Lady Gaga gave a raw performance at the 95th Academy Awards on Sunday night.
The Poker Face hitmaker, 36, stripped off the stunning makeup she donned earlier on the Oscars red carpet and went for a bare-faced look. She also changed from her glamorous black Versace gown into a simple black t-shirt and ripped jeans.
The signer gave an emotional rendition of her Oscar-nominated song Hold My Hand from the Top Gun: Maverick soundtrack.
Before flexing her vocals the star gave a short introduction, telling the audience of the song: ‘It’s deeply personal for me and I think that we all need each other, we need a lot of love to walk through this life.’
‘And we all need a hero sometimes, there’s heroes all around us. In unassuming places, but you might find that you can be your own hero, even if you feel broken inside,’ she poignantly added.
Gaga – who was earlier seen helping a photographer after he tripped and fell on the red carpet – was joined by a band on a dimly lit stage, as she passionately sang with her eyes closed.
Her hair was plaited into a simple braid for the mesmerizing performance of the hit, which is nominated for Original Song.
‘Hold my hand, everything will be okay/ I heard from the heavens that clouds have been grey/ Pull me close, wrap me in your aching arms/ I see that you’re hurtin’, why’d you take so long/ To tell me you need me?’ the star crooned.
‘So cry tonight/ But don’t you let go of my hand/ You can cry every last tear/ I won’t leave ’til I understand/ Promise me, just hold my hand.’
She received plenty of applause at the end of the performance, and appeared touched by the reaction.
Earlier in the evening Gaga stunned on the Oscars champagne-colored red carpet as she arrived in a risque sheer black Versace gown with a bralette top and low-slung skirt – revealing her bare derriere.
Gaga’s black long-sleeved gown revealed her underwear free form – with her bare derriere on full display in the see-through number.
The sheer number also revealed her midriff and her arms; the dress had a pointed bralette and low-slung skirt with a belt detail.
Lady Gaga, born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, added a diamond choker, bracelet, rings and earrings with smokey black eye makeup and a bright orange-red lip.
Gaga wasn’t initially expected to attend the ceremony, as show producer Glenn Weiss said that she had a scheduling conflict with filming the Joker sequel Folie à Deux.
However on Sunday, Variety reported she would indeed attend and perform at the event.
Lady Gaga won an Oscar in 2019 for Best Original Song for the track Shallow from A Star Is Born, going viral for her emotion-packed performance with her costar in the film, Bradley Cooper.
She also performed Til It Happens to You at the show in 2016 from The Hunting Ground; and in 2022, was at Liza Minelli’s side onstage during the presentation of the award for Best Picture.
Upon her most recent nomination being announced, she said on social media in January, ‘Thank you so much to the Academy for nominating my song Hold My Hand for an Oscar this year!’
She added, ‘Writing this song for the film Top Gun: Maverick was a deep and powerful experience that I will never forget. So grateful for the magic of music and cinema.’
She wrapped up in saying, ‘Love you my co-writer @bloodpop I’m on set filming now big love to little monsters!’
Top Gun: Maverick has been nominated for six Oscars including Best Picture, in a sign that Hollywood is finally listening to audiences and honoring box office hits instead of arthouse favorites.
The movie starring Tom Cruise is nominated for Best Picture along with Elvis, Avatar: The Way of Water, All Quiet On The Western Front and The Fabelmans.
While Cruise missed out on a nomination for Best Actor, the nomination for Best Picture could bring him his first Academy Award.
SOURCE: dailymail.co.uk
