Lady Gaga is launching a foundation with the help of the MacArthur Foundation and Harvard University.

The Grammy-winning singer announced Wednesday that she is launching the Born This Way Foundation, a nonprofit focusing on youth empowerment and “issues like self-confidence, well-being, anti-bullying, mentoring and career development.”

Gaga’s partners include the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The California Endowment and the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University.

The foundation will be directed by the 25-year-old singer and her mother, Cynthia Germanotta.

“Together we hope to establish a standard of Bravery and Kindness, as well as a community worldwide that protects and nurtures others in the face of bullying and abandonment,” Gaga said in a statement.

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Lady Gaga fans have multiple reasons to put their paws up as Gaga’s Monster Ball Tour rolls into town. Gaga will strike twice next week with a revamped version of the her tour that originally launched in 2009. The show, described by Gaga herself as more of a musical than a concert, will hit two major venues in the area with shows beginning at 8 p.m. at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise on Tuesday and the American Airlines Arena in Miami on Wednesday.
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Lady Gaga isn’t having much luck in Paris.

In October, the pop diva’s concerts in Paris were postponed amid nationwide strikes over a government plan to raise the retirement age. One show was rescheduled for Sunday, but it was called off because of snow.

The weather led authorities to ban big trucks from driving through the Ile de France region that includes Paris. Lady Gaga’s trucks couldn’t get to the venue on time, concert venue Bercy stadium said on its Web site.

A concert Monday is expected to go forward as planned, and the canceled show is likely to be rescheduled for Tuesday, Bercy said.

The diva vented on Twitter, writing that “all 28″ of the trucks carrying sets for her elaborate show had been detained. She said had wanted to do a show without the sets, but even sound and power equipment was blocked.

“I am furious and devastated,” she wrote, adding that it was “unfair to my fans and to me.”

Lady Gaga also wrote that two of her employees were “arrested trying to get into Paris so we could perform,” without elaborating. French police, the singer’s representatives and the concert venue did not immediately return calls and e-mails seeking comment on that claim.

Lady Gaga is lending star power to Polaroid and the MIT Museum.

The pop star known for her outlandish wardrobe posed Wednesday for a Polaroid at the museum run by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In January, she was given the title of creative director for the company that owns the iconic photography brand.

The museum had recently taken possession of thousands of Polaroid inventions that revolutionized photography in the 20th century, including the 20- by 24-inch camera that was used to snap the photo of Lady Gaga wearing a low-cut black lace dress. Lady Gaga has concerts in Boston on Thursday and Friday nights.

Polaroid was founded in Cambridge in 1937. It was sold in bankruptcy last year and is owned by Minnetonka, Minn.-based PLR IP Holdings.

Image via Wikipedia

After a season judging singers on “American Idol,” Ellen DeGeneres is delving deeper into the music business with her own label.

The talk show host was announcing on her show Wednesday that she is starting a label called eleveneleven. Her first act will be 12-year-old Greyson Chance, who recently became a sensation on YouTube with his piano version of Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi.”

There’s no word on when the label will start. It was formed with Telepictures Productions.

Besides DeGeneres, Greyson has some other strong people behind him: Madonna’s manager and Lady Gaga’s manager.

The time has come for all little monsters to witness the wonder that is Lady Gaga’s sizzling “Telephone” music video. But first, a tease — a look at the concept behind the video featuring Lady Gaga herself:

Check it out here at Vuvo.

Photos: A look at McQueen’s legendary fashions

LONDON (AP) — His runway shows were often like performance pieces: One featured models with headwear made of trash. Another showed off 10-inch heels shaped like lobster claws.

At the pinnacle of his success, British fashion designer Alexander McQueen was found dead in his home Thursday, days after posting anguished online remarks about the death of his mother. He was 40.

The circumstances pointed to a possible suicide, but there was no confirmation from police or McQueen’s publicists. Authorities said the death was not suspicious, apparently ruling out foul play. They did not indicate how McQueen was discovered.

The Sun tabloid cited an anonymous source on its Web site who said workers found McQueen hanging in his apartment. The newspaper gave no further details. His family issued a statement asking for privacy. Read the full story

Photos: 2010 Grammy Awards

All eyes on the red carpet at Sunday’s Grammy Awards went straight to Lady Gaga and her solar-system gown that was totally out of this world.

Lady Gaga has become fashion’s favorite chameleon and she didn’t disappoint with this shiny, silvery, three-dimensional number that was created in collaboration with Giorgio Armani. She then opened the show in a green fairy-wing bodysuit – with matching green sparkle booties, of course.

“I am honored to be wearing Armani this evening. The series of pieces Mr. Armani created for me are truly iconic; they represent not only beautiful fashion, but my spirit and essence as an artist,” she said in a statement. Read the full story

Beyonce performs at the Grammy Awards on Sunday in Los Angeles (AP)

Photos: Red carpet, on stage and backstage

All of Sunday’s winners

Beyonce became the most decorated female on a Grammy night as she collected six trophies, including song of the year for her anthem “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It),” but it was another diva — Taylor Swift — who nabbed the top honor, album of the year, for her best-selling “Fearless.”

Swift, who won a total of four awards, jumped around like the 20-year-old kid that she is when she beat out Beyonce, the Dave Matthews Band, Lady Gaga and the Black Eyed Peas for the honor.

“Oh wow — thank you so much! I just hope that you know how much this means to me…. that we get to take this back to Nashville,” said Swift, whose “Fearless” was last year’s best-selling album of any genre.

“Oh my God, our families are freaking out in their living rooms,” she added. “My dad and my little brother are losing their minds in the living room right now.”

Although Beyonce also lost out on record of the year, which went to the Kings of Leon’s “Use Somebody,” the multihyphenate entertainer still owned the most awards of the evening.
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Taylor Swift's 'Fearless' narrowly edged Susan Boyle's 'I Dreamed A Dream' for top-selling LP. (AP)

Susan Boyle put up a strong challenge, but Taylor Swift ended 2009 with the year’s best-selling album.

Nielsen SoundScan, which tracks the nation’s album sales, says Swift’s “Fearless” sold 3.2 million copies last year. It was released in late 2008. Boyle’s “I Dreamed a Dream” sold 3.1 million copies — and it only came out in late November.

Michael Jackson’s “Number Ones” was No. 3 with 2.3 million sold. “The Fame” by Lady Gaga was No. 4 with 2.2 million copies and Andrea Bocelli’s “My Christmas” also sold about 2.2 million copies to come in at No. 5.

Jackson was the year’s top-selling artist, selling 8.2 million records to Swift’s 4.6 million.

Music sales overall were up 2.1 percent from 2008, but album sales continued their decline, down 12.7 percent.

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