[pulsing pop music]
narrator: On this episode
of "My Life on MTV"...
- ♪ Gaga, ooh, la, la
narrator: This girl from the Big Apple...
- I'm a real New York hustler.
narrator: Had a big dream.
- I always wanted to be a pop singer.
narrator: And the killer confidence
to become a mega-star.
- I know that I'm out of this world.
narrator: Lady Gaga is a passionate powerhouse.
- We were born this way, baby!
narrator: With legions of fans
who thrive on her ever-changing presence.
- Thank you to the best fans.
Little Monsters, I love you.
narrator: MTV has been there
throughout the evolution of Lady Gaga.
- This is such a dream come true.
[cheers and applause]
narrator: And now we're busting open the archive,
sharing everything she did
for our cameras only.
- Hello again.
I love you guys.
narrator: This is "My Life on MTV."
- You guys better get ready.
- Ladies and gentlemen.
[hip-hop music]
Rock and roll.
- ♪ Rain on me
[Lady Gaga's "Rain On Me"]
narrator: She's an avant-garde visionary...
[Lady Gaga's "Stupid Love"]
narrator: Turning every appearance
into genius performance art.
- ♪ Just dance
[Lady Gaga's "Just Dance"]
narrator: Lady Gaga...
- ♪ Gaga, ooh, la, la
narrator: Is the most radical global icon of our time.
- ♪ Ooh, there ain't no other way ♪
♪ Baby, I was born
♪ I'm on the right track, baby ♪
♪ I was born this way
♪ Applause, applause, applause ♪
[cheers and applause]
♪ I'm off the deep end
♪ Watch as I dive in
♪ I'll never meet the ground
[Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper's "Shallow"]
[cheers and applause]
I remember in high school thinking
I wanna be on MTV.
[tape rewinding]
narrator: Caught in a prank when she was still Stefani...
- Hello.
narrator: A struggling NYC artist,
her first time on MTV
wasn't exactly what she had in mind.
- Where'd my salad go?
I'm gonna vomit.
- Just take a bite. It's fine.
narrator: But she laughed it off like a good sport.
[Lady Gaga's "Just Dance"]
And three years later, she was back on MTV,
but this time as emerging new talent Lady Gaga.
- And performing for the first time on television.
- ♪ Just dance
♪ Gonna be okay
♪ Just-just-just dance
♪ Dance, dance
♪ Just, j-j-just dance
I always wanted to be a pop singer.
♪ Go
♪ Use your muscle, carve it out ♪
Then I could bridge fashion and technology
and pop culture into one performance.
- The zipper broke.
narrator: First, she snatched a cameo appearance
on "The Hills."
- Let's make some noise for Lady Gaga.
narrator: And then headed straight to "TRL."
[cheers and applause]
- And then you've been writing songs
since you were 13 years old.
- Yeah, I've been writing a long time.
It's about more than just the music.
It's about the fashion.
When I'm writing music,
I'm thinking about the clothes I'm gonna wear.
It's all about everything all together.
I want the imagery to be so strong
that the fans wanna eat and taste
and lick every part of us just go in.
[Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi"]
Pop music is about the emotional impact.
The music with a visual
that makes it into something completely new.
I'm the girl that everyone said,
"I don't get it."
- ♪ I'm your biggest fan
♪ I'll follow you until you love me ♪
♪ Papa, paparazzi
I'm really a writer
and an artist
and a performer--
the whole movie.
♪ Snap, snap to that--
♪ On the radio
The more out there I become,
the more my creativity grows.
[Lady Gaga's "Poker Face"]
narrator: Her debut album
scored a record-breaking
four number one hits.
- ♪ Can't read my, can't read my ♪
♪ No, he can't read my poker face ♪
♪ She's got me like nobody
- She's a genius in her own little world, man.
narrator: Musician and producer, Akon,
knew he saw something special when he worked with Gaga.
- Out of a million artists,
you're only gonna find one Gaga.
She's the hardest working woman I've ever seen in my life.
- ♪ P-p-p-poker face
♪ P-p-poker face
♪ Mum mum mum mah
- She gonna be in this game for as long as she wants to be.
- ♪ Can't read my, can't read my ♪
♪ No, he can't read my poker face ♪
narrator: And you better believe
MTV hooked her up
with her first international concert
on Malta's shores.
- ♪ Just dance
♪ Spin that record, babe
♪ Da-da, doo-doo
♪ Just dance
narrator: After winning over fans abroad,
Lady Gaga was ready to captivate the VMAs.
- Congratulations on the nomination.
- Thank you, Sway. We love MTV.
You look fabulous, Kermit. - Aww, thank you.
- What do you think of what Lady Gaga's wearing?
- Uh, I think she's just lovely, you know?
I'm just happy that it's not made out of people I know.
- You guys look like you make a good couple.
