Hardly can there be a story more interesting than that of Lady Gaga and her rise to stardom. The singer and actress has come a long way from wanting to be famous to becoming a personification of fame. Born Stefani Germanotta, she has almost always remained in the news for either her music or acting, which although she started not long ago, has already earned her an Academy Award.
Starting her career in 2001, she first appeared as an actress in an episode of The Sopranos before she later turned her attention to music as both a writer and a singer. By 2008, she had already gained fame as a singer, and for years that followed, she did not only maintain her fame but also improved on it, becoming one of the most known pop singers.
Things To Know About Lady Gaga and Her Rise To Stardom
1. She had Supportive Parents
For someone so talented in music, one would generally think she was somehow linked to a musical family. On the contrary, both her parents who were Italian-Americans were not into music. While her father, Joseph Germanotta is an internet entrepreneur, her mother, Cynthia Louise, is a famous businesswoman and activist.
Her parents who brought her up alongside a sister, Natalia, are both Catholics and they raised their daughters in the faith. They gave Stafani all the support she needed from her earliest years when she showed that she was interested in music.
2. She Started on her Path to Stardom at a Very Young Age
Born in 1986, Stefani started learning to play the piano when she was only 4 years old. She would continue to improve in her arts and would start playing at Jazz Clubs when she was only 14. When “Just Dance” and “Poker Face,” were released as her first two singles, they became instant hits, setting the right stage for the release of her debut album in 2008 (The Fame) which made it clear that the “Paparazzi” singer was here for the long ride.
One of the things that made her rise to stardom in her early years was that she rose in a manner that defied what could be done by pop singers at the time.
3. Lady Gaga was Always a Misfit
As one will easily guess based on her unconventional ways of doing things, the singer was never one that fit into anything. Because of this, she was bullied at most points in her life. When she went to Convent of the Sacred Heart, a Catholic school at Upper East Side, she was bullied without mercy. While all the bullying she received was hard on her, she said it became one of the things that have made her the overcomer that she is.
4. The Role of Rob Fusari
The tale of Lady Gaga and her rise to stardom cannot be complete without the story of her ex-boyfriend, Rob Fusari. There was never a doubt that the singer was going to be famous thanks to her talent but Fusari helped in making it come to life faster.
Although their love would later be described as a bad romance, Rob who is a music producer did not only help come up with her name but also introduced her to Interscope, setting her on the path to fame. They first met after Fusari was said to have asked talent scout Wendy Starland to look for someone who would be a female equivalent of Julian Casablancas of The Strokes. The two began dating when she was 20 while he was 38 in 2006. The relationship only lasted seven months.
5. The Challenges and Battles
Having achieved so much as both a singer, songwriter, and actress, Lady Gaga has faced many challenges and battles in the process. Apart from being bullied and slammed with bad reviews out of hate, she was also once raped when she was 19. Because of this, she had to undergo mental and physical therapy.
6. The Lady Gaga and her Rise to Fame Course
Since 2011, a course is offered at the University of South Carolina by sociologist Mathieu Deflem titled Lady Gaga and the Sociology of the Fame with the aim of understanding some socially relevant dimensions of the fame of the pop idol.
7. Fortune and Worth
Beyond her fame, Lady Gaga has also amassed a great fortune. Her net worth is estimated at $300 million.
