Whether you’re a fan or not, almost everybody has heard of Lady Gaga, the American singer-songwriter that took the music world by storm. What was she up to before she climbed to the top of the pop music throne?
Before she was famous, Lady Gaga was always working on her music in some capacity, but also took a job as a waitress, out of what she felt was a necessity to fund her music career.
Although it was for a relatively short period of time, and her music was always at the forefront of her mind, Gaga turned to waitressing to make enough money to fuel her interests and pursue her love of music.
Was Lady Gaga From a Wealthy Background?
Long before she was ever Lady Gaga, Stefani Germanotta appears to have been from a very middle-of-the-road economical background.
Her parents were both well educated and have had long, successful careers in business.
Her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, worked for well-known telecommunications giant Verizon in some capacity, likely one that made use of her master’s degree that she obtained from George Washington University.
Joseph Germanotta, her father, forged his own path as an entrepreneur after he was finished studying business at college.
As an interesting side note on her father, if you’ve ever used hotel wifi, then you might have Joseph to thank for it since that was the primary service that his company Guest WiFi focused on providing.
Gaga’s Waitressing
Before she was dishing out fresh servings of pop music magic to her adoring fans, Gaga was doing a different kind of serving, the waitressing kind.
Although looking at the apparent financial situation of her parents suggests that it’s unlikely she was in any dire need of money, it wasn’t quite so simple.
Gaga has explained her need for the job over more than a few interviews, clarifying that despite the fact she was from a normal, reasonably affluent household, the allowance that she was receiving simply wasn’t enough to support the kind of activities that she wanted to engage in.
Gaga’s explanation offers even more insight into the specific reasoning, as she details that not only would she have needed the money anyway, but especially in the comparatively expensive New York the allowance she was receiving was impossible to get anything done with.
As a subtle little reference to her previous job, she actually appears as a waitress in the movie Sin City 2.
Even though it might not be intentional, whether it’s down to her acting skills or her previous experiences, Gaga is an absolute natural in the role.
So, Gaga turned to waitressing. A lot of celebrities and those who manage to raise themselves up the social and economic ladder look back on their past jobs with a sort of disdain, not out of disrespect for the job or the people who work them, but out of relief that they are no longer in that position.
Gaga views her stint as a waitress a little differently, with a more positive outlook, seeming to take pride in the fact that she was able to not only fund her own endeavors but also getting enjoyment out of a job well done.
She talks about in a way that shows pleased she was with how well she performed her work, comparing it to performing in a way, recounting that during her job she made an effort to dress nicely and be as entertaining as possible for the guests that she was waiting on.
Doing Something on the Side
That extra little bit of money was helping her get a side gig going, something that later turned in to her being the pop superstar we know her as today.
That side gig was playing in clubs, even at the tender age of 15.
She wasn’t just ‘playing’ either, Gaga was practicing a skill that she would turn into an art.
That skill was the eccentricity and over-the-top theatrics that came to define a large part of what made her such an interesting performer.
What does Gaga do when Gaga doesn’t have expensive pyrotechnics organized by highly qualified engineers and a team of safety officials?
She makes them herself, using hairspray and a liberal application of fire.
Even from a young age and waitressing at the same time, the big stage was always going to be Gaga’s destiny. For some, its pull is simply irresistible.