U2 and Led Zeppelin Inspired Lady Gaga Before She Became a Star
Before she became one of the most recognizable pop stars in the world, Lady Gaga was studying the artists who came before her. Long before stadium tours, elaborate stage productions, and chart-topping singles, she was simply a young musician trying to understand what it meant to perform and connect with an audience. Those early years shaped the artistic instincts that would later define her career.
Like many aspiring musicians, Gaga experimented with different styles while still in school. She played piano, studied jazz, and performed in local settings, all while absorbing music from various eras. Rather than focusing only on contemporary pop, she often gravitated toward classic rock, studying the stage presence and songwriting of legendary bands.
Two groups that left a strong impression on her were U2 and Led Zeppelin. Their music, energy, and vocal style influenced Gaga during her teenage years, and she would later recall those influences openly once her own career took off.
A High School Band With Classic Rock Roots
During high school, Gaga fronted a band called Mackin’ Pulsifer. While she was also performing in jazz band and competing in school music programs, this group allowed her to explore a different side of her musical personality. It was here that she began experimenting with rock performance.
The band regularly performed covers of classic rock songs, including material from U2. One of the tracks Gaga remembered singing was “Pride (In The Name Of Love),” a song known for Bono’s powerful vocals and emotional delivery. Performing songs like that helped her develop confidence as a frontwoman.
Years later, Gaga recalled how surreal it felt when she eventually met Bono in person. She told him that she used to sing “Pride (In The Name Of Love)” in her high school band, a moment that highlighted how deeply those early influences stayed with her long after she became famous.
Led Zeppelin’s Influence on Her Vocal Style
While U2 helped shape her stage instincts, Led Zeppelin played an important role in how Gaga thought about vocals. In a Reddit AMA in 2014, she spoke openly about her admiration for Robert Plant and the band’s music. She described Zeppelin as a major inspiration during her formative years.
Plant’s dramatic vocal delivery, wide range, and expressive phrasing fascinated her as a young singer. Gaga explained that she had a real passion for his voice and the intensity he brought to rock music. Those qualities resonated with her own desire to perform with emotional power.
She even suggested that the influence of Led Zeppelin might eventually show up in her own music. Although Gaga became known primarily as a pop artist, traces of rock energy and theatrical vocal style can still be heard throughout her catalog.
From Rock Fan to Rock Collaborator
As Gaga’s career grew, her connection to rock music didn’t disappear. Instead, she continued to embrace the genre publicly and collaborate with artists who came from that world. One of the most memorable moments came at the 2017 Grammy Awards.
At that ceremony, Gaga joined Metallica on stage to perform “Moth Into Flame.” The performance surprised many viewers but also showed how comfortable she was sharing a stage with a legendary metal band. Her high-energy performance proved she could move easily between pop and rock environments.
She has also spoken about attending concerts by bands like Iron Maiden, recalling the atmosphere of freedom and excitement she felt in the crowd. For Gaga, rock music represented a kind of communal energy that helped shape how she approached performance.
Even as she continues releasing new music—such as her album Mayhem—those early influences remain part of her story. Long before the world knew her as Lady Gaga, she was a student of music, learning from the power and passion of bands like U2 and Led Zeppelin.
Watch the Hot Ones episode with Lady Gaga below.
