You know exactly why you came here: You love Lady Gaga, maybe you even stan her, but for some reason, you can’t get a clear handle on all the people she’s dated since rising to fame. Gaga’s been a staple in pop music since the 2000s, and because most of her career is clad in theatrics—see: her bloody VMAs performance, her infamous meat dress, and *that* showstopping Met Gala entrance—it’s kinda been hard to pay as much attention to whom she’s seeing at any given moment.
Lucky for you, I’ve been a Little Monster for, like, a decade-and-a-half and have kept an eye on Gaga’s love interests over the years. Here’s an extensive (but not exhaustive!) list of all the folks Gaga has been linked to—including some surprises (unfortunately, Bradley Cooper is not one of them!).
Michael Polansky: December 2019–Now
Okay, so remember that mystery man Gaga was kissing at midnight way back on New Year’s Eve 2019? Naturally, we all lost our sh*t after realizing that Gaga turned into Miss Moving On literally overnight—and then she and Michael Polansky continued to see each other for, like, two years after that!!!
In addition to their NYE date, Gaga and Michael were spotted at the 2020 Super Bowl together looking hella cute. Two short days later, Gaga made their relationship Instagram official. By this point, Gaga and Michael had been dating “for over a month,” a source told E! News, adding “They’ve been seeing each other since before the holidays and she’s crazy about him.…They had already been seeing each other for weeks.”
At first, insiders thought Gaga and Michael weren’t going to last long—but after they self-isolated with each other during the pandemic, Gaga’s feelings deepened. Actually, a source told Entertainment Tonight in March 2020 that Gaga didn’t plan on falling for Michael as quickly as she did.
“She wasn’t expecting to get so involved so quickly after her last relationship, but she started telling her friends she was completely in love with him,” the source said. “Anyone that has spent any time with them can see the connection. They are completely smitten. Her friends haven’t seen her this happy in years. It didn’t take long for her friends to adore him too.”
A year into their relationship, things were going so well between Gaga and Michael that Gaga was allegedly considering putting her career on hold so they can take the next step—i.e., possible marriage and/or family planning! “She has been telling her friends that she wants to get through a few projects and then focus on settling down,” a source told Entertainment Tonight in March 2021. “Gaga wants to have children one day and sees a future with Michael.”
She actually touched on this herself during a 2020 interview with InStyle, saying, “I will say I am very excited to have kids. I look forward to being a mom. Isn’t it incredible what we can do? We can hold a human inside and grow it. Then it comes out, and it’s our job to keep it alive. It’s so funny—everyone works out of my house every day. When they come in, I always say, ‘Welcome to the Womb!'”
So, where do Gaga and Michael stand in 2023? Well, in order to answer that QQ, we’re gonna have to go back to October 22, 2022, when it was rumored that the duo had hit a “rough patch” in their relationship. Around that time, the couple had reportedly “taken some breathing space to figure out where their relationship is going,” according to one insider who spoke with InTouch. Apparently, though, “reconciliation isn’t off the table” since “they still talk;” however, “just right now, he’s focusing on his booming tech career [and] she’s heavily invested in music and her upcoming role in the Joker,” which fair!
It seems that things have been going well for the pair, as they were spotted holding hands in New York after Gaga made a cameo appearance on Saturday Night Live in October 2023:
Dan Horton: July 2019–October 2019
Ah, surely you must remember Dan Horton. Gaga and Dan were first reported to be dating in July 2019, when they were spotted kissing during a brunch date. “They were kissing as they spoke really close up.…Ironically, she had a table in the front near the sidewalk, so she was clearly okay with being seen,” a source told People at the time. “She seemed very happy when interacting with the guy she was with.”
The internet later found out that Dan was Gaga’s audio engineer and was helping her produce her sixth album. “They have been seeing each other for weeks and have been working with each other for a while,” a source told Entertainment Tonight. “They have been working on new music, have spent hours of work time together, and became really close.”
A few short months later, though, Gaga announced out of the blue that she wasn’t dating anyone! While celebrating her friend Sarah Nicole Tanno’s bachelorette party in October, Gaga posted a picture of the two of them and wrote, “An about to be married woman and me, a single lady.”
Apparently, their relationship ended because Gaga didn’t feel like Dan was grown up enough to be with her. “Dan was not mature enough for her,” a source told Us Weekly. On to the next one!
Christian Carino: February 2017–February 2019
Rumors about Gaga and Christian started swirling in January 2017 when they were spotted together at a Kings of Leon concert. Although there weren’t any pics of them together at the event, Gaga and Christian were seen at the Super Bowl that year, where Gaga was getting ready for her iconic Super Bowl LI halftime performance.
