Lady Gaga says she used her male persona Jo Calderone to explore what she ‘was looking for in men’

Lady Gaga opens up about her male alter ego, Jo Calderone, and reveals that the persona is more than just a performance choice.

The singer explained that it was a way to explore her own desires and perspectives on masculinity.

In a recent chat with Them, Gaga shared that Jo Calderone allowed her to express sides of herself that she could not fully embody as Lady Gaga.

She said, “That was actually kind of a big moment for me as a woman to put all the pent-up fear or anger I had about relationships into one character.”

Gaga continued, “‘Yoü and I’ was actually, I think, the first video that I ever did where I played multiple me’s, and I brought that back on Mayhem. But Jo was an important character for me.”

Gaga introduced Jo Calderone in 2011, first appearing as the character in a Vogue Hommes Japan photoshoot.

The persona caught widespread attention when she took on the role of Calderone at that year’s MTV Video Music Awards, delivering a passionate monologue in character before performing “You and I”.

In the interview, Gaga shared how embodying Jo gave her a deeper understanding of gender dynamics.

She shared, “It’s the way I explored what I was looking for in men, and also what I was maybe lacking in myself.”

Though Jo Calderone hasn’t been seen in years, Gaga remains proud of the character.

Last month, she told Vanity Fair in a polygraph test that Jo was “no longer with us.”

But when asked by the Them outlet what she meant, she clarified, “The character is no longer with me. But I wish Jo all the best.”

Beyond discussing Jo, Gaga also spoke about her next project - her highly anticipated seventh studio album, Mayhem.

She described its themes as deeply personal, reflecting on the internal conflicts she has faced throughout her career.

She told the outlet, “I was always kind of fascinated with some kind of inner torture since the beginning of my career.”

“I think I’ve always felt a little bit at war with myself. Like there was a soft side of me, but then also this really intense side and a desire to be heard.”

Gaga explained that looking back on the past two decades inspired the album’s title.

She concluded, “On this album, I was taking a really long, hard look at the last 20 years. And I think it’s interesting that I ended up calling my album Mayhem.”