Key Takeaways:
- Lady Gaga opens up about the emotional toll of early fame.
- She says the music industry “took her far away” from herself.
- Her latest album, Mayhem, marks a return to full creative control.
- Gaga shares how she found stability and authenticity over time.
- Despite criticism, she continues to embrace being “different.”
Lady Gaga Gets Candid About Early Fame and Finding Her True Self
Pop icon Lady Gaga has never been one to shy away from vulnerability—and in a recent interview with The Sunday Times, she opened up about the personal challenges she faced in the early years of her skyrocketing fame.
Known for chart-topping hits like Poker Face and Bad Romance, Gaga—born Stefani Germanotta—rose to global stardom in the late 2000s. But behind the fame, she reveals, was a young artist grappling with identity and pressure.
“The music industry took over my life when I was younger,” Gaga said. “It took me far away from myself, and I had to endure a lot. It hardened me, for sure. It took me a while to find my feet.”
“It Took Me Far Away from Myself”
At just 38, Lady Gaga has already experienced a whirlwind of success that few artists ever reach. But the pop star now admits that the early stages of her career left emotional scars—ones that took years to heal.
Now, with two decades in the business, she feels grounded and healthy, both mentally and emotionally.
“I’m just a much more stable, healthy human than I was for the last 20 years,” she said.
Her journey reflects the experience of many performers in the entertainment industry—navigating fame, expectations, and the constant pressure to stay relevant, often at the cost of personal well-being.
Authenticity Over Approval
Gaga also spoke about how her individuality has always been both her strength and a source of criticism. Early in her career, her style and sound often drew puzzled reactions from the industry, which struggled to define her.
“I’ve been criticised for being the weird one, or different,” she shared. “Since the start of my career, I’ve been asked, ‘What’s your style? How can we define you?’”
While she acknowledges the commercial side of the music business, Gaga emphasizes that her artistry has always been hers to control.
“My music has always been under my control. Since I was 17, I never allowed anyone to control that. But then you’re surrounded by systems figuring out how to monetise and market you, to turn you into an enterprise.”
Despite the pressure to conform, Gaga has continued to embrace her expressive nature—and today, that boldness is what fans love most about her.
Mayhem: A New Chapter
With the release of her seventh studio album, Mayhem, Gaga is once again in the spotlight—but this time on her own terms. The project showcases her creative evolution and reaffirms her commitment to artistic freedom.
This latest work serves as a statement: that Lady Gaga is still the bold, genre-defying performer the world first met—but now with a deeper sense of self and purpose.
