Lady Gaga is a performer.
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 '' . For her work in the television series American Horror Story : Hotel , Gaga won a Golden Globe Award in 2016 . In February 2017 , Gaga headlined the Super Bowl LI halftime show , which had over 150 million audience across various platforms worldwide , making it the most viewed musical event in history .