For over four decades, Madonna has held court as the Queen of Pop — a fierce, fearless innovator who’s challenged social norms and reshaped the boundaries of music, fashion, and feminism. So when a young, eccentric performer named Lady Gaga exploded onto the scene in 2008 with outrageous outfits and defiant pop anthems, many saw her not just as Madonna’s spiritual successor, but as the next chapter in pop royalty. Madonna seemed to agree — at least at first.
What began as mutual admiration and industry camaraderie took a dramatic turn, however, on one of music’s biggest nights. The night Lady Gaga accepted her first Grammy Award — and thanked Whitney Houston instead of the woman who paved the way for her. It was a moment that marked a subtle but significant shift — not just in Gaga’s career, but in her relationship with the very icon who had once welcomed her into the fold.
A Queen Welcomes the Next Generation
In the late 2000s, Lady Gaga’s rise was nothing short of meteoric. With hits like “Just Dance,” “Poker Face,” and “Paparazzi,” she quickly carved out a space in the crowded pop landscape. Her bold visuals, provocative messages, and theatrical performances drew immediate comparisons to Madonna, whose own rise in the 1980s had similarly challenged mainstream expectations.
Rather than push back against the comparisons, Madonna initially embraced them. In interviews, she expressed admiration for Gaga’s creativity, stating in a 2009 Rolling Stone piece, “I see myself in her.” For fans, this seemed to be a rare and powerful moment: the most influential woman in pop publicly blessing a newcomer who dared to challenge the rules as she had once done.
At industry events and award shows, the two were cordial — even affectionate. Behind the scenes, there were reports that Madonna admired Gaga’s songwriting and business acumen. She saw her as bold, uncompromising, and smart — qualities Madonna herself had been both praised and vilified for her entire career.
But as Gaga’s star rose higher, and the press began to crown her as the “new Madonna,” the cracks started to show.
The “Born This Way” Controversy
In 2011, Lady Gaga released “Born This Way,” a song she described as her ultimate statement of self-love and acceptance — particularly for the LGBTQ+ community. The song was instantly hailed as an anthem. But the celebration was interrupted by a brewing controversy: many listeners noted that “Born This Way” bore a striking resemblance to Madonna’s 1989 hit “Express Yourself.”
The debate ignited a firestorm across media platforms. Was it an homage? A rip-off? Just a coincidence?
Madonna didn’t immediately weigh in, but when she did, her words were sharp. In a 2012 interview, she called the song “reductive” — a single word that said volumes. She also began performing mash-ups of “Express Yourself” and “Born This Way” on tour, ending with her own song “She’s Not Me” — a clear dig.
The moment marked the beginning of a public unraveling. For Madonna, who had supported Gaga early on, the lack of direct acknowledgment stung. For Gaga, the criticism from her childhood idol felt personal and painful. But things were about to get even more complicated.
The Grammy Night That Changed Everything
Lady Gaga’s career continued its upward trajectory. In 2011, she won the Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album for The Fame Monster, beating out industry heavyweights. Onstage, a visibly emotional Gaga accepted the award and gave thanks — but not to Madonna, or to any artist she’d previously been compared to. Instead, she tearfully dedicated the moment to Whitney Houston.
“I wanted to thank Whitney, because when I wrote ‘Born This Way,’ I imagined her singing it,” Gaga said. “I wasn’t secure enough in myself to imagine I was a superstar, so I let Whitney sing it in my head.”
The crowd applauded the tribute to Houston — a legend in her own right and a voice unmatched in emotional power — but Madonna’s name was conspicuously absent. For many watching, especially those who had followed the tension between the two stars, the omission felt deliberate.
Why Whitney? Why not Madonna — the artist who had championed boldness and self-expression long before Gaga ever put on a meat dress?
Some speculated that Gaga was intentionally distancing herself from Madonna’s legacy in light of the plagiarism accusations. Others believed she genuinely felt more vocally inspired by Houston. But whatever her reasoning, the gesture marked a definitive shift.
And for Madonna, it reportedly felt like a betrayal.
The Fallout: Shade and Silence
Following the Grammys, the Madonna-Gaga relationship continued to deteriorate — sometimes subtly, sometimes in full public view.
Madonna’s “MDNA” tour in 2012 featured the now-infamous mash-up that seemed to frame Gaga as an imitator. In interviews, she occasionally offered backhanded compliments. Gaga, meanwhile, remained largely silent on the feud — though she occasionally hinted at her frustration in interviews, once saying, “There’s no truth to the idea that I ever stole anything from anyone.”
Still, the tension lingered.
In 2016, Gaga appeared on Beats 1 Radio and finally addressed the comparisons head-on: “Madonna and I are very different. I wouldn’t make that comparison at all. I play a lot of instruments. I write all my own music. I spend hours a day in the studio. I’m a producer. I’m a writer.”
The implication? Gaga felt Madonna was a performer, but not a musician in the same way she saw herself.
It was another subtle fracture in what had once seemed like a powerful alliance.
Did a Grammy Speech Really End It All?
To some, it may seem trivial — a Grammy speech that simply left out a name. But in the world of pop culture, where symbolism and public perception mean everything, small gestures often carry enormous weight.
For Madonna, who had faced decades of sexism and scrutiny to pave the road for artists like Gaga, the Grammy speech may have felt like a dismissal — not just of her influence, but of her legacy. For Gaga, it may have been an effort to define herself on her own terms — to step out from under a shadow she never asked to be compared to.
It’s a dynamic that echoes throughout the entertainment industry: the tension between paving the way and stepping out of the way.
A Complicated Legacy
Today, both artists remain icons in their own right. Madonna, still touring and pushing boundaries at 60+, and Gaga, an Oscar winner and global megastar, have each evolved into cultural institutions. In 2019, they were finally photographed together at the Oscars, smiling — perhaps signaling peace. But the complex history between them remains a fascinating chapter in pop history.
The Grammy speech didn’t destroy their relationship — but it did redefine it. It reminded the world that admiration, influence, and inspiration are rarely straightforward, especially among titans who’ve each fought their own battles to sit atop the throne.
In the end, it wasn’t just about who was thanked.
It was about who was remembered.
