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In 2016, Lady Gaga kicked off the Super Bowl by belting the country's national anthem with a performance that left audiences wanting more. This year, the pop icon will headline the highly-anticipated Super Bowl halftime show, something she's been planning since she was a little girl. To mentally prepare for whatever the icon has in store for us come Sunday, take a look back on some of Gaga's best live performances:
1) "Paparazzi," 2009 MTV Video Music Awards
In 2009, Gaga was still a relatively new artist who had gained instant fame after the release of singles like "Just Dance" and "Poker Face" from her debut album The Fame. These singles, which were known for their catchy dance melodies, were much different from the singer's fifth single off The Fame, "Paparazzi." At the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, the singer performed the coy song about a self-obsessed singer's love-hate relationship with fame and whether or not she wants real love or paparazzi love, and introduced the world to the darker, edgier side she would soon become known for.
2) "Speechless," 2009 Royal Variety Performance
Not every artist can say they've performed for the Queen, but in 2009, at the height of her newly-acquired fame, Gaga was invited to England to sing at the Royal Variety Performance before Queen Elizabeth II. Gaga performed the '70s-inspired rock ballad "Speechless," from her 2009 album The Fame Monster. For the performance, Gaga dressed in a long red gown with an Elizabethan ruff and sung from a grand piano suspended 20 feet above the stage and the orchestra.
3) "Born This Way," 2011 Grammy Awards
After two years, Lady Gaga released her third album, Born This Way, and performed the title track at the 2011 Grammy Awards. The artist gave an eye-popping performance filled with creative visual design, bold dance moves and her powerful voice, arriving onstage in an unforgettable egg-shaped container.
4) "You and I," 2011 MTV Video Music Awards
Born This Way was an album packed with chart topping singles such as "Marry The Night," "Judas," "The Edge Of Glory" and "You and I." Gaga opened the 2011 Video Music Awards by performing "You and I" in drag as her alter ego Jo Calderone, emerging onstage wearing a black suit and T-shirt with slicked-back hair and holding a lit cigarette. Calderone wails about his tortured relationship with Gaga in a three-minute monologue, then breaks into song on the piano, later accompanied by by Queen guitarist Brian May.
5) "Applause," 2013 MTV Video Music Awards
In 2013, Gaga took the single from her album Artpop to the MTV Video Music Awards stage. The performance was one of Gaga's most visually exciting, with the singer changing wigs and costumes throughout the set and constantly surprising and shocking the audience—all for the final applause.
6) "The Sound of Music" Medley, 2015 Academy Awards
The singer, known for her spectacular performances and infectious dance tunes, showed off a different side during her 50th anniversary tribute to the beloved film The Sound of Music at the 2015 Academy Awards. Her stripped-down performance consisted of just pure vocals and one stunning ballgown, reminding critics and fans that she isn't just famous for her eclectic outfits or outlandish stunts—she's also a true talent.
7) "The Star-Spangled Banner," Super Bowl 50, 2016
Though Beyoncé, Bruno Mars, and Coldplay served as the halftime performers for Super Bowl 50, Gaga captured America's heart yet again with a stunning vocal performance before the big game. Clearly, America wasn't ready for Gaga to leave the stadium after belting the anthem, leading to the NFL asking the singer back as the headlining performance for the Super Bowl LI halftime show.
8) "Til It Happens To You," 2016 Academy Awards
Gaga returned to the Oscar stage a year later, nominated for her first Oscar for her original song "Til It Happens to You." Co-written with Diane Warren, the song is featured in the moving documentary The Hunting Ground, a film delving deep into the stories of rape on college campuses. At the end of the performance, the singer brought 50 sexual assault survivors onstage with the words "Not Your Fault" written on their arms. The emotional performance brought tears to the eyes of several stars in the audience and though Gaga did not win the award, her performance stole the show. A few days later, Gaga made headlines again as she received matching tattoos with the survivors as part of a pact she made with them.
9) "A Million Reasons," 2016 Joanne Dive Bar Tour
Gaga decided to embark on a different kind of concert tour in 2016. To promote her new album Joanne, the singer performed at three dive bars across the nation, setting the aesthetic for the down-home vibe of the Joanne album.
10) "A Million Reasons" and "A-YO," 2016 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show
Over the years, The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show has become a fashion spectacle complete with live performing artists. This year, along with The Weekend and Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga performed as part of the show's Paris debut, singing two songs from Joanne.
