the art of gagaism

"Some people didn't get it. Some people still don't get it. I read reviews sometimes and I'm like, 'Wow, that guy really doesn't fucking like me.' Like, they really don't get it, but that's cool. You've got to create some kind of stir. You've got to say something that's got to upset some people, and that's the risk-taking that makes music so fun. The real struggle is that they didn't want to play my music on the radio. We fought and we fought and I played every club. I had chicken dinner with every program director I could get my hands on. The turning point for me was the gay community. I've got so many gay fans and they're so loyal to me and they really lifted me up. They'll always stand by me and I'll always stand by them. It's not an easy thing to create a fanbase. … Being invited to play [the San Francisco Pride rally], that was a real turning point for me as an artist."

- The Lady tells MTV News about last year, 2008, before the world's current GaGa obsession