Media Moments Lady Gaga Can Never Erase

A multi-platinum artist. Oscar-winning composer. Undisputed fashion icon. Impassioned advocate and ally. Just about every moniker thrown her way accurately describes the artistic juggernaut known as Lady Gaga. From a New York girl who sang in bars for tips, to a powerhouse entertainer who has made indelible marks on music, film, fashion, and more, Gaga has become a fixture in media markets worldwide. Though she may not always be keen on how she's represented ("Social media, quite frankly, is the toilet of the Internet," she quipped on Jimmy Kimmel Live! In 2019), she has utilized the global fascination with media to catapult her stardom to unfathomable heights. And the kicker? She's been controlling that narrative from the very beginning. "Fame is not pretending to be rich," she shared with The Guardian in 2009 on her debut album, aptly titled "The Fame." "... It's carrying yourself in a way that exudes confidence and passion for music or art or fishing or whatever the hell it is that you're passionate about, and projecting yourself in a way that people say, 'Who the f*** is that?'"

Even early on in her career, Lady Gaga was never one to shy away from speaking her mind — or standing up for her beliefs. In a 2009 interview, a lavender-haired Gaga was asked if overt expressions of sexuality in her music made her "scared" of it being undermined in the industry. Gaga's now-iconic response showcased her no-holds-barred stance on misogyny and criticizing women.

"You see, if I was a guy and I was sitting here with a cigarette in my hands grabbing my crotch talking about how I make music because I like fast cars and f****** girls, you'd call me a rock star," she delivered in a deadpan response to the reporter. "But when I do it in my music and videos, because I'm a female and I make pop music, you're judgemental and say it's distracting. I'm just a rock star."

Gaga also confirmed that at the time of this interview, she had already accumulated three number-one records and almost four million album sales of her debut "The Fame" — proving that sex can sell in music, as it has done for decades.

But the real kicker in this interview? When asked what the "biggest thrill" of her career thus far was, Gaga answered: "The gay community. 'Cause I love them so much. 'Cause they don't ask me questions like that."

Throughout her career, Lady Gaga has been known best for her eye-catching ensembles on the red carpet, in music videos, and beyond. One of the most memorable of those fashions was displayed in full fleshy glory at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards. While accepting the award for Video of the Year, Gaga donned an outfit made entirely of meat, from her shoes to her headpiece. While many mocked Gaga for her odd choice of fabric, the entertainer explained to Ellen DeGeneres that her choice to wear the dress was actually a political statement.

"It has many interpretations, but for me...it's [saying], 'If we don't stand up for what we believe in, if we don't fight for our rights, pretty soon we're going to have as much rights as the meat on our bones,'" she explained on "The Ellen Show." Gaga was referring to the then-recent repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" legislation that prohibited LGBTQ+ people from serving in the Armed Forces. This wasn't the first time that Gaga had pursued her meaty mission — she also posed for the cover of "Vogue Hommes Japan" wearing a similarly-fashioned bikini claiming she was "not a piece of meat."

Gaga faced backlash from many people for her outfit, including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), but Gaga affirmed that she didn't mean any disrespect. "It's certainly no disrespect to anyone who's vegan or vegetarian. I...am the most judgment-free human being on the Earth."

The 2010 meat dress debacle wasn't the first VMA moment that made Lady Gaga a household name. The year before, Gaga stunned the crowd with a blood-splattered performance of "Paparazzi" in her Video Music Awards debut — another stunning moment in a now-infamous year in the award show's history. By 2011, Gaga was riding the high of her album "Born This Way" and appeared in drag as alter ego "Jo Calderone," performing her single "You and I" to open the show. "Jo" remained in character the whole night, even in a tete-a-tete with Britney Spears on stage.

Gaga opened the VMAs once again in 2013, this time with a quasi-retrospective performance of "Applause," the lead single off of her album "ARTPOP." Ending the performance in a seashell bikini (which she wore the remainder of the night), the performance was met with boos. While the jeers were later confirmed to be fake, she did hit back at the real noise thrown against boy band One Direction. Gaga immediately went backstage to speak with the group, saying "Don't you dare let those people boo you. If I did hear what I heard out there, I just want to tell you that you deserve every bit of success that you have."

A decade after her meat-adorned appearance, Gaga donned a total of nine outfits throughout the 2020 half-virtual VMAs, each adorned with an ornate designer face mask. That night she took home four awards, including the first-ever Tricon Award noting her work in music/film, fashion, and activism.

The MTV VMAs aren't the only award show where Lady Gaga made memorable entrances. For the 2011 Grammy Awards, she arrived on the red carpet inside a giant semi-translucent egg — really! The pop star was carried onto the carpet in her cylindrical vehicle atop wooden posts held by several muscular bodyguards, while another walked in front showcasing the spectacle. Guests, journalists, and the audience alike were taken aback by the sight; something that became critical to the Gaga zeitgeist.

