Lady Gaga delivered a stripped-down performance of her Oscar-nominated song “Hold My Hand,” during the 2023 Academy Awards, and it got plenty of love from fans. Gaga co-wrote and recorded the tune for the Top Gun: Maverick soundtrack, and was honored with a Best Original Song nomination at this year’s Oscars. Each year, the nominated songs are performed, and for hers, Gaga chose to go makeup-free and rock ripped jeans and a t-shirt while sitting on a stool with her band around her.
The song was up against “Lift Me Up” by Rihanna, from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever; “This Is a Life” by David Byrne, from Everything Everywhere All at Once; “Applause” by Diane Warren, from Tell It Like a Woman; and “Naatu Naatu” by M. M. Keeravani and Chandrabose, from RRR, which was the ultimate winner. While Gaga may not have won her second Oscar — having previously won in the category for her song “Shallow” from A Star is Born (2018) — the iconic singer has still garnered a lot of praise from fans online. Scroll down to see the performance, as well as what Oscar-watchers had to say about it.
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“Personal Connection”
“LOVE THIS!!! Love that they kept the up-close shot framed the whole entire time to provide that personal connection,” one last fan wrote. “And I love that she brought that dive bar feel to the Oscars.”
“Outstanding Performance”
“I felt like this was a rehearsal, then realized her vocals don’t need to be all done up with a flashy hair, make up or dress to make this an outstanding performance!” a YouTuber gushed.
“Beautiful”
“This gave me very old school Stefanie Germanotta performing at a local hole in the wall vibez,” a fan commented, noting Gag’s real name. “I felt like I was right there, sitting at a table next to her as she pours out her heart in such a raw and moving way.Beautiful.”
“Super Effective and Spectacular”
“Love how she didn’t make it as huge as she could have done with a large orchestra and spectacles,” another person wrote. “The simplicity of just a small band and intimate made it super effective and spectacular as always!!!”
“The Best”
“This is crazy. She’s the best ever,” somebody else commented. “Never seen anyone perform with this much emotion, or even pretend to.”
“Once in a Generation Talent”
“Damn… The raw power and emotion she manages here, completely unassisted,” one other fan wrote. “A once in a generation talent.”
“Heart and Raw Vocals”
“She’s already proven herself as a fantastic performer with amazing visuals, makeup, performance, and glamour,” someone else offered. “So this feels full circle, to [just] see her showcase her pure vocal talent. [Just] a t-shirt, jeans, and converse shoes. Nothing else but her heart and raw vocals.”
“Naturally Talented”
“Man she’s such a great performer,” a fan commented on YouTube. “Just naturally talented no auto tune no crazy pyrotechnics just her beautiful voice!”
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NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – SEPTEMBER 12: Taylor Swift attends the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards at Prudential Center on September 12, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
