Lady Gaga Goes Makeup-Free For Her Emotional Oscars Performance

Baby, she was born this way. Lady Gaga totally changed up her Oscars look before taking the stage to sing a stripped-down version of “Hold My Hand” from “Top Gun: Maverick.” The singer went makeup-free for the performance, removing her dramatic smoky eye and red lipstick to bare her unfiltered skin. She kept her two-toned hair styled in the same simple french braid she wore on the red carpet.

Gaga took a moment to address the crowd and explain the true meaning behind the track before she began singing. “It’s deeply personal for me, and I think that we all need each other. We need a lot of love to walk through this life,” she said, sitting by a piano in dim lighting, the camera zoomed in closely on her bare skin. “We all need a hero sometimes. There’s heroes all around us in unassuming places. But you might find that you can be your own hero even if you feel broken inside.”

Earlier in the evening, Gaga walked the red carpet in a sheer Versace gown, which she later swapped for a simple black T-shirt, ripped jeans, and Converse sneakers for her performance. Gaga’s vulnerable makeup-free moment was the perfect way to keep the focus on her music, giving viewers an authentic look behind all the glitz and glamour. Read on to see how the singer kept it all natural during the ceremony.

Related: The Award For Best Oscars Beauty Looks Go To . . .