- Lady Gaga is performing here tonight!
[cheers and applause]
[Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi"]
♪
- ♪ Baby, you'll be famous
♪ Chase you down until you love me ♪
♪ Papa, paparazzi
♪
narrator: In front of an audience
that's used to the racy and risqué,
her shocking performance art
dropped jaws and blew minds.
- ♪ Paparazzi
narrator: Her on-stage demise made a bold statement
and turned her into a mega-icon.
♪
- Best New Artist.
Lady Gaga. - Lady Gaga!
[upbeat pop music]
- It's my first Moonman.
[cheers and applause]
I love you guys.
You're the best fans in the whole world,
and it's for God and for the gays.
narrator: Her fans, nicknamed Little Monsters,
put Gaga on top.
- ♪ Ra, ra, ah-ah-ah
narrator: But her second album needed to keep her there.
So Gaga dropped the razor-sharp club banger,
"Bad Romance."
- ♪ Gaga, ooh, la, la
♪ Want your bad romance
narrator: That was the first video
to ever hit 200 million views.
- ♪ I want your love
♪ And I want your revenge
♪ You and me could write a bad romance ♪
♪ Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
♪ I want your love and all your lover's revenge ♪
♪ You and me could write a bad romance ♪
[Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance"]
♪ Ra ra, ah-ah-ah
Sneak peak into the "Bad Romance" video.
- Really? - Yeah.
The beginning was sort of a play
on my fans and the Little Monsters.
So we hatch out of our little monster eggs.
And I chose that because I have evolved
as a woman and as an artist.
It's my favorite video that I've done so far.
narrator: That "Bad Romance" video
would have some serious competition.
- You've been a very bad, bad girl, Gaga.
[bell rings]
- ♪ Just a second
♪ It's my favorite song they're gonna play ♪
♪ And I cannot text you
♪ With a drink in my hand, hey ♪
That tough female spirit
is something that I want to project.
narrator: Gaga rallied some extra girl power
with Team Beyoncé on the track, "Telephone."
- ♪ Stop calling, stop calling ♪
♪ I don't wanna think anymore
♪ I left my head and my heart on the dance floor ♪
- ♪ Sometimes I feel like I live in Grand Central Station ♪
♪ Tonight I'm not taking no calls ♪
- I remember watching Beyoncé
and thinking, "Oh, she's a star.
I want that."
And now I'm in music videos with Beyoncé.
[laughs]
- Best Collaboration
for "Telephone" with Beyoncé. - Oh, thank you.
- Congratulations to you and Beyoncé.
- Thank you, yay.
- All right. - We did it, Honey-B.
- Y'all did it.
narrator: The collab with the Queen B
landed Gaga a Moonman.
But she used the moment to illuminate the issues
most important to her.
- Tell me about these people we have
on the stage here today.
- These soldiers that are with me today
have all been discharged
from the Air Force or the Army
out of reaction to "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policies.
- And this is why people love you.
All right, you guys--
- And no one person is more valuable
than another person. - Absolutely.
And welcome to the VMAs, you guys.
- The VMA for Best Female Video
goes to Lady Gaga, "Bad Romance."
[cheers and applause]
narrator: She continued to straight-up crush the night
with 13 nominations...
- I love you. - Lady Gaga!
- And seven more Moonmen.
- God bless MTV.
Tonight, Little Monsters, we're the cool kids at the party.
[cheers and applause]
- And the VMA for Video of the Year goes to...
Lady Gaga!
[cheers and applause]
narrator: Gaga made her way to the stage
in her unforgettable meat dress,
her symbolic salute
to standing up for your rights.
- I never thought I'd be asking Cher
to hold my meat purse.
[cheers and applause]
And I promised if I won this tonight,
I'd announce the name of my new record.
[cheers and applause]
It's called "Born This Way."
♪ I'm beautiful in my way
♪ 'Cause God makes no mistakes ♪
♪ I'm on the right track, baby ♪
♪ I was born this way
narrator: That little tease gave us a glimpse
into what's to come.
[Lady Gaga's "Born This Way"]
"Born This Way" was the ultimate anthem
of self-empowerment.
- ♪ Don't hide yourself in regret ♪
♪ Just love yourself and you're set ♪
♪ I'm on the right track, baby ♪
♪ I was born this way, born this way ♪
♪ Ooh, there ain't no other way ♪
♪ Baby, I was born this way
♪ Born this way
I was born to endlessly transform.
And as the record goes on,
I start to address things that affect our generation.
Social injustice, prejudice,
equality, freedom.
The songs all talk about
the journey towards your identity.
My mission statement as an artist
is fighting tooth and nail for who you are.
♪ Right track, baby
♪ I was born this way, hey
♪
- Ladies and gentlemen.
[hip-hop music]
Rock and roll.
- Let's get this thing started right now.
