After her rebirth at Sunday’s Grammys, Lady Gaga sat in the hot seat on Monday’s “Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” The pop superstar, wearing an all-black sheer outfit with mask, spoke about her Grammy performance, getting inspiration from Willow Smith, and responded to the comparisons between “Born This Way” and Madonna’s “Express Yourself.”

On the Madonna controversy: “There is really no one that is a more adoring and loving Madonna fan than me. I am the hugest fan, personally and professionally. Well the good news is that I got an email from her people and her, sending me their love and complete support on behalf of the single. And if the queen says it shall be, then it shall be.”

On meeting Willow Smith at the Grammys: “I love Willow. I told her that she inspired me to whip my hair back and forth onstage.”

On her new album Born This Way, due May 23: “The rest of the songs on the album are quite different from ‘Born This Way.'” Gaga is shooting an HBO special from “The Monster Ball” and has completed the video for “Born This Way” with director Nick Knight.

[MWP]