Young Lady Gaga's Rise to Fame Captured in 13 Photos
The pop icon rose to stardom in 2008 and changed the definition and expectations of a pop star.
Lady Gaga has heard and answered our prayers for more music. Her performance at Coachella 2025 felt like there's some semblance of balance in the world again. Plus, it called back to some of her earlier performances and eras captured in her young photos.
She broke into the music scene in 2008 after she signed a deal with Interscope Records in 2007 and shocked everyone with her experimental and unorthodox looks. She was eccentric and unconventional enough to have people wondering who her identity was behind the mysterious moniker, especially after achieving four top ten hits from her debut album, The Fame, a feat not many can say they've been able to achieve. Her first two singles, "Just Dance" and "Poker Face," caught everyone's attention and became her first two Hot 100 hits. "LoveGame" and "Paparazzi" continued to rein in success for the newcomer, and her iconic videos for the singles gave her a chance to flaunt her avant-garde prowess.
She redefined what it meant to be a pop star and changed the future of stardom. She reissued her iconic debut album in 2009 with The Fame Monster, which included "Bad Romance," "Telephone" featuring Beyoncé, and "Alejandro." Lady Gaga is renowned for her theatrical stage performances, a great example is her performance at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, in which she simulates her death with blood pouring down her body and ending with her suspended in the air. She's been known to raise an eyebrow or two with her dramatic flair, but that's what makes her the star she is.
Her career has spanned nearly two decades, and during this time, she's released other albums including Born This Way and, most recently, Mayhem. The "Born This Way" singer has pursued acting, starring alongside Bradley Cooper in the Oscar-nominated film A Star Is Born and Joaquin Phoenix in Joker: Folie à Deux. Her other acting credits include House of Gucci and Ryan Murphy's critically acclaimed TV series American Horror Story.
Stefani Germanotta, Gaga's birth name, continues to usher in new ages for music, and her Coachella showdowns remind folks just how she gets it done. Click through the gallery below to revisit Lady Gaga's rise to fame through a selection of her young photos.
