Five years ago, Lady Gaga did not exist. And then nineteen, Stefani Germanotta was waitressing and singing in muddied New York clubs. But she had bigger goals. "Don't ask me how or why," she sings in "The Fame," her debut album's title rails, which recalls the genesis of her career, "but I'grand gonna brand information technology happen."

Gaga broke through final year every bit a global miracle, musing on "disco sticks," channeling Madonna'south glitter-glam manner, and cribbing shock-rock performance notes from Alice Cooper. Some critics say she'due south derivative. But Gaga has done something unprecedented, melding her inspirations with au courant dance pop and Web savvy to build a business empire notable for both the speed of its creation and the diversity of its platforms.

Now 24, she reigns over a brand that spans music (10 1000000-plus albums sold), video (1 billion-plus Spider web views), design (Monster headphones, Polaroid cameras), and marketing (HP, MAC Cosmetics). "No other artist commands the kind of attention that Gaga does," says Gabe McDonough, an exec at the advertizement bureau DDB. "If she does something with your brand, it's similar bam!–a million eyeballs."

It's hard to look away: Gaga is ubiquitous, largely because she deftly exploits the Spider web. "Her persona is built for the online generation," says MAC head John Demsey, with whom she created a shade of Viva Glam lipstick that has raised $ii.two million for AIDS awareness. (It was Viva Glam's about successful launch ever.) Her cultish army of fans mimic her dance moves on YouTube, uploading fifteen,000-plus videos. They devour her musings on Twitter, where @ladygaga has iii.8 one thousand thousand followers, and Facebook, where vi.4 million people accept declared themselves fans. To keep them engaged, she gives thanks in real time, tweeting in support of a Tennessee student sent home for wearing an I ♥ Lady Gay Gay T-shirt and posting a photo of her tattoo that reads Footling Monsters, her nickname for her fans. Her outlandish mode sense seems tailor-made for online slide shows; she was the most-Googled epitome of 2009.

While other pop tarts sell tabloids and Auto-Tune their voices, the Lady cultivates her brand with nearly-military rigor. In 2008, she handpicked several friends to course a creative team that she calls Haus of Gaga. Together, they produce expect-at-me fashions–a nude, bubble-covered bodysuit, a flame-shooting metal bustier–that ascertain her concerts and her controversial videos, which drive a total 25% of the music site Vevo's traffic. "Bad Romance" alone has racked upwards some 200 1000000 plays on YouTube; it's the site's No. 1 clip of all time.

Gaga's videos obviously promote herself, simply they also tout her partners' products, such as Monster's Heartbeats headphones and HP's Envy 15 Beats Limited Edition laptop, which cameo in "Bad Romance." She features unaffiliated brands, such as Wonder Bread, using them for what she calls "a commentary on the kind of country that we are." The references "actually help her artistic statement," McDonough says. "Not having them would exist like making a movie well-nigh hockey and not having ads on the boards."

Beyond serving its queen and mammon, the Gaga empire stresses social enterprise. "When we arroyo nearly artists, it'south 'Here's what we want to practise,' and we're done," says Ron Faris of Virgin Mobile, a sponsor of Gaga'due south U.Southward. bout. But she set up atmospheric condition: The linkup had to involve her fans and her causes. So Virgin created a shrine to the Piffling Monsters (ladyvirgin.com) and gave show tickets to those who did community service, helping generate 30,000 hours nationwide.

She has also wowed in the boardroom. When Polaroid CMO Jon Pollock met her to discuss teaming upwardly, he says he expected "a conversation nearly pink boas." Instead, she offered insights about digital strategy and how to position Polaroid to achieve her generation. Impressed, Pollock gave Gaga creative control of several products. "Her pattern, her experience, her manner of thinking all work at a unlike level."

The enthusiasm was mutual. Gaga proudly posted a photo of her "artistic managing director" business organization carte–her first–and said, "I am and so excited … to, equally my begetter puts it, finally have a real task."–Dan Macsai

For some people, fame kills it and becomes more of import than the music or the performance. But for me fame is like rocket fuel. The more my fans similar what I'k doing, the more I want to give dorsum to them. And my passion is so potent I can't sleep–I haven't slept for three days.

I'm already crazy. I'1000 a fearless person. I remember it creeps up on yous. I don't retrieve information technology can exist stopped. If my destiny is to lose my mind because of fame, then that's my destiny. But my passion still ways more annihilation.

I detect on stage, I look out into the audience and there are coke cans bobbing upwards and down everywhere. I love the fact my fans have picked upwards on something I really simply did as bit of fun and a annotate on consumerism. My one tip is to make certain they are washed out properly!

m already crazy. I'm a fearless person. I think it creeps upwards on y'all. I don't call up it can be stopped. If my destiny is to lose my mind considering of fame, so that's my destiny. Just my passion still means grand