Lady GaGa truly deserves to be considered as the year’s biggest pop sensation.

With her fantastic vocal quality and style, boundless energy and fabulous avant garde costumes, she has undoubtedly created an innovative and enticing act that broke new grounds in pop music and culture.

This new, trend-setting standard has captivated millions around the world, spawning a frenzy of excitement and ecstasy that reached fever pitch with the huge success of her mega-hits, “Just Dance” and “Poker Face.”

With her overnight success, Lady GaGa has evolved into the true embodiment of today’s pop icons who help define pop culture with their authentic and distinct sound and style that reflect the spirit, mood and attitude of the times.

It will be the turn of thousands of local fans to be blown over by the Lady GaGa phenomenon when the sensational pop singer and artist invades Manila during a one-night-only concert on Aug. 11 at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City.

To be mounted by Ovation Productions, “Lady GaGa In Manila!” will showcase the incredible and unique singing and theatrical act of the hottest female pop singer to emerge in the international music scene during the past few years.

Even as a child, a career in music and entertainment seemed to be the ultimate destiny of Lady GaGa, who was born 23 years ago in Yonkers, New York as Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta.

She learned piano by ear at the age of four, wrote her first piano ballad at 13, played open mike at New York’s The Bitter End club by night at 14, and at 17 gained early admission to New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she studied music.

At the age of 20, she began working for Interscope Records as a songwriter, creating songs for a number of pop acts such as the Pussycat Dolls.

Later, she entered into a label deal via Streamline/Interscope and was partnered with singer-songwriter Akon who convinced Interscope to sign her to a joint deal with his own label, Kon Live Distribution.

She started performing in New York’s Lower East Side club scene, playing with bands Mackin Pulsifer and SGBand and initially made a name for herself with the infectious dance-pop party song, “Beautiful Dirty Rich,” and wild, theatrical and often tongue-in-cheek “shock art” performances.

She became known by her stage name, Lady GaGa, which she took from the 1984 Queen song, “Radio Gaga.”

Throughout 2007, Lady GaGa collaborated with the Lower East Side rock DJ, go-go dancer and performance artist Lady Starlight in playing gigs at downtown club venues like Mercury Lounge, The Bitter End and Rockwood Music Hall with their live performance art piece, “Lady GaGa and The Starlight Revue.”

After initially focusing on avant-garde, electronic dance music, GaGa ultimately found inspiration for her act in the music of glam rockers David Bowie and Queen and pop singers like Michael Jackson and Madonna.

A certified fashion enthusiast, she established a reputation for her provocative sense of style and her influence on other celebrities.

It was in 2008 when GaGa attained international celebrity status with the release of her debut album, “The Fame,” for which she wrote all of the lyrics and melodies and played most of the synth work.

Described by GaGa as “about how anyone can feel famous,” “The Fame” became a mega-success, topping charts in countries like the United Kingdom and Canada and earning rave reviews from critics.

It spawned the international No. 1 singles, “Just Dance” and “Poker Face,” with “Just Dance” reaching No. 1 in seven countries, including America, where it hit No. 1 in 2009 to become GaGa’s first US No. 1 single.

“Just Dance” was also nominated for “Best Dance Recording” at the 51st Grammy Awards.

“Poker Face,” which reached No. 1 in nearly 20 countries, including almost all major music markets in the world, became GaGa’s second consecutive No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in April, 2009.

GaGa’s first North American tour, “The Fame Ball Tour,” which opened last March 12, 2009, gained wide acclaim among fans who were treated to a more polished version of her critically successful (American music festival) Lollapalooza show in August, 2007 and her Winter Music Conference performance in March, 2008.

GaGa won the Best International Artist Video awards for the music video to “Poker Face” during the recent 2009 MuchMusic Video Awards, where she also performed.

Other nominations and awards she received were: Nomination for Best Video for “Poker Face” from MTV Australia Award, nomination for herself for Best Breakthrough from MTV Australia, and nomination for People’s Choice: Favorite International Video from MuchMusic Video Award.

“Lady GaGa In Manila!” is presented by Smart Buddy and co-presented by Subaru in cooperation with Converse, Maldita and San Mig Light.

It is also sponsored by ETC, 2nd Avenue, C/S Origin, Jack TV, ABS CBN, ASAP Live!, Magic 89.9, Edsa Shangri-La Manila, MTV, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Philippine Star, BusinessWorld and philstar.com.

Other supporters are MCA Music, Inc.-Universal, GetzMo.dom, Wave 89.1, Energy FM 81.5, OptimaSignsolutions, Focalcast Network, Monster Radio RX 93.1, 99.5 RT, Mellow 94.7, Max FM 103.5, Jam 88.5 and Home Radio 97.9.

Tickets are available at Ticketnet outlets at SM Department Stores.