Gaga and Christian reportedly got engaged in November 2017 (but Gaga didn’t confirm that until October 2018). A month later, Gaga was seen openly rocking her stunning pink sapphire and diamond ring, which supposedly cost a whopping $400,000.
Gaga’s engagement ring.
Then the whole drama with A Star Is Born happened. Remember that huge stretch of time when everyone was convinced that Gaga and her costar Bradley Cooper were madly in love and secretly dating because of their amazing acting skills? Well…those rumors probs didn’t help their relationship, because Gaga and Christian ended their engagement before she was set to perform at the Oscars with Bradley.
Thankfully, we found out why Gaga and Christian called it quits: Christian “didn’t treat Gaga very well toward the end of their [two-year] relationship,” according to an Us Weekly source. “He was jealous. He was trying to find her all the time and texted her a lot. Her friends didn’t like him either.”
On top of that, Christian “infringed on her creative process,” which probs made Gaga very nervous because a separate source added that she “couldn’t risk jeopardizing her career in that way, over a man, and that’s not something she would stand for.”
Taylor Kinney: July 2011–July 2016
Ah, Taylor Kinney—Gaga’s longest relationship to date! Gaga and Taylor met on the set of her “Yoü and I” music video shoot, which you can watch below real quick if you’re feeling ~nostalgic~.
Taylor revealed how he and Gaga struck up their connection at the time, which is pretty classic…you know, for two people who have jobs in Hollywood. “We had a good time. I think there was chemistry,” Taylor shared on Watch What Happens Live in 2011. “I remember it was a late shoot. We were shooting until 4 or 5 in the morning or something like that. We exchanged information. A few weeks went by and we kept in touch, and then that’s that.”
The couple went strong for many years and got engaged on Valentine’s Day in 2015. Taylor popped the question to Gaga and legit gave her the flashiest heart-shaped diamond ring, which she later showed off on Instagram.
Still basking in the glow of their engagement, Gaga and Taylor hit up the Oscars shortly afterward and were beyond radiant.
I mean…LOOK AT THEM.
A little over a year later, though, Gaga and Taylor ended their engagement and broke up. “Taylor and I have always believed we are soul mates,” Gaga wrote on Instagram in July 2016. “Just like all couples, we have ups and downs, and we have been taking a break. We are both ambitious artists, hoping to work through long-distance and complicated schedules to continue the simple love we have always shared. Please root us on. We’re just like everybody else and we really love each other.”
Despite this hopeful message, Gaga and Taylor never got back together publicly.
Lüc Carl (On-and-Off): 2005–2011
Okay, I wouldn’t blame you if you’re feeling like Keke Palmer and don’t know who this man is, but Gaga had a relationship with Lüc very early on in her career! Lüc is a bar owner and nightclub promoter in New York City, and Gaga started dating him before her career took off.
This is Lüc:
Oh, and did I mention he’s an author too?
Gaga was quite fond of Lüc, apparently, because she went on the record and admitted that she “really never loved anyone like I loved him. Or like I love him” to Rolling Stone in 2009. “That relationship really shaped me,” she said. “I sort of resolved that if you can’t have the guy of your dreams, there are other ways to give love.”
As it turns out, “Yoü and I” was allegedly about Lüc…and god bless him for that because it allowed her to meet her next BF—Taylor Kinney!
Matthew “Dada” Williams: 2008
Again, you’ve probably never heard of Matthew (sorry to this man!). Gaga dated Matthew in 2008. He also served as the creative director for Haus of Gaga from 2008 to fall 2010.
This is Matthew:
Not much is known about their relationship, but Gaga did give a little insight into what being with him was like. “Dada is quite brilliant and we were crazy lovers, but I stopped it when we discovered what a strong creative connection we had,” Gaga said in an interview with Evening Standard in October 2010. “I didn’t want it just to be about careless love.”
Assistant News Editor
Sam is an assistant news editor at Cosmo, covering all things pop culture, entertainment, and celebrity news. She previously covered those same topics along with health, lifestyle, and beauty at Seventeen. When she isn’t draping her cheeks in blush, you can probably find her live-tweeting awards shows or making SwiftToks.
Assistant News Editor
Starr Bowenbank is the assistant news editor who writes about all things pertaining to news, pop culture, and entertainment—you can follow her here. Writing aside, she loves singing literally everywhere, dancing in the street, hanging out in the East Village every chance she gets, and making her dreams come true.