Look up the word "bold" in the dictionary and you'll see a picture of Lady Gaga next to it. She embodies the word fully, from her outfits all the way to her core. She boldly boasts our Woman Crush Wednesday crown.

Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, better known as Lady Gaga, was born on March 28, 1986 in New York City to an Italian and French household. She started playing piano at the age of four. By the time she was thirteen, she was writing her own ballads and performing at open mic nights when she was fourteen. Gaga also performed lead roles in her high school theater productions.

Jason Merritt, Getty Images
Jason Merritt, Getty Images
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At the age of 17, Gaga earned early admittance to New York University's Tisch School of the Arts as a part of the Collaborative Arts Project 21 program. While in school, she landed a role on MTV's prank reality television show "Boiling Points." She withdrew from the arts program when she was 19 to focus on her music career.

Her father made her a deal that he would support her for one year, but if she didn't make it in the music business, she had to re-enroll at Tisch. Gaga started a band called Stefani Germanotta Band with some friends. The band played covers and some originals, catching the eye of Joe Vulpis, a music producer. With Vulpis, the band played all over the city. Gaga then met producer Rob Fusari who took her under his wing, thus breaking up the band.

Fusari wanted to call Germonatta "Radio Ga Ga", but when he text her the name, the phone auto-corrected to "Lady Gaga." From then on, Germonatta never wanted to be called Stefani again. Soon after, the pair caught the attention of Def Jam Recordings. The label, with head Antonio "L.A." Reid, took a chance on her provocative electropop sound and signed her in 2006.

The goal was to put out an album in nine months however, she was quickly dropped from the label. She began collaborating with Lady Starlight and the pair was invited to Lollapalooza in 2007. Fusari pushed her music again and she signed with Streamline Records, a part of Interscope. Gaga began writing songs for Britney Spears, New Kids on the Block, Fergie and The Pussycat Dolls. It was fellow labelmate, Akon, who recognized her vocal talent.

In 2008 Gaga released The Fame with songs like "Just Dance", Poker Face", and "Paparazzi." The following year she put out an EP titled The Fame Monster. This album featured the darker side of her business with tracks like "Bad Romance" and "Alejandro." In 2010 she released a remix album of her songs, The Remix.

Born This Way, Gaga's second studio album was released in 2011 with metal, rock 'n' roll and pop vibes. The album featured the songs "Born This Way", "Judas", "The Edge of Glory", "You and I", and "Marry the Night." In 2013, Gaga put out her third album, Artpop with tracks like "Applause", "Do What U Want", and "G.U.Y."

Mark Windle, Getty Images
Mark Windle, Getty Images
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What's next?

Gaga is set to perform the first ever concert in space. It's all a part of Zero G Colony, a three-day music festival. She will travel on the world's first commercial spaceport, Spaceport America, from New Mexico. The show will feature entertainment and cutting-edge technology with Gaga as the grand finale.

Personal Life

Gaga is currently in a relationship with actor/model Taylor Kinney. You may have seen him on the show "Chicago Fire." The two have been together since 2011 when they met on the set of her music video for "You and I."

She dated her former business partner and producer, Rob Fusari. The pair dated from 2006-07. Fusari ended up suing Gaga for $30.5 million on the claim that she ditched him while she rose to fame.

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