Do we like Lady Gaga?
Our score: 8 out of 10. She has spoken up for trans people and migrants and given money in a crisis, with one old collaboration she apologised for and a settled wage suit.
The biggest recent moment came in Tokyo in January, when Gaga paused a Mayhem Ball show to speak about US immigration raids. She said her heart was aching for people “mercilessly targeted by ICE” and called for a return to safety, peace and accountability. Online reaction was split. Some anonymous users called her a loser, while fans praised her for speaking up.
On the harm check, she comes out well. In 2023, in her Las Vegas residency, she told the crowd she had something to say about trans rights, then played Born This Way as a stripped-back ballad for trans people. She also confirmed her endorsement of Kamala Harris the night before the final Harris rally in Philadelphia in 2024, where she was due to perform. That is her own words and acts, and none of it is the grievance-and-conspiracy slide we watch for.
A word on a smaller storm. In March, IBTimes reported a Daily Star claim that messages on screens at Mayhem Ball shows took digs at Madonna and Katy Perry. That is tabloid territory: it is unconfirmed, there is no statement from Gaga or her team, and nobody says who put the messages up. We wouldn't hang anything on it.
The one real stain is R. Kelly. In January 2019, after allegations against him were widely reported, Gaga said they were “absolutely horrifying and indefensible”. She said she believed the women who accused him, would pull their 2013 duet from iTunes and streaming, and would not work with him again. She apologised for her poor judgment and for not speaking up sooner. Owning it that fast counts for something.
On the court side, it is thin and mostly small. A former personal assistant sued in 2013 alleging unpaid overtime and sought $350,000 in back pay. The case settled just before trial, on undisclosed terms. More recently, a surfboard company sued her over the Mayhem name, and a judge dismissed that suit with prejudice in August 2026. The company's lawyer says it will appeal.
The good stuff is real. After superstorm Sandy in 2012 she pledged $1 million to the American Red Cross. The Born This Way name on her foundation, and the Vegas trans tribute, show an artist who has put her fame behind other people for years. We couldn't find reporting of a campaign against any group, or of her pushing anti-vax or climate-denial claims.