At the iHeartRadio Music Awards 2025, Lady Gaga took a stand against ageism in the music industry, denouncing the perception that a woman in her thirties is “too old” to be a pop star.
Awarded the Innovator prize at a ceremony held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on March 17, the 38-year-old singer expressed her astonishment at this restrictive view of success.
“Winning an award honoring my entire career at 38 is a difficult thing to understand,” she declared. The world might consider a woman in her thirties a pop star, which is crazy, but I promise you, I’m just getting started.”
Her words resonate in an industry where youth is often glorified, while older female artists struggle for the same recognition as their male counterparts.
Also at the ceremony, the award for World Artist of the Year went to South Africa’s Tyla, ahead of Nigeria’s Burna Boy and Tems. A victory that confirms the young star’s meteoric rise on the international music scene.