Lady Gaga Revealed a Sweet Reason Why She Chose to Go Makeup-Free on Glamorous Oscar Night

Lady Gaga is synonymous with glitz and glamour. From her meat dress to her other unconventional accessory choices, she knows how to always make a splash. Her song, “Hold My Hand,” from the soundtrack of Top Gun: Maverick was nominated for Best Original Song at the 2023 Oscars. This time around, her statement was about simplicity and natural beauty, as she performed her song in the most stripped-down public appearance yet.

Initially, because of being busy filming Folie à Deux, the sequel to the Joker film, Gaga couldn’t make the award ceremony and, by default, couldn’t perform her song. 3 days before the event, she texted the producers and said that even though she didn’t have time to put together a flamboyant performance, she did want to try something. Much to the fans’ amazement, she made a last-minute surprise appearance and left audiences in awe.

For the red carpet of the 95th Academy Awards which, starting this year, changed colors to beige, the House of Gucci star went for a full glamorous makeover and chose to wear a black Versace gown. The sheer corseted dress had a low-cut skirt and featured the famous Medusa logo of the world-renowned brand.

As she took the stage to perform her Oscar-nominated song, Lady Gaga ditched the glam makeover in favor of a makeup-free face, a black shirt, and ripped jeans paired with sneakers. According to the producers of the show, Gaga did this because she “wanted it to be raw and for people to see the real Gaga.”

The song “Hold My Hand” was written by Gaga in her studio basement, together with a friend. She said, “It’s deeply personal for me. I think we all need each other. We need a lot of love to walk through this life. And we all need a hero sometimes. But you might find that you can be your own hero, even if you feel broken instead.”

Her performance was met with a standing ovation inside the Dolby Theatre; watch below.