The Ups And Downs Of Chicago Fire Star Taylor Kinney's Past Romance With Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga is, without a doubt, one of the biggest pop stars of the past 20 years. And so, it's only natural that Lady Gaga's relationship with Taylor Kinney garnered lots of attention when they were together. When their relationship began, Gaga was arguably one of the most recognizable people on the planet, whereas Kinney's own journey with fame and celebrity was much quieter. While he was already established in Hollywood thanks to the firefighter television drama "Chicago Fire" and movies "Zero Dark Thirty" and "The Forest," his public profile shifted significantly when he struck up a romance with the "Poker Face" singer. 

During a 2014 interview on "The Howard Stern Show" (via ABC News), Gaga gushed about how Kinney, who was still her beau at the time, initially wooed her. "He was the best," she said. "He used to sweep me off my feet, throw me on the back of his motorcycle, take me to the beach, no security. [My team would] be screaming at me, yelling at my phone all day, and he'd throw [me] in the back of his beach shack."

While Gaga and Kinney may have not been as public facing as other celebrity couples, they did have an interesting time in the limelight. They met on the set of one of Gaga's iconic music videos, fell in love, and then fell apart. Let's take a look at their time together — and where their love lives are today.

When Lady Gaga first burst onto the scene, she came equipped with music videos that were chic, mysterious, sensory overloads. While she gave us great songs right out the gate, her career would not have been the same without the eye-catching clips for "Poker Face," "Bad Romance," and "Born This Way." And it's safe to say her romantic history would not have been the same without the music video that set the stage for her first interaction with her first fiancé, Taylor Kinney.

Gaga's video for her country ballad "Yoü and I" was a characteristically over-the-top affair featuring a cyborg, an ice cream truck, and a lingering sense of menace. Perhaps the most notable part of the video was the entrance of Kinney into Gaga's world. In "Yoü and I," Kinney plays the love interest of Gaga's alter ego Yuyi the Mermaid. Only Gaga would think to combine such a bizarre visual with a country love song.

During a 2011 interview, Gaga discussed the storyline of the music video — which can be difficult to parse out. "The premise of the video is that I've walked all the way from New York City to Nebraska to get [my boyfriend] back," Gaga told Channel 94 (via Digital Spy). "I'm walking with no luggage, it's just me and my ankles are kind of bleeding a little bit and there's grass stuck in my shoes and I've got this outfit on — it's real New York sort of clothing as it's woolly."

When Taylor Kinney first crossed paths with Lady Gaga in July 2011, he evidently came on too strong. During a 2015 episode of "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen," Kinney recounted his experience working with Gaga for the first time on the set of "Yoü and I." "I show up and they're like, 'Oh this is the idea. This is the idea,'" he recalled. "And I go, 'OK, just let me do my thing. And I remember I went up, and we're rolling, and I kissed her and she didn't expect it. They cut, and she slapped me. The next take, I just did it again and then she didn't slap me. She didn't slap me then. We had a good time. I think there was chemistry." Following the shoot, Gaga and Kinney stayed in touch. Later that year, the two were seen out and about together, and they eventually confirmed they were indeed an item. 

The music video for "Yoü and I" generally received praise from critics and fans alike. The song, which was the fourth single off of "Born This Way," reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, lasting 20 weeks on the chart. Though their initial interaction was a little messy, Gaga and Kinney's collaboration was both artistically and commercially successful.

In her music, Lady Gaga often portrays herself as a woman in charge; as she states in the song "Scheiße," she's a "strong female." Of course, being a strong female doesn't mean you have to be in charge all the time. During a 2014 interview with SiriusXM (via HuffPost), the "LoveGame" singer said she took on a more submissive role in her relationship with Taylor Kinney. "Yes actually, he's totally in charge," she stated. "I mean when I'm home I'm like, shoes are off, I'm making him dinner."

In the same interview, Gaga gave fans even more insight into her life with Kinney. "He has a job too and he's really busy," she added. "I'm in charge all day long. The last thing I want to do is tell him what to do. It's not good for relationships to tell men what to do."

