VIDEO: Lady Gaga Talks Engagement, Performs ‘Abracadabra’ and ‘Perfect Celebrity’ in Stern Show Return

A lot has happened since Stefani Germanotta last stepped foot in the Stern Show’s New York studio. Better known as Lady Gaga, the pop powerhouse has released multiple studio albums, taken home two handfuls of Grammys, headlined the Super Bowl LI halftime show, and, oh yeah, she even won an Oscar. That award — Best Original Song — was for her duet with Bradley Cooper in their critically acclaimed film “A Star Is Born.” While the 2018 remake dazzled audiences and earned four Academy Award nominations, including for Best Picture, its success was anything but a foregone conclusion when Lady Gaga signed onto the project. But as she revealed Tuesday morning, the role’s risk was a large part of its appeal.

“I like to take a shot. I like a little danger, like that feeling of ‘What’s going to happen?’ because then you can surprise yourself,” Lady Gaga told Howard.

Howard, like millions of moviegoers, was moved by Gaga’s award-winning portrayal of a struggling singer-songwriter who finds overnight fame and success. “That film captured something that can happen in music that is really a special moment,” she told him. “As a young woman, my weapon was my voice and … [I think] part of what Bradley was trying to capture was what is that moment where somebody opens their mouth and sings, and you just hopefully get that feeling that they’re headed somewhere out of this world.”

In real life, Lady Gaga’s star has only continued to rise. She just dropped her sixth solo studio album, “Mayhem,” which has been praised by critics and is well positioned to once again put her atop the charts. As she explained on Tuesday, she made a conscious effort to be in the moment while writing and recording “Mayhem.” “I started to overthink things sometimes and get nervous — I stopped doing that and I started just feeling and allowing myself to just be free,” Gaga admitted. “It’s okay to make mistakes. I mean, what does it even mean for music to be perfect?”

Her dance-pop single “Abracadabra,” co-written with recent Stern Show guest Andrew Watt among others, came together in a quick burst. “I would say within 30 minutes we had the song,” Gaga noted to Howard. “It’s not always exactly 30 minutes or 10 minutes or an hour, and sometimes I won’t find a chorus right away … [but] that was not the case with ‘Mayhem.’”

During Howard and Gaga’s lengthy sit-down, the artist also spoke openly about getting engaged, working with Bruno Mars, and much more. Check out some of the interview’s many highlights and multiple performances, including a very special rendition of “Abracadabra” (below).

Lady Gaga Performs ‘Perfect Celebrity’ Live

Is Lady Gaga Ready to Be a Mom?

Collaborating With Bruno Mars on ‘Die With a Smile’

How Lady Gaga Got Engaged to Fiancé Michael Polansky

Being Cast in ‘A Star Is Born’

Lady Gaga’s “Mayhem” is available now.