Concert: Lady Gaga returns to Belgium after more than 8 years of absence

She was born on March 28, 1986, in New York and, hold your breath, her legal name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta. She presents her latest album, "Mayhem"...

Born to an Italian-American family, she began learning music at a very young age. She chose the piano as her instrument of choice, wrote her first songs at a young age, and attended the Tisch School of the Arts. Her later escapades and multiple personas have often reflected this rather traditional singer-songwriter training.

A nod to Queen's song "Radio Ga Ga," her stage name is obviously not very serious, but it undoubtedly helps her cultivate this flamboyant, extravagant, and often unpredictable persona.

With her debut album, "The Fame" (2008), she achieved widespread fame thanks to tracks like "Just Dance," "Poker Face," and "Paparazzi," a song about a malevolent corporation that caused her considerable suffering. This album established her as a major figure in global pop, allowing her to achieve four number-one singles and break several records: four singles from a debut album and soaring sales to over 125 million copies. Not to mention the billions of streams!

In 2009, The Fame Monster, with the hits "Bad Romance," "Alejandro," and "Telephone," further solidified her fame. Over the years, perhaps in search of maturity, Lady Gaga explored different musical styles: some decidedly rock influences, electro experiments, but above all, an increasingly pronounced penchant for jazz, which finally allowed her to reveal the full extent of her vocal technique. Her collaboration with Tony Bennett on the album "Cheek To Cheek, Love For Sale" proved particularly revealing in this regard. Despite a generally darker atmosphere, her latest (and sixth) album, "Mayhem" (2025), marks a return to her roots: an energetic dance-pop sound that sometimes flirts with disco. "In my eyes, this album is obviously about resilience, but in an atmosphere that could be described as chaotic," she says of "Mayhem."

Lady Gaga doesn't just sing; she also has several major film appearances to her credit. The most notable are Bradley Cooper's "A Star Is Born" (2018), which earned her an Oscar nomination, and, in my opinion, her role as a black widow in Ridley Scott's "House of Gucci" (2021).

With her often extravagant wardrobe, Lady Gaga has never hidden her interest in decidedly original fashion. She has even walked the runway for some of her favorite designers on a few occasions. She accepted Nicola Formichetti's invitation to model for Mugler's Fall/Winter 2011 collection, presented at Paris Fashion Week. It's safe to say that the corseted, sequined latex dress suited her particularly well. In 2015, she also walked the runway for Tom Ford and, almost discreetly, for Marc Jacobs. For the latter, she simply listed her first name, Stefani, on the model roster! But it was Brandon Maxwell who had the honor of designing the dress she wore to the Oscars ceremony.

Whether you like it or not, Lady Gaga is anything but a scatterbrain. Without necessarily making a show of it, she is an activist and a voice for the LGBTQIA+ community and never hesitates to support the causes she deems important. Alongside other artists like Cyndi Lauper, she endorsed a lipstick from MAC Cosmetics' Viva Glam line to raise funds for the fight against AIDS. These are just two examples among many. Since 2012, she has also led Born This Way, a foundation that aims to promote self-affirmation among children and young people from all communities, including those with disabilities. To launch the project, the artist didn't hesitate to open her wallet wide…

So, do you still see Lady Gaga in the same light?

Currently on a European tour to promote her album "Mayhem," here are some of Lady Gaga's upcoming dates:

Sunday, November 9: Ziggo Dome - Amsterdam (Netherlands)

Tuesday, November 11: AFAS Dome - Antwerp (Belgium)

Thursday, November 13 and Friday, November 14: LDLC Arena - Lyon (France)

November 17-20: Accor Arena - Paris (France)

(MH with Stéphane Soupart)