Contrary to what this interview might lead one to believe, Gaga is certainly a feminist. Though she made some questionable comments about feminism early in her career, Gaga has long identified as a feminist and championed gender equality and intersectionality. In a 2024 Instagram post about International Women's Day, for example, the "Die with a Smile" singer wrote, "I hope all women will come together to honor us ALL for International Women's Day, and may we do that always until THE DAY that all women are celebrated equally. That all people are celebrated equally. ... Because people of all gender identities and races deserve peace and dignity."

In a 2015 Instagram post, Lady Gaga showed off a new and extremely noteworthy piece of jewelry: a heart-shaped diamond engagement ring that Taylor Kinney gave her. "He gave me his heart on Valentine's Day, and I said YES!" she wrote. 

Shortly after she revealed her engagement, she told Access Hollywood that Kinney initially proposed to her with a blue Ring Pop and she started crying tears of joy. Then, he pulled out the real ring. Gaga was perfectly willing to marry him with a piece of candy on her finger.

During a 2015 interview with Chicago Tribune (via Pop Crush), Kinney discussed his memories of the engagement. "I just knew," he said. "It wasn't a lightbulb going off." He proposed in a romantic location. "It was in Manhattan," Kinney recalled. "It was snowing, it was beautiful." Afterward, the two celebrated the occasion at Joanne Trattoria, a restaurant owned by Gaga's family.

In addition to putting out songs that live for the applause, applause, applause, Lady Gaga has a second career as an actor. She first made waves co-starring in Ryan Murphy's cult television series "American Horror Story." Gaga initially appeared in "American Horror Story: Hotel" as The Countess before guest-starring in "American Horror Story: Roanoke." Gaga initially hesitated to act on the show, worrying that she might be encroaching on Taylor Kinney's turf. "What guy in that scenario would be like, 'Sure, babe, do TV!'?" Gaga told E! News in 2015. "He does TV, that's his thing. I do music, and you know, we're together. But I sort of was like, 'Is it cool if I do TV?,' And he was like, 'F*** yeah!'"

Kinney helped Gaga learn how to be a television actor. "[He was like], 'We can read scripts together, and we can talk about our characters together, and I can teach you how to be on set!'" Gaga revealed. "And he taught me all about etiquette and what actors would appreciate during their coverage." Since her roles on "American Horror Story," Gaga has gone on to conquer the silver screen, starring in major flicks like "A Star Is Born" and "House of Gucci." 

In a 2016 Instagram post, Lady Gaga announced she and Taylor Kinney were taking a step back from their relationship. "Taylor and I have always believed we are soulmates," the "Born This Way" singer wrote. "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." At the time, Gaga and Kinney were working on different projects in different states. While the pair wanted their relationship to work out, the distance between them took its toll.

Not long afterward, Gaga went on a trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. She was spotted without her engagement ring. In the aftermath of the split, Gaga told E! News that her primary concern was singing. She hoped that the music of her fourth album, "Joanne," could bring people together.

Following her breakup from Taylor Kinney, Lady Gaga released her hit single "Perfect Illusion." The song is about a false love that is built on lies. Naturally, fans and critics alike speculated that "Perfect Illusion" was a dig at Kinney. However, Mother Monster would insist that was not the case.

"I love Taylor so, so much and this song is not a hit out against Taylor," she told SiriusXM (via Billboard) in 2016. "This song is just about... I'm sure not only feelings that I've had but that he's had, that my friends have had, my sister has in her relationship ... it's a record about all of us. And I would never use my song or want to use the public to hurt anyone that I love so much." In a 2016 interview with E! News, she said that "Perfect Illusion" was partially inspired by social media, where people create versions of themselves that are both flawless and fake. Gaga said that the song drew from her own experiences as well as those of her friends. She added that trying to discern reality from fantasy in the internet age can be enraging.

Regardless of its origins, "Perfect Illusion" became a hit for Gaga. The tune reached No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100, lasting on the chart for six weeks.

On the Lady Gaga album "Joanne," there's a track called "Diamond Heart." One one level, the song is about her early days in New York City. "It's completely autobiographical," she told NME in 2016. "When I moved downtown at 17 I became a go-go dancer. I remember looking at the men and thinking to myself: 'Lay it on me. I know that you think you know what I am, but the truth is I may not be perfect — yeah, Dad! — and I might not be flawless — Dad! World! — but I have a diamond heart. I have a good and strong spirit within me.' Life is a dog fight for a lot of people."

