This archive report was first published on 10 August 2019.
Unconventional Upbringing for a Superstar ¶
Despite being a Grammy, Oscar, and Golden Globe winner, Lady Gaga's childhood was surprisingly normal. Born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta in 1986, she grew up in Manhattan with her parents, Cynthia and Joseph Germanotta, and younger sister Natali on the Upper West Side.
According to New York Magazine, the Germanotta family lived on a eclectic block between Columbus and Amsterdam in the West Seventies, a mix of prewar brownstones, tenements, and modern condos.
Her Mother's Influence ¶
Cynthia Germanotta, a telecommunications executive turned mental-health advocate, attended West Virginia University and received a master's degree from George Washington University in public administration. She had a long career at Verizon and is now a prominent advocate for mental health.
In 2017, Cynthia and Lady Gaga launched the Born This Way Foundation, which partners with the Harvard Berkman Center for Internet and Society, the MacArthur Foundation, and the California Endowment to Empower Youth.
Her Father's Entrepreneurial Spirit ¶
Joseph Germanotta, an Internet entrepreneur, is the president of Guest WiFi, one of the world's largest providers of WiFi to hotels and hospitality establishments. He attended Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State University.
His sister Joanne, the namesake for Lady Gaga's middle name, passed away from lupus in 1974.
Early Life and Education ¶
Lady Gaga attended Sacred Heart prep school, where she was one of the only girls with a job, working at a UWS diner. She told New York Magazine that her parents tried to keep her grounded, saying, 'My mom and dad were not buying me a $600 purse.'
Her mother signed her up for piano lessons when she was 4 years old, and she learned to play by ear at home. Cynthia Germanotta recalled, 'She said that she heard the music in her head. She didn’t understand why she had to take a lesson.'
Family Business ¶
The Germanottas are restaurateurs, too. In 2012, they opened Joanne Trattoria near Lincoln Center, a low-key Italian spot run by cookbook author Art Smith.
When Lady Gaga first launched her performing persona, her parents had some questions. Her mother told Oprah, 'Some people left when that happened, a lot of people stayed and thought it was cool. Her father and I were like—honestly, he said, 'I think she has a screw loose.'
