Lady Gaga worked.
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta ( [ ˈstɛfəniː_dʒɜrməˈnɒtə ] ; born March 28 , 1986 ) , known professionally as Lady Gaga , is an American singer , songwriter , and actress . At the beginning of her career , Gaga became known for her unconventionality and provocative work . 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 . With global album and single sales of 27 million and 146 million respectively , as of January 2016 , she is one of the best-selling musicians of all time .