On another level, "Diamond Heart" sure seems to also be about the engagement ring that Taylor Kinney gave her, which has a heart-shaped diamond at its center. The track uses the diamond heart engagement ring Kinney gave Gaga as a metaphor for the singer being a diamond in the rough that was forged through tough circumstances. "Diamond Heart" is one of the reasons why "Joanne" is often considered Gaga's most personal album.

From the moment Lady Gaga was lowered down onto the stage at the beginning of the Super Bowl LI halftime show, she took everyone's breath away.  Between her vocals, her dancing, and her eye-catching jump into the stadium, the performance will surely be remembered for years to come. Playing the halftime show at the Super Bowl is arguably as massive as it gets when it comes to live gigs. However, Gaga apparently didn't realize just how massive it was before diving in. 

During a 2016 interview with Access Hollywood, Taylor Kinney was asked about the halftime show before it took place. "I don't think she understood the scope of the masses that would be watching," he opined. "She was saying 'Hun, a lot of people are e-mailing me and texting me and this is a big deal isn't it?' And I go 'Yeah, yeah babe, it's maybe the biggest deal.'" 

The halftime show was a major career moment for Gaga. It was not only received warmly by audiences and critics, but it was a huge commercial success for the singer. Following her performance, her music experienced a massive surge in popularity. Gaga's songs experienced a 960% increase in downloads while her album sales increased by 2,000%; her single "Million Reasons" saw its biggest sales day ever. 

Many singers have opened up to their fans through a documentary. Gaga did this in her 2017 film "Gaga: Five Foot Two." In the film, the "Judas" singer discussed the dissolution of her relationship with Taylor Kinney. "Me and Taylor are fighting, so that sucks," she said in the film. "My threshold for bulls*** with men is just — I don't have one anymore. In relationships, you have to move together."

In the documentary, Lady Gaga reflected on her up and down dating history. "My love life has just imploded," she said. "I sold 10 million [records] and lost Matt [Williams]. I sold 30 million and lost Lüc [Carl]. I did a movie and lose Taylor. It's like a turnover. This is the third time I've had my heart broken like this."

"Gaga: Five Foot Two" was a modest success for the superstar. The movie earned a 73% rating on Rotten Tomatoes; some critics felt the movie was not revealing enough. Regardless, "Gaga: Five Foot Two" gave fans some insight into her personal life.

After finding success on the small screen, Lady Gaga became a full-blown silver screen star when she took on the lead role in the 2018 version of "A Star Is Born." When chatting with E! News the year "A Star Is Born" hit theaters, Taylor Kinney was, perhaps unsurprisingly, asked about his ex's movie. "She studied acting ... before music," he said. "So, I know that it's been a life-long passion and to see her — I haven't seen it — but I'm seeing the reviews, I'm seeing the trailers, it's all over the place. I can only wish her the best and hey, I'm really proud."

"A Star Is Born" was a career highlight for Gaga. For her role in the movie, she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress, losing the award to Olivia Coleman for her role as Queen Anne in "The Favourite." Regardless, Gaga still took home a statue at the end of the ceremony. She won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Shallow." The track was a commercial success as well, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. "A Star Is Born" was a transformative era for Gaga, and Kinney was proud of her for accomplishing so much.

In 2024, Lady Gaga became engaged to entrepreneur Michael Polansky. The "Poker Face" singer found early on that Polansky was less interested in her as a celebrity and more interested in her as a person. "From the moment that I met Michael, he had the most warm and kind disposition of maybe anyone that I had met in my whole life," she told The New York Times in 2025. "Yes, he was impressive, but the thing I cared about the most was he wanted to know about my family."

"I guess what I'm trying to say is, I knew Michael was genuine because he wanted to be my friend," she added. "He didn't want to do any of the things that the other people wanted to do. He wanted to take walks with me." Polansky has been a rock in many ways, including supporting Lady Gaga as she continues to navigate her ongoing health issues. And on the creative side of things, Polansky cowrote songs for her albums "Harlequin" and "Mayhem."

Taylor Kinney has a new long-term relationship of his own. In 2024, the "Chicago Fire" star married model Ashley Cruger. While Gaga and Kinney's love story is long over, it will live on through Gaga's music for many years to come.