Looking back on the moment, Gaga recalled just how specific she was even down to the wire when designing the overall concept. "I was very particular about the way the fashion looked for this performance in so much as the night before the performance I said, 'The fashion's wrong, we don't have it. We need it to be latex. We need nude latex,'" she explained to British Vogue.

The entrance also provided Gaga solace from the pressures of fame. "I was in the egg for three days," she continued to British Vogue. "To be honest, at award shows, especially during this time, I didn't like to talk to people. I always felt that it threw me off with my performance so this in a lot of ways is really representative of my devotion to my craft, in that I really wanted to be with myself." Gaga later emerged from her egg/vessel to perform the title song from "Born This Way," as well as accept the award for Best Pop Vocal Album.

2011 proved to be a massive collective moment for Lady Gaga, who leaped from one Grammy-winning album to the next, clad in sky-high McQueen stilettos. In February, the starlet sat down with CNN's Anderson Cooper for a series of interviews for "60 Minutes." One of the questions Cooper asked was about the rumors surrounding Gaga's genitalia, questioning whether or not she was a hermaphrodite. In classic Gaga style, she shut down the rumors while simultaneously riling them up again. "Maybe I do," she deadpanned to Cooper. "Would it be so terrible? ...Why the hell am I gonna waste my time and give a press release about whether or not I have a penis? My fans don't care, and neither do I."

The clip has continued to make the rounds online in the years since the interview, with audiences praising the artist for her deft way of taking back control of her narrative. "Wow, the courage to (1) lean into the public opinion and expose it for how vile it was and (2) stand by queer fans whose existence have always been shamed and refuse to argue about their validity...LUV U GAGA [sic]," one admirer wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter (via Pop! Inquirer). Others reflected on the twisted growth of artists in the spotlight over the past decade: "Imagine someone asking Ariana Grande or Billie Eilish if they had a penis on national television in 2020," Gaga Daily, one of the artist's most popular fansites, posted on the platform.

By 2017, Lady Gaga had amassed numerous accolades across music, fashion, and more, but she had yet to step onto one of the world's biggest (and most watched) stages: the Super Bowl (though she had wowed the crowd the year before with a stunning rendition of the National Anthem before the game.) Hot on the heels of her album "Joanne," the star-spangled Gaga literally dove headfirst into a medley of hits including "Poker Face," "Telephone," and "Bad Romance" in front of millions of viewers in Houston's NRG Stadium and around the world. The show was an immediate crowd-pleaser and was even fodder for an internet meme or two.

One of those memes showed Gaga jumping and shimmying her way down from the top of the stadium to the stage. Many speculated whether or not the jump, or the light show that was behind her at the stadium's peak, actually happened during the telecast. Producers later debunked the mystery — that portion, at least, was pre-recorded. "...You don't know what [the weather] will be like during Super Bowl day," Anil Nanduri, a top executive at Intel (who managed the drone portion of the performance) told For The Win. "...If it's raining and the roof is closed, no one can see this spectacular show. So our creative team as well as the Super Bowl creative team felt this would be best to be filmed."

2015 was a turning point in Lady Gaga's career, as it marked not only her first appearance on the Academy Awards stage but also showcased a new side to her talent. That year, she performed a tribute to Julie Andrews and "The Sound of Music" in front of the Hollywood elite. Gaga donned a billowing white gown as she belted the musical's title song, among others from the soundtrack, which earned her a rousing standing ovation from the crowd. This marked one of the first times that Gaga showcased her classically trained vocal style, which differed from her usual pop-tinged singing.

Just a few years later, Gaga made more history as she became the first person to win an Oscar, Grammy, BAFTA, and Golden Globe in a single year. That year, she performed an intimate rendition of "Shallow," the record-breaking song from "A Star Is Born" that later won the star her first Oscar, alongside co-star Bradley Cooper. "​​Nothing could be more special than sharing this moment at the Oscars with a true friend and artistic genius," she wrote of the performance on Instagram.

Gaga has made several other appearances at the annual awards show to perform more of her nominated songs. In 2016, she made an emotional impact with "' Til It Happens To You," which she co-wrote with Diane Warren, alongside a group of sexual assault survivors. She also gave a last-minute, stripped-down performance of "Hold My Hand," her nominated song from "Top Gun Maverick," in 2023.

Lady Gaga became a full-fledged silver screen celebrity in 2018 in her star-making turn in the aptly titled "A Star Is Born." While movie-goers and movie reviewers alike praised the film, its singer-turned-actor star, and the soundtrack she produced, Gaga was turning out arguably some of the most glamorous red carpet looks she has ever produced during the film's press tour. She took the 2018 Venice Film Festival by storm (and by boat) in a pair of chic, classic ensembles, including a dreamy pink cloud of a Valentino gown that left onlookers (and the world) in awe.

