Lady Gaga may be an internationally famous pop singer and actress, an Oscar winner and Vogue cover star, but she knows more about scrappy beginnings than anyone. Born and raised in New York City, the 38-year-old star has been performing on both stage and screen since she was a teenager. Not all of her early roles and musical gigs were necessarily glamorous, but now that she’s conquered both Hollywood and the music industry, they’re a delight to revisit.
Below, find our roundup of Lady Gaga’s best early and pre-Gaga-moniker performances:
Year unknown: Featured role in an anti-sexual harassment video
Gaga has spoken out against sexism, misogyny, and rape culture throughout her career, but this blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance in the kind of anti-harassment video that is often used to teach high school students about consent proves her values truly go way back. (To spot a young Gaga fending off the unwelcome advances of a creepy guy, head to 0:40.)