Lady Gaga’s grandmother urged her not to "have an obsession" with her aunt’s death.
The 30-year-old singer’s new album ‘Joanne’ is a tribute to her late aunt Joanne Germanotta – who died of lupus at just 19 before the pop megastar was born – and the star admitted playing the music from her album to her family was "emotional".
Speaking on ‘Sunday Morning’ on US news channel CBS, the ‘Perfect Illusion’ hitmaker said: "Playing the music for my father for the first time was very powerful, and my grandma, too.
"It was interesting: My father was very, very emotional. And my grandmother was too, but she held my hand and she said, ‘I hope, my dear, that you won’t be too maudlin while you’re putting this music into the world.’
"What I think she meant by maudlin – it’s an old word – she didn’t want me to have an obsession with the death of my aunt."
The ‘Poker Face’ musician – whose real name is Stefani Germanotta – says her connection to her family in her music comes as they were her main source of "encouragement" to pursue her career.
She said: "The reason that I’m here at all is because of my relationship with my family and their encouragement of me to be a musician and to work hard. So as long as I stay there, in that space, I can do anything – that’s my truth."
Meanwhile, Gaga has admitted she feels as though she is "growing up", and has decided to leave behind the controversial fashion statements she was previously known for.
She said: "I think that when people see me with less make-up on and less of what I was doing before …
"I don’t know that you can put a label on growth, you know? I’m just me. I’m just growing up. I’m 30, you know; this is what I want to do now."