Lady Gaga began performing at the age of fourteen, and at seventeen, she was signed to Interscope Records. She also signed with Akon's KonLive Distribution and worked as a songwriter for Sony/ATV Music Publishing. In 2007, she dropped out of Tisch School of the Arts to pursue her career in music. Her music video for "Born This Way" earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress. Her career as an actress began in the early 2000s, when she was starring in a movie called Monster, which grossed $125 million.
Lady Gaga's stage name is a nod to the Queen song Radio Ga, which was the inspiration for the title of her first album. The songs from this album were a mixture of power pop and bittersweet rock ballads. Despite her popularity as a singer, she also performed in a number of action movies and concert films. In 2009, she released her first concert film, "Born This Way," which became a smash hit.
Later, Lady Gaga decided to withdraw from school to focus on finding creative inspiration. She also worked as a gogo dancer to support herself. Her career was a success, and she was granted early admission to New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. She began working as a songwriter there and wrote songs for artists including Britney Spears, the New Kids on the Block, and Fergie. In early 2012, she signed a record deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing, but the couple split.
