Lady Gaga Channels A Star Is Born's Ally With Stripped-Down Oscars Performance

Lady Gaga landed back on the 2023 Oscars stage March 12 to perform her nominated song "Hold My Hand" from the soundtrack to Top Gun: Maverick.

By Corinne Heller Mar 13, 2023 2:19 AMTags
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Talk about taking your breath away.

After fans wondered for weeks if Lady Gaga will sing at the 2023 Oscars, the pop star indeed landed back at the Dolby Theatre to take the stage during the March 12 ceremony. The singer gave a soaring performance of "Hold My Hand," her and BloodPop's track from Top Gun: Maverick.

Sitting on a stool on the sage, Gaga shared the story behind the song before launching into a stripped back and nearly makeup-free performance.

"It's deeply personal for me, and I think that we all need each other," Gaga shared. "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." 

For the raw performance, Gaga changed into a darker and more casual ensemble—a black tee and ripped black jeans—following her glamorous red carpet arrival in a black Versace semi-sheer gown

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The power ballad is nominated for Best Original Song, an award that Gaga won at the 2019 Oscars for the single "Shallow" from A Star Is Born, which she performed onstage at the time with co-star Bradley Cooper

Her 2023 performance again seemed to channel her Star Is Born character Ally Maine with its edgy vibes and attire.

This year, she dedicated her performance to late Top Gun director Tony Scott, who died in 2012.

In addition to "Hold My Hand," Diane Warren's "Applause" from Tell It like a Woman, "Naatu Naatu" from RRR, "This Is A Life" from Everything Everywhere All at Once and Rihanna's "Lift Me Up" from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever are also nominated for Best Original Song at the 2023 Oscars.

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

In the weeks leading up to the awards show, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences announced that the latter four singles would be performed at the ceremony, while remaining mum about whether Gaga would also take the stage.

This marks the singer's sixth appearance at the Oscars. Last year, she joined Liza Minnelli onstage to present the award for Best Picture to the producers of Coda.

Top Gun: Maverick is one of 10 films nominated in the category at the 2023 Oscars and received a total of six nods overall. Main star Tom Cruise reprises the role of naval aviator Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, a part he originated in the 1986 blockbuster Top Gun. That film won the Oscar for Best Original Song for its song "Take My Breath Away," performed by Berlin.

Keep reading to see more stars at the 2023 Oscars.

Cara Delevingne

In Elie Saab Couture with Bulgari jewelry

Angela Bassett

In Moschino

Salma Hayek

In Gucci

Mindy Kaling

In Vera Wang

Jamie Lee Curtis

In Dolce & Gabbana

Rihanna

In Alaïa with Moussaieff jewelry 

Lady Gaga

In Versace with Tiffany & Co. jewelry 

Melissa McCarthy

In Christian Siriano

Cate Blanchett

In Louis Vuitton

Elizabeth Banks

In Vivienne Westwood with Pomellato jewelry 

Rooney Mara

In Alexander McQueen with Fred Leighton jewelry 

Kate Hudson

In Louis Vuitton

Janelle Monáe

In Vera Wang with REZA jewelry

Emily Blunt

In Valentino with Chopard jewelry 

Michelle Williams

In Chanel Couture with Tiffany & Co. jewelry

Michael B. Jordan

In Louis Vuitton with Tiffany & Co. jewelry 

Andrew Garfield

In Fendi with David Yurman and OMEGA jewelry

Halle Berry

In Tamara Ralph with Pomellato jewelry 

Michelle Yeoh

In Christian Dior Couture with Moussaieff jewelry 

Ke Huy Quan

In Giorgio Armani with OMEGA and Fred Leighton jewelry 

Nicole Kidman

In Armani Privé with OMEGA jewelry

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson

In Dolce & Gabbana with Tag Heuer jewelry 

Samuel L. Jackson

Idris Elba

Sabrina Dhowre Elba

Brooks Nader

In LaQuan Smith

Jessica Chastain

In Gucci

Jessie Buckley

In Rodarte with Chopard jewelry 

Phoebe Waller-Bridge

In Dolce & Gabbana

Paul Mescal

In Gucci

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Head to E! Online's Oscars page for a full recap of the 2024 Academy Awards.