Born that way? Lady Gaga and Madonna revealed to be distant cousins



Ever since she burst on the scene with her brand of pop and provocative outfits, Lady Gaga has forever been compared to the queen of the music scene, Madonna.



The similarities between the two divas have been considered so close, that the 25-year-old Born This Way star was even once accused of plagiarising one of the 52-year-old legend's famous tunes.



Now new evidence has emerged concluding the pair are in fact related.

Cousins? New evidence conclude that Lady Gaga and Madonna, pictured here in September 2009, are distance cousins



According to celebrity genealogist Chris Child, Gaga and Madonna are distant cousins.



'They are ninth cousins once removed,' the New England Historic Genealogical Society specialist told the Boston Globe.

After much research, Child reportedly provided proof of the findings, which showed that the two had common ancestors in the form of a farming couple, who moved from France to Quebec in the 1600s.

'When I saw that Lady Gaga had French Canadian ancestry, I thought there might be something there,' he said.



Child tracked the French Canadian families 'back 200 years within minutes' .



Priests in Quebec would record all marriages between the 1600s and the 1900s.

Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta, has compared herself to the Material Girl in the past.

Similarities: Ever since she burst on the scene with her brand of pop and provocative outfits, Lady Gaga, left, has forever been compared to the queen of the music scene, Madonna, right

'We’re both Italian-American women, we both started out in the New York underground scene - and we both became famous when we dyed our hair blonde,' she said.



'I think what Madonna and I share is that we’re both fearless, we both have a lot of nerve.'

Madonna has also made no secret of the fact she's a fan of Gaga's having been spotted at her show in New York with daughter Lourdes back in 2009.

The pair also appeared on a Saturday Night Live show together in October 2009, where they featured in a mock fighting skit before kissing and making up.



But their relationship may have possibly somewhat soured this year after the Bad Romance singer was forced to go on the offensive following claims her hit Born This Way was a rip off of a Madonna song.

She faced widespread accusations that she plagiarised the music veteran's Eighties hit Express Yourself.

Fair play: The two divas appeared on the Saturday Night Live show together in October 2009, where they featured in a mock fighting skit



Immediately Gaga branded the charge 'ridiculous' in an furious rant to British music magazine, NME.

'I'm a songwriter', Gaga told the publication. 'I've written loads of music. Why would I try to put out a song and think I'm getting one over on everybody?'

'What a completely ridiculous thing to even question me about. I will look you in your eyes and tell you that I am not dumb enough or moronic enough to think that you are dumb enough or moronic enough not to see that I would have stolen a melody.



More relations: No Doubt's Gwen Stefani is also a distant cousin of Madonna

'If you put the songs next to each other, side by side, the only similarities are the chord progression. It's the same one that's been in disco music for the last 50 years.

'Just because I'm the first [expletive] artist in 25 years to think of putting it on Top 40 radio, it doesn't mean I'm a plagiarist, it means that I'm [expletive] smart.

The Paparazzi hit-maker then became upset at the thought her fans would think she copied Madonna.

'I just don't want my fans... I don't know. This is exhausting. I just don't wanna perpetuate that [expletive]. I'm sure you want to address it but it's just so ridiculous. I was just [expletive] shell-shocked by it', Gaga added.



Much like Madonna, Gaga has also courted controversy from the Catholic Church, especially over her single Judas, which was released ahead of Good Friday this year.

The song was scheduled for an Easter release much to the annoyance of many Catholics.

Catholic League President Bill Donohue told ABC News: 'It's all intentional. It's done to take a few shots at Catholics. We've been down this road before'.

'She mimics Madonna', Donohue said. 'Madonna has admitted to loathing the Catholic Church. I don't see the dame degree of vitriol on the part of Lady Gaga.'

For years, Madonna, who now practise Kabbalah, has also outraged the Catholic church with her provocative outfits and racy lyrics.

Lady Gaga is not the only pop star related to legend.



No Doubt's Gwen Stefani is also a distant cousin.



According to the 41-year old's IMDB page, her great-aunt's mother-in-law shares the last name with Madonna.