Today marks the 26th birthday of pop sensation Lady Gaga.
Born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta in New York City, she was raised on the city's affluent Upper West Side. She briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before leaving to pursue a music career.
Gaga subsequently began performing in downtown bars and was quickly signed to Streamline records in 2007. She worked primarily as a songwrite