Lady Gaga Calls Out Ageism While Accepting Innovator Award

At the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards, Lady Gaga received the Innovator Award and used her acceptance speech to address ageism in the music industry. The 38-year-old pop star expressed her struggle with being recognized for her career at an age deemed 'too old' for a pop artist, stating, 'Even though the world might consider a woman in her late thirties old for a pop star, which is insane, I promise that I'm just getting warmed up.' Gaga emphasized that true innovation is about authenticity and creating one's own path, honoring her grandmothers as inspirations for resilience and possibility. The speech resonated widely, prompting praise on social media for its powerful message against age-related stigma in the industry. Gaga was recognized not only for her award but also for her recent album 'Mayhem,' which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Previous recipients of the Innovator Award include notable artists like Beyoncé and Taylor Swift.