Lady Gaga Reflects on Her Career in an Exclusive Interview with Stephen Colbert

## Lady Gaga’s Journey and Aspirations

Lady Gaga recently shared insights into her illustrious career during an engaging discussion with Stephen Colbert. They explored her early performances in New York City, her aspirations for starting a family, and even her ideal bagel order on *The Late Show*. Along the way, she offered her take on Colbert’s attempts to embody some of her iconic looks.

### Reminiscing About Her Early Days

The conversation unfolded at the Bitter End, a legendary NYC nightclub where Gaga began her journey at just 14 years old. She brought along some old fliers from her first performances, when she was still known as Stefani Germanotta, along with a clipboard for fans to sign up, and a photo captured just before she landed her first record deal.

### The Birth of Lady Gaga

Gaga described how she devised her stage name, referring to it as a form of “creative armor.” She shared, “Creating Lady Gaga was a way for me to become something that I felt I didn’t already have inside of me. I knew I had musical talent, but I was deeply insecure. So, I created this other version of myself to grant me wings, especially after grappling with tough experiences.”

### The Challenges of Fame

Despite the protection her persona offered, she revealed that her early days in the pop industry were incredibly challenging. “I white-knuckled my way through a very long period of my career,” she admitted. “I just kept my head down and worked relentlessly.”

Although the aspects of fame were complicated, Gaga acknowledged that the real struggle was reconciling her dual identities—Gaga and Stefani. “Figuring out how to integrate those two parts of myself was my continuous journey,” she shared.

### Colbert’s Creative Attempts

During their conversation, Gaga applauded Colbert for his humorous attempts to photo-edit himself into her famous looks, including the striking style from her iconic “Lady in Red” moment. They also touched on her upbringing, her favorite New York City spots, and around her bagel preferences: “I have two bagel orders—either a toasted butter bagel for a quick snack or lox with cream cheese, tomato, salt, and pepper.”

### Future Aspirations

As the interview drew to a close, Gaga discussed welcoming her fiancé, Michael Polansky, into her creative endeavors. When asked about her future ambitions, she expressed, “I want to take on many projects, but being a mom is my ultimate goal. That’s the role I look forward to the most.”

What are your thoughts on Lady Gaga’s journey and her aspirations for the future?