But the legacy of the "A Star Is Born" press tour does not just lie with the fashion — it also has an equally legendary meme to thank for its lasting impression in the current cultural zeitgeist. In many of her interviews, Gaga would include a specific line to describe her gratitude for director and co-star Bradley Cooper: "There can be 100 people in the room, and 99 don't believe in you, but one did and that was Bradley." The internet took over from there, crafting compilation videos, surprising celebrity support, and even a laugh-out-loud callback during the 2019 Golden Globes by Andy Samberg and Sandra Oh. Gaga's reaction? The movie star took it all in stride, and with a laugh. "It's true!" she yelled in rebuttal at the ceremony.

As co-chair of the 2019 Met Gala, Lady Gaga took the theme of "Camp" to epic new heights in a performance all its own. The star took to the red carpet in the first of four incredible looks: a billowing hot pink cape gown. She then continued to peel off layers of her four-in-one look to reveal an elegant black ballgown, a hot pink bodycon dress, and finally, a black lingerie set. Each outfit was punctuated with flashy accessories, including a giant cell phone, big black sunglasses, and giant gold-flaked eyelashes. Gaga was accompanied by a suited, umbrella-holding entourage that helped her unveil every dramatic ensemble.

Critics, fans, and celebs alike all praised Gaga for her out-of-this-world appearance — Harper's Bazaar even quipped that the event should be renamed the "Met GAGA!" "When Brandon [Maxwell, the designer] created that pink dress and I saw it, I instantly was catapulted to a childlike place," Gaga said in a behind-the-scenes video with Vogue. "What I really love about what we're doing is that it reads like an essay, or a poem, and it tells a story..." The artist even rehearsed her 15-minute long red carpet the day before to craft every little detail that told not just any story — it was her story. "Camp becomes camp over time, so for my last reveal, to be something that...I did ten years ago [on stage], or even more, it's campy now," she explained in the Vogue video.

One aspect of Lady Gaga's influence expands far beyond the stage and the screen. Her activism has been part of her platform from the very beginning of her career, and her significant partnerships with leaders both around the world and at home have shown her advocating for change in major sectors. She has championed LGBTQ+ representation in the military, co-founded a non-profit foundation with her mother to benefit youth mental health, and campaigned to end sexual violence alongside now-President Joe Biden, among other issues. In classic Gaga style, she blends her artistry with her advocacy efforts to create a legacy that is uniquely hers.

Stateside, Gaga has showcased her passion for her country by using her voice in numerous ways. She has sung the National Anthem in front of millions multiple times, including at the 2016 Super Bowl and President Biden's 2021 inauguration. She has utilized her stages to speak to her fans about issues facing Americans, particularly women. "To every woman who now has to worry about her body if she gets pregnant, I pray that this country will speak up, that we will stick together, and that we will not stop until it's right! For every woman," she once said at a Washington, DC stop on her "Chromatica Ball" tour. "...I [don't] mean to be, like, a downer, but there's some s*** that's more important than show business."

At Lady Gaga's core lies a deep love for and appreciation of the LGBTQ+ community. "My whole life changed because of you," Gaga once said at a 50th anniversary PRIDE rally at the historic Stonewall Hotel. "... You are my leaders, and I will follow you ... True love is when you would take a bullet for someone. And you know that I would take a bullet for you any day of the week." Gaga has enveloped that love throughout her career in unravelable ways, from thanking them in acceptance speeches in her early days to advocating for their rights at political rallies.

But Gaga isn't all serious all the time — she knows how to have fun with her fans, too. She made a now-iconic appearance on season nine of "RuPaul's Drag Race," surprising the queens in the werk room "disguised" as a queen herself. "I'm here as your friend, as somebody that truly admires you," she told the group. The contestants later paid tribute to Gaga with a "Night Of A Thousand Queens" runway theme dedicated to showcasing her most iconic ensembles. This wasn't the first time she and RuPaul had teamed up — the two once performed a duet of Gaga's song "Fashion!" during the "Lady Gaga & the Muppets Holiday Special."

Among the many times that Lady Gaga has reinvented herself musically, she has continued to nourish her love of one particular genre. "... Jazz comes a little more comfortable for me than pop music, than R&B music," Gaga said in 2014. "I've sung jazz since I was 13 years old ... So this is almost easier for me than anything else."

She's showcased her love of the genre in a multitude of ways over the years, including with a "Jazz & Piano" residency in Las Vegas, but it was her partnership with the legendary crooner Tony Bennett that earned her new rounds of accolades. After releasing a cover of "The Lady Is A Tramp" together in 2011, the two recorded two Grammy-winning albums together, 2014's "Cheek to Cheek" and 2021's "Love for Sale." They performed at illustrious venues including Lincoln Center and Radio City Music Hall, with the latter serving as the site of their final performance together. "Lady" (as Bennett called her) credited her duet partner with helping her in a pivotal moment in both her career and life. "I was so sad. I couldn't sleep. I felt dead. And then I spent a lot of time with Tony," Gaga revealed in a 2014 interview with Parade. "He wanted nothing but my friendship and my voice." Bennett passed away at age 96 in 2023, and his "Lady" paid tribute to her "Tony" on Instagram: "We transported ourselves to another era, modernized the music together, & gave it all new life as a singing duo."