The woman behind the polarizing fictional character Lady Gaga is New York-born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta. The daughter of Italian-American parents moved to Los Angeles in 2008 after dropping out of music studies to complete her debut album “Fame” – in the same year she became world-famous. The album tops the charts in six countries, and the single “Poker Face” received her first Grammy Award, which will be followed by ten more by 2021. In parallel to her musical career, she finally began to gain a foothold in the film industry. With success: in 2016 she received the Golden Globe for best leading actress in “American Horror Story”, followed three years later by an Oscar for the film song “Shallow”. Lady Gaga uses her reach above all to address uncomfortable topics and to advocate for marginalized groups. In 2011 she presented a campaign against bullying in the White House. A year later, she and her mother founded the Born This Way Foundation to promote the psychological well-being of young people. As a victim, the artist also speaks publicly about her experiences with sexual abuse and the psychological consequences. In addition, the activist is committed to the LGBTQ+ scene, people infected with HIV and those affected by the corona pandemic.