Here, Paul Lester traces Lady Gaga's rapid rise from David Bowie and Queen-loving teenager to bona fide pop culture phenomenon and first superstar of the digital era with 20 million downloads of her singles to her credit and more than four million sales worldwide of her albums: the deconstruction of celebrity that is The Fame and its enhanced version The Fame Monster. There are full accounts, too, of her original approach to performance artistry and of her outspoken views that have made her a new gay icon.