Ladies and gentlemen,
please welcome Lady Gaga!
narrator: Nobody electrifies the MTV stage
with a presence like Lady Gaga.
- Hi, everybody.
[cheers and applause]
This is such a dream come true.
[cheers and applause]
[upbeat dance music]
- Oh, you've got lipstick on your teeth.
[laughter]
narrator: Millions of Little Monsters
flocked to her vibe of self-love.
- I'll just always love you back.
[cheers and applause]
- That's what's up.
- I believe in you so much.
And it's about all of you.
You make me strong.
[cheers and applause]
narrator: One reason Gaga can relate
so well to the fans,
she was one too.
- This is reminiscent of the "TRL" days.
You're from the Upper West Side.
- Yeah. - Were you one of those kids
who used to come to Times Square?
- I was really passionate about "Total Request Live."
It was, like, the biggest event of the day.
I used to stand right down there,
and I used to go, "Justin!"
[laughter, cheers and applause]
[pulsing electronic music]
- I heard you have a huge announcement
you wanna make about the VMAs.
- I do, I have a really big announcement.
[cheers and applause]
narrator: Lady Gaga let her Little Monsters
make that big announcement.
♪
- My name is Jo Calderone.
Lady Gaga, when she gets on that stage,
she holds nothing back.
That spotlight!
[cheers and applause]
♪ Something about lonely nights ♪
♪ And my lipstick on your face ♪
- ♪ Ooh, ooh, something
- ♪ Something
♪ Something about your cool Nebraska guy ♪
[Lady Gaga's "You and I]
♪ Yeah, something about
♪ Baby, you and I
Come on!
♪ On my birthday, you sang me "A Heart of Gold" ♪
♪ With a guitar humming and no clothes ♪
♪ This time I'm not leaving without you ♪
♪ Oh-oh, oh
♪ You and I
♪
narrator: It was a ballsy performance
that snagged mixed reactions.
♪
Gaga's alter-ego, Jo Calderone, stuck around
to hand the Video Vanguard Award
to reigning pop queen...
- Miss Britney Spears!
[cheers and applause]
[pulsing dance music]
[cheers and applause]
- I've done that already.
[crowd booing]
- Best Female Video.
Lady Gaga, "Born This Way."
[cheers and applause]
narrator: That night, she took home
Best Female and Best Video with a Message.
- It doesn't matter who you are.
Gay, straight,
bi, lesbian,
transgender,
you were born this way.
Yeah!
[cheers and applause]
- The winner
of the Best Female Artist is...
Lady Gaga!
[cheers and applause]
narrator: And at the EMAs,
she snagged four more awards.
- Thank you, MTV.
And thank you to the best fans in the whole world.
Little Monsters, I love you.
- And the winner of best song is...
Lady Gaga!
- The success of "Born This Way"
has really changed my life.
And I can't thank you enough for believing in me.
♪
[Lady Gaga's "Applause"]
- She made music, like, really exciting.
- Lady Gaga, it's so over the top.
- Very bold.
- I'm really proud of her as a woman
and as somebody that's just fearless.
♪
- ♪ Pop culture was in art ♪
♪ Now art's in pop culture, in me ♪
narrator: Gaga was transcending music
and becoming a force for advocacy and human rights.
- ♪ I live for the applause, applause, applause ♪
♪ I live for the applause-plause ♪
♪ Live for the applause-plause ♪
♪ Live for the way
♪ That you cheer and you scream for me ♪
- Lady Gaga, ladies and gentlemen.
Now, you're gonna perform "Applause" tonight.
You're gonna kick off the show.
I love the video. I love the color theme.
- Thank you.
MTV always wants me to one-up myself,
and they make sure to let me know that,
so I hope it's great. - I'm sure it will be.
narrator: In 2013, Mama Monster
threw down a performance that was so extra,
she wore four different costumes.
- ♪ Put your hands up
♪ Make 'em touch, touch
♪ Give me that thing that I love ♪
♪ I'll turn the lights out
♪ Put your hands up
♪ Make 'em touch, touch
♪ A-R-T-P-O-P
[cheers and applause]
narrator: By now, Gaga and MTV were like family.
- I finally made it to the home.
- You did.
narrator: So she invited Sway
for a cup of tea.
[light jazz music]
- The most important thing to me about this place
is that I can come up here and see outside.
- You can't really go outside?
- Such is life. - Such is life.
Look at these boots.
Let me try that on.
♪
- That's crazy.
Narrator: Not only does she live
in Tony Bennett's apartment...
[Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga's "The Lady is a Tramp"]
But Gaga and the legendary crooner
became fast friends after meeting at a charity event.
♪
- ♪ She gets too hungry
♪ For dinner at 8:00
- I'm starving.
- ♪ She loves the theater
♪ But she never comes late
- ♪ I never bother
♪ With people that I hate
♪ That's why this chick
♪ Is a tramp
- [chuckles]
♪
narrator: The two have collaborated in music
and body art.
