- Donna Marie Trego, 37, from Cardiff, has spent £60,000 to look like Gaga
- A Gaga tribute act since 2010, she has performed all over the world
- Long-suffering husband Nigel comes along to support her at shows
From teetering 10 inch heels and revealing corsets to the famous meat dress, Lady Gaga’s wacky look is not for the faint-hearted. But that hasn’t stopped mega fan and tribute act Donna Marie Trego from spending a staggering £60,000 on recreating it.
Trego, 37, from Cardiff, started her career as a tribute act in 2010 and has since spent thousands on outfits, wigs and a team of dancers. And it would seem her efforts – and financial outlay – have paid off as she now performs all over the world and has even been mistaken for Gaga herself.
At the start of her unusual career, Donna had just six outfits, most of which she had made herself. But since signing with a lookalike agency her career – and wardrobe – have burgeoned, and the Welsh singer now owns 40 outfits, including a bra that emits sparks, while being paid thousands of pounds for every performance.
‘I didn’t realise the time and effort I would need to dedicate to this to make it work,’ revealed Trego. There’s a lot of Gaga lookalikes and it’s really competitive. ‘I could have put down a deposit on a nice house but instead everything I earn goes back into my act – I’m a perfectionist, everything has to be a certain way.
‘When I started I couldn’t have predicted how crazy it would go. She’s constantly evolving and I have to keep up with that. ‘It’s not like being an Elvis impersonator, he’s not going to release another song, Gaga is always changing. I’m more than just a lookalike. I’m a tribute and an impersonator.’
Trego’s career began after she took to the stage during a theme night in the bar where she worked. She said: ‘I was watching the tribute act and thought “I could do a better job than this”, but I was worried what my husband Nigel would say. ‘The next thing I know he came running through the crowd and shouted that I should be a Gaga tribute. We slept on it and booked a gig a month away the next day.’
She has now performed across the world, including Germany, Bahrain and Gran Canaria, and has won awards, including a Goscar – a gay Oscar, for the authenticity of her act. She has recently performed the Born This Way: A Lady Gaga experience at St David’s Hall in Cardiff for the third year running.
Trego said: ‘I think the way I’ve done my show you don’t even have to be a Gaga fan to enjoy it. Every night goes down really well. I am constantly watching her and how she evolves so I can get it right. It’s an amazing thing. She’s taken over my life. My house is full of costumes. There’s a bit of Gaga in every room.’
Source: Dailymail