Pop
Akon reveals the exact moment he knew Lady Gaga was destined for superstardom
Akon has revealed he knew Lady Gaga was destined to become a global superstar the instant he first saw her back in 2007 - because she had “the glow”.
Akon has revealed he knew Lady Gaga was destined to become a global superstar the instant he first saw her - because she had “the glow”.
The 53-year-old singer and music mogul helped launch Gaga’s career after discovering the then-unknown Stefani Germanotta before signing her to a joint deal with Interscope Records and his own KonLive Distribution in 2007.
Now, nearly two decades later, Akon insists he could sense from the very beginning that she was different from everybody else.
Appearing on Capital XTRA Breakfast with Robert Bruce and Shayna Marie, the Smack That hitmaker explained he immediately recognised a rare star quality in Gaga.
He said: “Oh, Gaga. For sure. She had the glow immediately. Like, it was one of them things.”
Akon, whose real name is Aliaune Thiam, also reflected on discovering T-Pain before he became one of the defining voices of modern R’n’B and hip-hop.
The singer admitted record labels initially dismissed T-Pain because they felt he “didn’t have the look”, but Akon could see something special others were missing.
He said: “Like, crazy enough, T-Pain had that glow. Like, because it was funny, because when he first came in, like, no labels wanted to touch him, because they felt like he didn’t have the look. But I didn't understand why he was glowing to me.”
According to Akon, true stardom is something instinctive that cannot easily be explained.
He said: “When you see a star, you just know; it's almost like it's a God-given aura that just comes with them.
“It's no different from when I went to Nigeria and saw Wizkid. I was like, ‘This kid is a star.’ Why? I don't know, he's just a star. I'm telling you, this kid's a star.”
The Lonely singer added that some performers naturally command attention in a way others simply cannot.
He said: “Even when stars stand next to each other, some have larger glows than others. But then there's talents that separate them. One may be more talented, but the other one just glow harder.”
However, Akon stressed raw star quality alone is not enough to guarantee success in the music industry.
He explained that he also judges artists by how hard they are willing to work once they get their opportunity.
He said: “But then the second thing I look for is the work ethic. Because if you’re a star and you just lazy, or you got talent, and you ain't putting the work in, then you really ain't going nowhere. So, it's a waste of time.”
Akon’s comments come after years of watching Gaga evolve into one of the biggest pop stars in the world, with multiple Grammy Awards, blockbuster tours and acclaimed acting roles cementing her status as a global icon.
