Lady Gaga is a Woman of the Year because... “When you interact with her, you become very aware of your life, your possibilities. You walk away thinking, OK, let’s do it.”
—Jeff Koons, artist
She’s a singer. No, she’s a performance artist. No, an activist. Actually, she’s an icon. But whoever Lady Gaga is on any given day—creator of dance-your-ass-off albums like her latest, Artpop; audacious wearer of parade-float-proportioned gowns; leader of the Born This Way Foundation, which works to end bullying; daughter, sister, and former Catholic-school girl known as Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta—whoever she is, she’s always fascinating.
She’s also phenomenally successful: five Grammy Awards, 23 million albums sold, more than 40 million Twitter followers, 47 million wigs worn (we’re guessing). In between cranking out genre-bending albums and making the world a better place for the fans known as Little Monsters, Gaga, 27, has been named Forbes magazine’s “most powerful musician” and was crowned MTV News’ Woman of the Year—twice. She also finds time to be godmother to the two children of Elton John, who calls her “a loving and talented girl and great role model.” Artist Jeff Koons agrees. “She’s a leader; we need her,” he says simply. “Pop culture needs her.”
But accolades aside, under all the costumes and makeup lies an enormous conscience. Yes, Gaga aims to outrage, but she is also outraged by how challenging a place the world has become for anyone who grows up feeling different: A staggering one in four kids in the U.S. has been the victim of bullying. In 2011 Gaga joined forces with Harvard University to launch the Born This Way Foundation, an initiative and online community focusing on building young people’s self-confidence by sharing experiences. This year she gave her movement a grassroots edge—and a sleek, rainbow-colored tour bus. “The Born Brave Bus is like a traveling youth shelter,” Gaga explains. “Every day people can go to the bus and meet each other and speak to the counselor and learn about organizations within their community. It’s all about being involved and being a proponent of kindness—and bravery.”
Everything Gaga does is for her fans, “no matter what happens,” she says. So Glamour found the perfect (grown-up) fan to talk to her: Bravo talk show host and exec Andy Cohen. He gets our Woman of the Year’s story, right here.
ANDY COHEN: Where do you get your confidence? Because I think that’s something all the Women of the Year have in common.
LADY GAGA: It depends on what it is we’re talking about. I’m really confident about my music because I love it.
AC: But you’re confident in your presentation. You’ve been wearing that shell bikini and a teeny little miniskirt lately.
LG: Yeah. I’m confident in who I am. I’ve come to a place in my life where I’ve accepted things that are me, as opposed to feeling pressure to explain myself to people around me. That’s just the way I’ve always tried to be. It didn’t change when I became a star.
AC: But do you consider yourself to be beautiful?
LG: Not conventionally beautiful. If there was some sort of mathematical equation for beauty, I don’t know if I would be the algorithm. I’ve always been OK with that. I’m not a supermodel. That’s not what I do. What I do is music. I want my fans to feel the way I do, to know what they have to offer is just as important, more important, than what’s happening on the outside.
AC: I think that’s interesting. Because every time I see a shot of you stripped down without makeup or a costume, I’m struck by your physical beauty. Your layering of costumes—is that because of insecurity? Are you afraid of what’s under all those layers?
LG: I would say that I am. Maybe it’s from the things I experienced in my past, you know? Being beautiful is not so fun when you’re in a business with all men.
AC: Right.
LG: Because it can actually get in the way. So in some ways, the outfits—these creations are because I don’t want to face the reality of what people want from a female pop star. Everybody always laughs because I feel so much more comfortable with, like, a giant paper bag on my whole body and paint on my face. Sometimes I try really hard to take it all off. But inevitably what’s underneath is still not a straight edge. And I don’t think it ever will be.
AC: You have battled eating disorders since you were 15.
LG: Yeah.
AC: But you have no problem leaving the house in a G-string. That seems to be two different things—clearly, you’re conflicted about your body image.
LG: Yes. I always have been. And some days are better than others, you know? Some days I feel fantastic.
AC: How’s today?
LG: Today’s good. At the end of the day, I’m a tortured soul. [Laughs.]
The Monster Talent: Lady Gaga