Lady Gaga Goes Makeup Free for an Emotional Oscars Performance

The singer's song 'Hold My Hand' for 'Top Gun: Maverick' was nominated for an Oscar.

Lady Gaga made a surprise last-minute appearance at the 2023 Oscars to perform her nominated song "Hold My Hand."

Before launching into the anthem from Top Gun: Maverick, Gaga gave a short speech about why the song, written with her frequent collaborator BloodPop, means so much to her.

"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," she said.

"We all need a hero sometimes. There's heroes all around us, in unassuming places," she continued. "But, you might find that you can be your own hero even if you feel broken inside."

While Gaga usually goes for a huge spectacle onstage, the emotional performance focused solely on Gaga's incredible vocal chops. It proved that sometimes less is more.

The singer appeared on stage with no makeup, wearing a plain black t-shirt and dark, ripped jeans paired with Converse. It was a complete switch from Gaga's red carpet look: a partially-sheer black Versace gown.

Initially, Gaga wasn't meant to perform at the Oscars due to a scheduling conflict while filming Joker: Folie á Deux. However, the superstar was able to get some time off-set to join the 95th Academy Awards' star-studded lineup of performers.

Before her performance, Gaga had a viral moment where she helped a photographer who took a tumble on the red carpet. In a video, Gaga is seen rushing to check in on him before walking into the ceremony.

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