Cynthia Germanotta and Lady Gaga in black outfits© Dimitrios Kambouris

Inside Lady Gaga and lookalike mum's close bond from childhood to fame

The Paparazzi singer is the daughter of Cynthia Germanotta

Online News Writer & Diversity and Inclusion Lead
September 28, 2024

Lady Gaga might be one of the biggest names in music with her dedicated fanbase of 'Monsters', but one of her biggest cheerleaders will always be her mother, Cynthia Germanotta.

Cynthia is a noted philanthropist and alongside her daughter, she runs the Born This Way Foundation, an NGO dedicated to making young people's lives better. Cynthia has also been incredibly supportive of her daughter's musical career, alongside the singer's father, Joseph Germanotta.

WATCH: Everything Lady Gaga has said about motherhood

Discover all you need to know about Gaga and Cynthia's special bond below…

Lady Gaga's early life

It appears that Lady Gaga was always destined to go into music after the family was given a piano by Gaga's grandmother. Cynthia revealed that the choice to accept the piano helped the singer develop her love of music and it even played in an important role in her daughter's development as a baby.

© Paul Morigi

Cynthia always encouraged Lady Gaga's musical endeavours

Cynthia told reporters in 2015: "She learned to walk by grabbing on to the leg of that piano and pulling herself up and in the process, managed to reach the keys. She heard the sound and thereafter, day after day, she would go to the piano and press those black and white keys."

The family put their daughter into music lessons after a young Gaga expressed an interest in learning, explaining she heard "music in her head".

Born This Way Foundation

One of Lady Gaga's proudest achievements was the founding of her organisation, the Born This Way Foundation. The NGO aims to support the wellness of young people and the singer founded the non-profit organisation alongside her mother.

© Paul Archuleta

Cynthia still plays a major role in the Born This Way Foundation

Cynthia still works with the company and in 2018 she addressed a UN conference on behalf of the organisation.

Speaking of her daughter's passion for the group, Cynthia told PEOPLE: "It's something that's very, very personal to us and it goes back to the struggles Stefani had growing up. She envisioned a world where young people were better equipped to deal with her struggles than she was."

Playing matchmaker

Gaga is currently engaged to Michael Polansky, and it appears that Cynthia played an integral part in setting her daughter up with the philanthropist. Speaking to Vogue, the singer said: "My mom met him and she said to me, 'I think I just met your husband'.

© Karwai Tang

Cynthia played a part in getting her daughter together with Michael

"And I said, 'I'm not ready to meet my husband!' I could never have imagined that my mom…found the most perfect person for me?"

Other ventures

In 2020, Lady Gaga and Cynthia launched another personal project, this time a book called Channel Kindness, which heard from young people from across the world. The book came about from the singer's struggles with her mental health when she was younger.

© John Lamparski

Cynthia and Gaga's joint book brought them closer together

Reflecting on this, Gaga said: "When I was younger and had mental issues, my mom didn't know how to communicate with me about it. We've found a way to channel kindness into our lives in a way that's also healed our relationship."

Cynthia added: "[I treasure] how we've learned to be more open and honest with one another. She helped me do that."

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