"Lady Gaga Applause" - Interview with Annie Zaleski

​Enrico Esposito
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​1) The first question concerns the birth of this book. When did you start to work on it?

I started working on this in spring 2021. Books always take longer than you think, so I ended up finishing it later that year, when you take editing into account.
 
2) Could you tell me which was your first impression of Lady Gaga regarding her career and image?

I first encountered Lady Gaga very early on, around the time of “Just Dance.” I liked the song—but I really fell in love with her when I saw her live in 2010, in a (very sold-out!) theater. Her stage setup was dazzling; her songs filled me with great energy and joy; and she was like nothing I had ever seen before. I’ve considered myself a major fan since then!
 
3) Have you ever been particularly stricken by some passage of her personal and musical life?

I have—I think the songs she wrote on Joanne especially, because they drew on her family and history and kept the memory of her late aunt Joanne Stefani alive. I was very moved by how deep and thoughtful her songwriting was on the album. Related to that, the scenes in the documentary ‘Gaga: Five Foot Two’ where she was talking to her grandmother were so beautiful. They really showed how much family means to her.
 

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​4) “Lady Gaga – Applause” is full of hidden anecdotes about the artist. Could you just give a little spoiler about this?

Yes! I did a lot of research into her life for the book—digging into her early shows, what she was like growing up, and what she went through to become Lady Gaga. I think one of my favorite anecdotes is how as a very young child she wrote her first song called “Dollar Bills”—inspired in part by the cash register sounds you hear on Pink Floyd’s “Money”—and she wrote out the song on Mickey Mouse-themed staff paper. She was destined for stardom!
 
5) According to you, which is the greatest way of approaching Lady Gaga’s art?

A great question! There’s no wrong way to approach her art—but I do suggest watching videos of her live show to get a sense of her fashion and the care she takes in presentation, and then start by listening to the albums ‘Chromatica’ and ‘Born this Way,’ my two favorites!