Brian Newman's Journey from Selling His Flugelhorn to Pay Rent to Becoming Lady Gaga's Bandleader
Brian Newman's Journey from Selling His Flugelhorn to Pay Rent to Becoming Lady Gaga's Bandleader

Published: June 6, 2025

Brian Newman, the renowned trumpeter and bandleader for Lady Gaga's jazz projects, has come a long way from selling his flugelhorn to pay rent to now wrapping up his residency at the Flatiron Room in Manhattan. In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Newman shares his journey of staying committed to performing in New York and how he remained passionate about music.

Newman's desire to be a musician started at band camp, where he was encouraged by his band director to take his jazz course over the summer. He began playing trumpet at the age of 10, influenced by Chet Baker and Miles Davis. He attended the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music but dropped out to move to New York.

Newman did everything he could to remain in New York, taking gigs off of Craigslist and booking his own shows. He even sold his flugelhorn to make rent because there was no money coming from home. "I wanted to make it by myself. I wanted to do it on my own in New York, like Frank [Sinatra] said, 'You can make it here...'", he recalls.

Newman's residency at the Flatiron Room, which wraps up on June 7 but will pick back up again in the fall, came to be with the help of Tommy Tardie, who opened the venue in 2012. Newman is focused on the music and the vibe at his shows at the Flatiron Room as he honors the Great American Songbook.

Among Newman's impressive accolades is serving as Lady Gaga's bandleader for her jazz projects, including her Jazz & Piano concerts in Las Vegas, Cheek to Cheek and Love for Sale with the late Tony Bennett, and Harlequin, the companion album for Joker: Folie à Deux.

Newman co-produced Gaga's Grammy-winning cover of "La Vie En Rose," which is featured in A Star Is Born. Fans may also recognize his name from Gaga's shoutout to him in "Just Another Day" from Joanne.

Newman met Gaga when he was a bartender and she was a go-go dancer on the Lower East Side. He always had "a bigger-than-life kind of vibe." His first impression was that the 14-time Grammy winner "was a hard worker and a fun person to be around. She's always been like that."

Up next for Newman — aside from his return to the Flatiron Room this fall — are After Dark shows at the Box with his wife, performances at Cafe Carlyle, and recording a duo record with holiday music and love songs.

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