By Cara Alwill
2006 wasn't all that long ago on an evolutionary scale, but for Lady Gaga, the past three years have transformed her into both an international pop sensation and a head-turning fashion spectacle.
But after coming across this video of Gaga performing live as the Stefani Germanotta Band (named after herself) at the Bitter End in New York City back in '06, it is evident that she wasn't always the wild child we have come to know and love. Sure, she wore crazy outfits from time to time and often boasts about her live stage performances that rocked the Lower East Side before she was signed at the age of 19, but based on this clip, she's more reminiscent of Alanis Morissette than idols David Bowie and Donatella Versace.
As she proved during her performance of "Paparazzi" at the MTV Video Music Awards (and as this clip demonstrates), there's a lot of soul in Gaga's voice that is buried beneath the layers of technology and studio trickery on her album. It raises an interesting debate: Would Lady Gaga be so popular if she still looked like her former self? Probably not. After all, her over-the-top look makes up a big part of her draw. There's something about those shocking costumes, eccentric makeup and platinum locks that has absolutely captivated the public since her debut album The Fame dropped. But should she ever want to go back to being a brunette, she can feel comfortable that she's got the chops to back up a career without all the space-fashion hocus pocus.