. Her musical influences then and now have remained the same: Queen, David Bowie, Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, and Madonna. Gaga has written songs for artists including the Pussycat Dolls, Fergie, Britney Spears, and the New Kids on the Block. Her own platinum-selling hits include: Beautiful Dirty Rich, Just Dance, Poker Face, Love Game, and Paparazzi. These dance-pop-electro-rock-disco songs chronicle her experiences in self-discovery, the New York party scene, and of course, love.
PS: Lady Gaga attended Convent of the Sacred Heart – a catholic private school in New York City and alma mater of actress Jordana Brewster, photographer Alix Smith, and actress/vocalist Elaine Stritch.
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