Lady Gaga has "worshipped" Madonna her whole life.
The Edge Of Glory singer - whose musical style has been compared to that of the legendary singer - explained she also feels "connected to and inspired by" the likes of Barbra Streisand, Cher and Blondie.
She told The Advocate magazine: "They're my sisters. I feel so connected to Madonna in a lot of ways, and I feel connected to Barbra, and I feel connected to Cher and Blondie and all of the women who came before me.
"I worshipped them my whole life, and I would never be where I am today without all of them to inspire me. I feel so grateful that I have such strong women to look up to."
It would appear the feeling is mutual for Blondie frontwoman Debbie Harry, who recently praised Lady Gaga for bring a breath of fresh air to the US music scene.
She said: "Gaga is truly talented and slightly mad. I find her encouraging.
"It's such a conservative period in the US. We have even had attempts at censorship, which I find appalling and terrible. Artists like Gaga are necessary during periods like this."
Check out more of our latest news stories
