Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga

Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (born March 28, 1986), better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American recording artist. After being signed to and quickly dropped from Def Jam Records at age 19, she began performing in the rock music scene of New York City's Lower East Side. During this time, she was also working at Interscope Records as a songwriter for several established acts, including Akon, who, after hearing Gaga sing, convinced Interscope chairman Jimmy Iovine to sign her to a joint deal with the label and Akon's Kon Live Distribution label.

Her debut album The Fame was released in August 2008 to critical and commercial success. In addition to receiving generally positive reviews, it has gone to number one in four countries, also topping the Billboard Top Electronic Albums chart in the United States. The album's first two singles, "Just Dance" and "Poker Face," have become international number one hits, and the former was nominated for Best Dance Recording at the 51st Grammy Awards. In 2009, after having opened for New Kids on the Block and the Pussycat Dolls, Gaga embarked on her first headlining tour, The Fame Ball Tour. To date she has sold over 20 million digital singles and 3 million albums worldwide, which makes her one of the biggest-selling artists of 2009.[1]

Musically, Gaga is inspired by glam rockers such as David Bowie and Queen, as well as pop singers such as Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue and Madonna. She is also inspired by fashion, which she claims is an essential component to her songwriting and performances. She is supportive of the gay community, crediting them for her early mainstream success

Lady Gaga says she'll tour without Kanye West.

NEW YORK – Lady Gaga isn't letting her ill-fated tour with Kanye West keep her from her fans.

A day after her joint tour with the rapper was canceled, the pop star said she'll be hitting the road solo.

"We mutually decided to cancel the tour. He's going to take some time off, but I'm not," the 23-year-old said in an interview before accepting the "Rising Star" honor at Billboard's annual Women in Music event Friday.

"Kanye and I talked about it. We talked about it a lot, as well as with Live Nation," she added.

West and Lady Gaga's tour, titled "Fame Kills," was supposed to kick off Nov. 10 in Phoenix. Live Nation announced its cancellation on Thursday with no explanation, but West had said last month that he was considering taking time off to reassess his behavior.

West has endured a firestorm of negative publicity since storming the stage at MTV Video Music Awards last month and hijacking Taylor Swift's award-winning moment. Swift was giving her acceptance speech after winning best female video when West — known for his awards-show outbursts — grabbed the microphone and declared that Beyonce's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," also nominated, was one of the "best videos of all time."

Beyonce, who was honored by Billboard as its "Woman of the Year," spoke about West's actions during the event.

"I knew his intentions and I knew he was standing up for art," she said.

But she didn't know that he planned a public protest.

"When he walked on the stage I was like no, no, no," she recalled laughing.

Beyonce, who won the video of the year honor at the VMAs, invited Swift back onstage to give her acceptance speech — and said in the end, everything worked out.

"Taylor Swift had her moment and I didn't have to give an acceptance speech!"

Gaga said while she didn't approve of what West did, he is a friend and she is standing by him "because everyone makes mistakes and it is important to forgive one another."

"He's a good person," she added.

Gaga said her new tour will kick off in mid-Novemeber. Her platinum-selling debut CD, "The Fame," will be rereleased on Nov. 24.

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