Tony drew the trumpet
that's inked on Gaga's arm.
- And my favorite is that Lady Gaga.
- Yeah. You're a big Gaga fan?
- I just--she's the biggest. I'll tell you.
I never met anyone with more talent.
both: ♪ That's why this lady is a tramp ♪
♪
- ♪ That's why the lady is a tramp ♪
- Right on!
[chuckles]
Thank you.
narrator: In 2016, Gaga swerved
into a soulful, country-folk lane
to write a new personal chapter,
expanding her sound yet again.
- ♪ When I bow down to pray
♪ I try to make the worst seem better ♪
♪ Lord, show me the way
♪ To cut through all this worn out leather ♪
narrator: The stripped-down album, "Joanne,"
proved that even without glam and glitter,
Gaga's fierce vocals pack a powerful punch.
- ♪ I've got a hundred million reasons ♪
♪ To walk away
♪ But baby, I just need one good one ♪
♪ To stay
[upbeat country music]
narrator: That country flavor of Gaga was embraced
at the 2016 EMAs.
♪
- Thank you so much for giving me Best Female.
And I'm so sorry that I'm not there.
I'm busy promoting my record, "Joanne,"
and I'm so excited about it.
Thank you, thank you. I love you.
narrator: The superstar then switched gears
to silver screen prodigy.
- Best Music Documentary.
"Gaga: Five Foot Two."
narrator: She won critical acclaim.
- Thank you so, so much
for giving "Five Foot Two" the award
for Best Music Documentary.
I love you, Little Monsters, so much.
[cheers and applause]
I just have one problem.
I recently found out
I'm actually 5'3 3/4".
[dramatic music]
I'm so, so sorry.
[cheers and applause]
narrator: In the 2018 Academy Award-winning film,
"A Star is Born,"
Lady Gaga cemented her status
as a legit talent among the Hollywood elite
when she won the Oscar for Best Song.
both: ♪ In the sha-ha-sha-ha-llow ♪
♪ In the sha-ha-sha-la-la-la-llow ♪
[Lady Gaga's "911"]
- ♪ I have heard enough of these voices ♪
♪ Almost like I have no choice ♪
narrator: She kicked off 2020
with her new album, "Chromatica,"
which is an intimate look
into her ongoing mental health struggles.
- ♪ I can't see me cry
♪ Can't see me cry
♪ This is the end
♪ Ooh
♪ My biggest enemy is me
♪ Pop a 911
♪ My biggest enemy is me
♪ Pop a 911
♪ Then pop another one
♪ I didn't ask for a free ride ♪
narrator: While "Chromatica"
is a definite nod to the future...
- ♪ It's coming down on me
narrator: It features the disco revival single,
"Rain On Me," a collab with Ariana Grande.
- ♪ Rain on me, rain, rain
both: ♪ Rain on me, rain, rain ♪
♪ I'd rather be dry
♪ But at least I'm alive
♪ Rain on me, rain, rain
- ♪ Rain on me - ♪ Rain on me
[Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande's "Rain On Me"]
♪ Rain on me
narrator: Even the global pandemic
couldn't stop them from ruling the VMAs.
- ♪ Oh, yeah
both: ♪ Hands up to the sky
- ♪ MTV, MTV
both: ♪ I'm about to fly
♪ Rain on me
- And the VMA goes to...
Lady Gaga!
[upbeat electronic music]
narrator: MTV crowned her with four Moonmen...
- I love you, Little Monsters.
You can spin your struggles into gold,
and you just gotta believe in yourself.
We love you, MTV. Thank you to the fans.
narrator: And the spanking-new Tricon Award.
- I wanna share this award with everybody.
You can do this too.
Thank you.
[piano version of "Stupid Love"]
narrator: When Gaga performs,
she opens up her heart
and leaves it all on the stage.
- ♪ Freak out
♪ Freak out
♪ Look at me now
♪ I want your stupid love, love ♪
♪ Oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh
narrator: Shaking up the status quo
has been part of Lady Gaga's vision
from the beginning.
- Celebrate yourself.
Love who you are. Be brave.
♪ I want your stupid love, love ♪
[tape rewinding]
narrator: MTV was there
when Mother Monster burst onto the scene.
- ♪ I want your stupid love, love ♪
I just wanna keep doing better things,
more inspirational for my fans,
and just do great music and great shows.
narrator: And when she hits us next
with new sick songs and collaborations
or slays another movie role...
- ♪ Oh, oh-oh
narrator: We're ready to go Gaga
over her next stage in evolution.
- I have so much more I want to do
and more to accomplish.
What I do is
create an atmosphere for my fans
where they don't leave loving me.
They leave loving themselves.
[Lady Gaga's "Stupid Love"]