5 Pop Stars You Didn't Know Went To Uni & What They Had To Say About It

6 September 2021, 15:12 | Updated: 9 November 2022, 17:44

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Here's what five pop stars had to say about their university experiences...

Some of your favourite pop stars had university experiences like the rest of us before making it big!

Where did Lady Gaga study? What school brought the Coldplay boys together? We have all the pop music uni facts for you...

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From Megan Thee Stallion living the double life of a pop star and student, to John Legend's pre-fame genius – here's what these celebs had to say about their university experiences!

Megan Thee Stallion

The sensational rapper who burst onto the scenes in 2019 is not only pursuing a wildly successful music career but she's actually studying towards her degree as we speak!

Megan, 26, is pursuing a degree in health administration at Texas Southern University.

The 'Savage' songstress revealed in an interview with People earlier this year: "School has kept me grounded."

She continued: "I might have an amazing night but knowing I have to finish a paper, project or my homework to graduate, keeps my head on straight."

Not only is this powerhouse a three-time Grammy award winner but she's soon to be a graduate as well – we love to see it!

Lady Gaga

Did you know that Lady Gaga studied music at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University?

Lady Gaga is truly a triple threat and it looks like she got her start in the arts in the big apple!

In fact, one of her earlier works 'Love Game' is thought to be about her time at university, more specifically the library on campus!

In an interview with Ryan Seacrest, the 35-year-old musician and actress said: "I went to NYU Tisch, in fact, I have never told anyone this before, but my song ‘LoveGame’ was actually written in NYU’s library — I think it’s called Bobst if I remember correctly."

Well, what do you know!

Chris Martin

Not only does Chris Martin have an impressive degree under his belt but he also met his Coldplay bandmates at his alma mater!

The 'Higher Power' singer achieved a First Class Honours degree in Ancient Wolrd Studies from University College London – not too shabby!

Chris joined forces with Johnny Buckland, Guy Berryman and Will Champion as they were all residents of the same student halls in 1996, talk about fate...

The band initially came together under the name ‘Pectoralz’, which then became ‘Starfish’ and – thankfully – evolved into the Coldplay we know and love today!

In an interview with Steve Lamacq in 2005, frontman Chris spoke on the birth of the band: "I went to London like Dick Whittington looking for gold."

"I didn't have a cat but about 12 bags and my dad had to drive me there. I arrived at this big place called Ramsay Hall, Tottenham Court Road - brilliant - and I met Jonny and everything changed."

Drummer Will recalled: "I remember in the first week or so people sitting around and playing music and I remember specifically jamming with Chris, there was amazing acoustics on this big stairwell and we just sat and played guitars."

Lana Del Rey

Lana Del Rey has earned herself quite a unique degree! Back in 2008 the 'Don't Call Me Angel' songstress graduated from Fordham University, in The Bronx, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy and metaphysics.

Upon completing her course the indie-rock star began releasing EPs under the name Lizzy Grant and then began the creative path that led her to super-stardom!

She spoke on her time studying in an interview for InterviewMag with collaborator and producer, Jack Antonoff, Lana said: "When I was in college at Fordham, I would pass newsstands and see headlines on my way back to campus, and I somehow always also knew, without even wanting to, what was going on, and who everyone was."

"Sometimes I’ll go into a gas station on Route 66, mask on, glasses on, yada, yada, and the teller will be like, “Oh my gosh, you’re that singer!” And I’m like, “What the hell? How did you even recognize me?"

What a life the songstress has lead!

John Legend

Piano ballad extraordinaire, John Legend, was quite the high-in-demand student! He impressively received offers from multiple Ivy-League colleges before settling to study English and African-American Literature at the University of Pennsylvania.

The Voice judge may have been busy with a strenuous academic course but this didn't stop him from laying down his musical roots as he studied, it was actually through his links at university that led him to with collaborating with the iconic Lauryn Hill.

Legend was even the president of a pop and jazz a cappella group on campus – that's so Pitch Perfect of him!

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He got candid in an interview with MTV about his uni experience: "Music was my life...It was everything to me, even though I was in school majoring in English. I was still very focused on music and always finding ways to perform, so that was what set me up to want to become a recording artist."

The 'All Of Me' artist even had some words of wisdom for future students: "You have to really put in a lot of work. If you really want to be great at something, you have to spend hours working on being great at it."

"Opportunities may come your way but you have to be ready to embrace them and ready to take advantage of them."

Well said, John.

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