Lady Gaga - Lady Gaga To Count Down To 2012 With Ball Drop Honour

The Paparazzi hitmaker is already performing in the Big Apple as part of the DICk Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve show, but she has now been handpicked by the Mayor himself to join him on the podium to press the Waterford Crystal button at 11.59pm (local time) as part of the countdown to midnight.

Gaga, a New York native, follows in the footsteps of former U.S. President Bill Clinton and boxing great Muhammad Ali, who have previously been handed the big Times Square honour.

The singer will also help usher in 2012 in Japan by performing via satellite earlier on Saturday (31Dec11) as part of national broadcaster Nhk's New Year's Eve spectacular Kohaku Uta Gassen.