Originally published on Gay.com/travel

Name: Lady GaGa
Age: 22
Profession: Performer
City: Lower East Side / West Hollywood
Relationship status: Single -- I'm married to my work.
Sexuality: Bisexual

How did you get your name?
Well, I started working with producer Rob Fusari when I was 19, and he would always say that I'm very theatrical when I sing and play piano. He started calling me 'GaGa' after the Queen song 'Radio Ga Ga'. And I kept it.

How did you go from an Uptown girl to a Downtown diva?
I didn't transition into the downtown musical scene until I was 18, after high school. I never connected with that community. I really considered myself as more of an observer in high school and then when I had the opportunity to move out and experience New York City on my own, I found the community I did fit in with.

When did the gay friends enter your life?
I was a dancer for so many years, and took acting classes, so I always had a lot of gay friends. They've always been a part of my life.

What are some of the things you love most about New York?
I love the concrete, the coldness of the concrete. I love the buildings and the skyline. I love the pace of the city. It's so urgent. I love that urgency. I love the diversity of the people. I love art in New York. I love it cause it's home. You could go to a million corners, and always feel like you're discovering something new. The galleries, the museums -- and the Lower East Side, where I live, is such a quaint part of the city. I moved down there for a cheap apartment, and it turned out to be the most amazing decision, because it's in walking distance of all the venues I'm playing.

What are some of your least favorite things about New York?
It's gotten better over the years, but the homelessness and poverty on the streets is sad. I think it's so important for municipal government to focus on all people and make sure the homeless have a place to live.