Lady Gaga is an artist.
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta ( [ ˈstɛfəniː_dʒɜrməˈnɒtə ] ; born March 28 , 1986 ) , known professionally as Lady Gaga , is an American singer , songwriter , and actress . After leaving a rock band , participating in a performance art circuit , and being dropped from a contract with Def Jam Recordings , Gaga worked as a songwriter for Sony/ATV Music Publishing . Gaga rose to prominence with the release of her successful debut album The Fame ( 2008 ) and its international chart-topping singles `` Just Dance '' and `` Poker Face '' . With her fifth studio album Joanne ( 2016 ) , she became the first woman to have four US number one albums in the 2010s .