Applause: 3 of Lady Gaga’s Most Unexpected Career Moves

Lady Gaga is one of the most versatile artists in recent memory. Few of her peers could hold a candle to her unabashed artistry. Charting a course through Gaga’s career trajectory is a fickle task. There are many off-shoots that come as off-the-wall, but welcomed treats. Below, find our three favorite of Lady Gaga’s unexpected career moves.

Videos by American Songwriter

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Joanne

First up on our list unexpected Lady Gaga career moves, we have her turn towards country: Joanne. Though this album has some of her traditional sound imbued throughout, Joanne is markedly softer than most of her albums. From acoustic ballads to songs about the ultimate cowboy, John Wayne, this album was a massive step in a new direction for Gaga.

Take my hand, stay Joanne
Heaven’s not ready for you
Every part of my aching heart
Needs you more than the angels do

Girl
Where do you think you’re goin’?
Where do you think you’re goin’
Goin’, girl?

Collaborations with Tony Bennett

Next up on our list of Lady Gaga career moves, we have something in a similar vein. Gaga switched up her sound massively through her collaborations with Tony Bennett. Leaning on a jazz influenced sound, Gaga became a golden age vocalist. This version of Gaga would’ve found a comfortable home amongst Bennett’s generation. On top of their musical collaborations being stellar, their unique relationship was always a comforting thought while Bennett was alive. Revisit their rendition of “Cheek to Cheek,” below.

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Heaven, I’m in heaven
And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak
And I seem to find the happiness I seek
When we’re out together dancing cheek to cheek

Yes, heaven, I’m in heaven
And the cares that hung around me through the week
Seem to vanish like a gambler’s lucky streak
When we’re out together dancing cheek to cheek

A Star is Born

After conquering the music scene, Gaga decided to take over the silver screen. Gaga shined in this 2018 remake of A Star is Born. While everyone knew she would be vocally impressive, her acting skills didn’t disappoint either–and this wasn’t an easy role to play. The story of A Star is Born is emotionally heavy. Certainly not the kind of thing someone would expect a green actor to tackle. However, Gaga did so superbly in this unexpected career move.

That Arizona sky burnin’ in your eyes
You look at me and, babe, I wanna catch on fire
It’s buried in my soul like California gold
You found the light in me that I couldn’t find

(Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)