Unknown Lady Gaga stuns viewers during her first live TV performance aged 19
20 May 2025, 14:38
The 'Born This Way' star was invited to perform at the 2005 60th NYC Columbas Day Parade as a guest singer.
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Lady Gaga has sold over 170 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
The Manhattan-born star has won a staggering 14 Grammys and an Oscar and frequently appears on Forbes' Most Powerful Women list.
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But back in 2005 she was an unknown singer known by her birth name Stefani Germanotta, struggling to make it in the music industry.
19-year-old Stefani was a student at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, when she was selected to perform during NBC's live performance of the Columbas Day Parade.
At the time, Gaga was actively performing in New York clubs and events, and had started gaining attention for her songwriting and live vocal talent.
According to reports and early fan accounts, she was selected to perform at the parade as a rising Italian-American talent, which aligned with the parade’s celebration of Italian heritage.
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Taking to the parade's red carpet on Sunday October 10, 2005, the young singer - then a dark brunette - sang her own song, 'No Floods'.
The song, later featured on her 2006 EP Red and Blue, was reportedly inspired by survivors of Hurricane Katrina and her own life experiences.
During the live NBC broadcast of the parade, co-hosts introduced her as a "success story" and praised her vocal talent, noting, "She's only nineteen and what a voice".
The performance was her first televised singing appearance, showcasing her songwriting and vocal abilities before she adopted the stage name Lady Gaga.
The singer has spoken publically about the struggles she faced trying to make it in the entertainment industry.
In a 2015 interview, she said: “I had a boyfriend who told me I’d never succeed, never be nominated for a Grammy, never have a hit song, and that he hoped I’d fail. I said to him, ‘Someday, when we’re not together, you won’t be able to order a cup of coffee at the f***ing deli without hearing or seeing me.’”
Ten years after the Columbas Day Parade, Lady Gaga appeared in a 2015 interview with ABC7 alongside her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, she reflected on her Italian-American heritage.
Lady Gaga - No Floods (Live at NYC Columbus Day Parade 2005)
The discussion highlighted the importance of cultural events like the Columbus Day Parade in her upbringing and early public appearances.
"I've been spending time at the Columbus Citizens Foundation since I was 14 years old," said Gaga.
"My father was on the advisory board to help raise money for young Italian immigrants to go to grade school, middle school and college. It's a place that I remember fondly, that was all about family and community, and take of each other."
After the interview, Lady Gaga participated in the 71st Annual Columbus Citizens Foundation Gala held on October 10, 2015, at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City.
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During the black-tie event, she and her mother were honoured with the Humanitarian Award for their work with the Born This Way Foundation. The gala featured performances by Lady Gaga, Tony Bennett, and Il Volo.
Lady Gaga has gone on to become a huge advocate for mental health awareness.
She is co-founder of the Born This Way Foundation, promoting mental health and youth empowerment, and an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and assault survivors.
