History shows us that in times of people feeling like they are in need of some sort of rebellion or protests, the artists rise because the poetry we create about pain and its relationship to culture in the world begins to soothe and heal people who are feeling confused or afraid.
It's sort of like my past is an unfinished painting, and as the artist of that painting, I must fill in all the ugly holes and make it beautiful again.
Pop music will never be low brow.
I went to see 'Phantom of the Opera' with my grandma and my mom when I was very little. The stage, the voice, the music... Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber has been a massive inspiration to me for some time - the storytelling, that deliciously somber undertone in his music.
If you know me, and you call me Stefani, you don't really know me at all.
I am an artist, and I have the ability and the free will to choose the way the world will envision me.
I am so excited to extend myself behind the scenes as a designer and to - as my father puts it - finally have a real job.
I was performing in New York and my friends started to call me Gaga, they said I was very theatrical and they said, 'You're Gaga'.
My father opened a restaurant. It's so amazing... it's so freaking delicious, but I'm telling you I gain five pounds every time I go in there.
There is something in the way that we are now, with our cell phones, and people are not looking at each other and not being in the moment with each other, that kids feel isolated.
Then, when I'm in these relationships with people who are also creative, or creative in their own way, what happens is the attraction is initially there and it's all unicorns and rainbows. And then they hate me.
When the whole world has their eyes on you, if you say something that doesn't truly come from your spirit and your soul, or if you wear something that doesn't come from your spirit and your soul, it's an injustice to your position. And so, I'm really myself every single day and I do it because I know my fans would want me to.
My new album that I'm creating, which is finished pretty much, was written with this new instinctual energy that I've developed getting to know my fans. They protect me, so now it's my destiny to protect them.
I don't want to make niche-oriented music.
Those girls were there because someone told them they were ‘beautiful,' but in high fashion, beautiful isn't enough.
To everyone who says this is wrong to feel like this say, 'I was born this way baby.
'Born this Way' is about being yourself, and loving who you are and being proud.
I don't like L.A. It's just not fun. I don't know why, but I just don't get it. You have to drive to get everywhere, and when it rains everybody freaks out.
I want the deepest, darkest, sickest parts of you that you are afraid to share with anyone because I love you that much.
When people say 'marriage' to me... It's always a means to an end. Everyone's so in a rush to define the relationship.
Where I come from it was really unheard of to be at a party and someone says, 'What kind of music do you make?', and you say, 'Pop music.' You may as well have 'I'm not cool' stamped on your forehead.
I want women -- and men -- to feel empowered by a deeper and more psychotic part of themselves. The part they're always trying desperately to hide. I want that to become something that they cherish.
This is who the fuck I am.
I don't know that you can put a label on growth. I'm just me.
I'm a little bit naked, but that's okay.
Its oke to be sad. I've been trained to love my darkness.
If you don't feel safe as a child, you can't learn.
You will never find what you are looking for in love, if you don't love yourself.
I'm very free-spirited.
I feel like if you're a really good human being, you can try to find something beautiful in every single person, no matter what.
My next baby will be my new record.
Well, that's your opinion, isn't it? And I'm not about to waste my time trying to change it.
I've been actually really very pleased to see how much awareness was raised around bullying, and how deeply it affects everyone. You know, you don't have to be the loser kid in high school to be bullied. Bullying and being picked on comes in so many different forms.
I was a strange, loud little kid who could sit at the piano and kill a Beethoven piece.
There really is no difference between the bully and the victim.
So many will try to destroy me. So many, over and over, coming in periods of greatness. But in this period, I cannot be broken: GAGAKLEIN.
Fight and push harder for what you believe in, you'd be surprised, you are much stronger than you think.
The fashion I've acquired over the years is so sacred to me - from costumes to couture, high fashion to punk wear I've collected from my secret international hot spots. I keep everything in an enormous archive in Hollywood.
I'm not a sandwich store that only sells turkey sandwiches. I sell a lot of different things.
I don't see myself in terms of artifice. I see myself as a real person who chooses to live my life in an open way - artistically.
As soon as I go out into the world, I belong, in a way, to everyone else. It's legal to follow me. It's legal to stalk me at the beach. And I can't call the police or ask them to leave.
My mother always wanted to give back.
Whether I'm wearing lots of makeup or no makeup, I'm always the same person inside.
Do not allow people to dim your shine because they are blinded. Tell them to put on some sunglasses.
When you make music or write or create, it's really your job to have mind-blowing, irresponsible, condomless sex with whatever idea it is you're writing about at the time.
In case you're wondering whether I lip synch, the answer is no... people think so because I sound so good.
It has been hard for me to find it, but I have found love.
Even if the world gives up on you, you always have yourself.
