You know that feeling when you're watching an awards show and it's mostly just people in expensive clothes reading teleprompters, and then suddenly, someone actually does something? That’s basically the Lady Gaga effect. Whenever lady gaga performing at the oscars is on the schedule, the vibe in the room shifts. It’s not just a pop star doing a hit song; it’s a whole event.
Honestly, she’s become the Academy’s unofficial MVP. Whether she’s wearing a meat dress (okay, that was the VMAs, but you get the point) or stripped down to a Hanes t-shirt and ripped jeans, she knows how to command that stage. Looking back at her history with the Oscars, it's wild to see how much she's evolved.
The Performance That Changed Everything: 2015’s Sound of Music Medley
Nobody saw this coming. Seriously. In 2015, the world still mostly saw Gaga as the "Poker Face" singer who loved conceptual art and avant-garde fashion. Then she stepped out in this massive white gown to celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Sound of Music.
It was a huge gamble.
Tackling Julie Andrews is basically the musical equivalent of trying to out-paint Da Vinci. But she didn't just hit the notes; she lived in them. The medley—"The Sound of Music," "My Favorite Things," "Edelweiss," and "Climb Ev’ry Mountain"—was flawless. When Julie Andrews herself walked out and hugged her afterward? That was the moment Gaga was officially "vetted" by the Hollywood old guard.
🔗 Read more: Donnalou Stevens Older Ladies: Why This Viral Anthem Still Hits Different
The Raw Intensity of 2023: No Makeup, Just Vocals
Fast forward to the 95th Academy Awards in 2023. This one was almost a "no-show." Word on the street was she couldn't make it because she was too busy filming Joker: Folie à Deux. Then, at the very last minute, she confirmed.
But here’s the kicker: she didn't do the "Oscar thing."
Most people expected a high-flying, Top Gun: Maverick spectacle for "Hold My Hand." Instead, she took off the Versace gown, scrubbed off the heavy red lipstick, and walked out in a black t-shirt. She sat on a stool and just... sang.
It was sorta jarring if you were expecting a glitzy production. But it was also deeply personal. Before starting, she talked about how we all need heroes and how sometimes we have to be our own hero even when we feel broken inside. It wasn't about the spectacle; it was about the song’s soul. Critics were a bit split—some called it "underwhelming"—but for most of us, it felt like seeing the actual person behind the persona.
💡 You might also like: Donna Summer Endless Summer Greatest Hits: What Most People Get Wrong
Shallow and the 2019 Chemistry Lesson
We have to talk about "Shallow." You can't mention lady gaga performing at the oscars without talking about the 2019 ceremony.
That performance with Bradley Cooper was so intimate it felt like we were all intruding on a private moment. They walked up from their seats—no introduction, no "please welcome"—and sat at that copper piano. The way they looked at each other? People were convinced they were actually in love. Gaga later told Elle that was exactly the point. They worked on it for days to make it look that way. They wanted the audience to feel the love from the movie.
It worked. She walked away with the Best Original Song trophy that night, proving that she wasn't just a guest at the party—she was the guest of honor.
The Cultural Weight of 2016
Then there's the 2016 performance of "Til It Happens to You." This wasn't about entertainment. It was about advocacy. Introduced by then-Vice President Joe Biden, Gaga performed at a white piano while 50 survivors of sexual assault stood on stage with her.
📖 Related: Do You Believe in Love: The Song That Almost Ended Huey Lewis and the News
Seeing the words "Not Your Fault" written on their arms while Gaga poured her heart into the keys was heavy. It’s rare for the Oscars to feel that urgent and real. She didn't win the award that night—Sam Smith did—but nobody remembers who won. They remember the 50 people standing on that stage.
What Gaga’s Oscar History Teaches Us
If you're an aspiring performer or just a fan, there are a few things to take away from how she handles these massive stages:
- Versatility is your best friend. One year she's Maria von Trapp, the next she's a rock star in a t-shirt. Don't let people box you in.
- Authenticity beats production. The 2023 performance showed that if the vocal is there, you don't need the bells and whistles.
- Preparation is invisible. Even the "impromptu" chemistry of 2019 was meticulously rehearsed.
What’s next? Well, with her new album Mayhem having dropped in 2025 and her continued presence in film, it’s a safe bet we haven't seen the last of her on that stage. Every time she's announced, we expect the unexpected.
To keep up with her next move, the best thing you can do is watch her live vocals from the 2025 Grammys or check out her latest work on streaming platforms. Seeing the transition from "Die With A Smile" to her solo work gives a pretty good hint at the direction she’s heading for her next big awards night.