Lady Gaga, born in Yonkers, New York in 1986, is an American recording artist that incorporates pop, electronic, and dance styles into her music. She began in the music industry at 19 when she signed with Def Jam Records, but was quickly dropped. Interscope Records then hired her as a songwriter for several established artists, such as Akon, where she eventually made her way up to be signed by Interscope chairman, Jimmy Lovine, as a joint deal with her and Akon’s labels.

“The Fame”, Gaga’s first album, debuted in August of 2008 and received good reviews along with both critical and commercial success. The album itself reached number one in four countries, topped the U.S. Billboard Top Electronic Albums chart, and includes the top singles, “Just Dance” and “Poker Face”, which have both become number one hits internationally. Gaga began The Fame Ball Tour, her first headliner, in 2009 and has sold over three million albums worldwide since the beginning of her career.