Lady Gaga only feels truly alive when she's on stage.

The singer - who is set to give her first live rendition of her new single "Applause" from her album ARTPOP at the MTV Video Music Awards in New York City this Sunday - finds meaning to her existence when is performing: "When I'm not on stage I don't feel alive. But when I hit the stage it's like everything that I'm thinking and feeling, where I belong - that's where it is."

But the eccentric star doesn't think she is different from anyone else, because most people have creative energy they want to release. "I don't think I am different from anybody else. I think everyone with their location and their job and what they do, their passion, feel the same way I do. It's sort of like we are endlessly obsessing about what we are creating and then the explosion is the moment where we get to share," she explained.

The pop genius was forced to take time out after hip surgery to correct a tear and breakage inside the joint in February and consequently cancelled the remaining dates on her Born This Way Ball, and now she is very excited about getting back to work.

"I don't ever think about anything else other than working anyway. I'm quite used to being in a mental state. It's a good stress, I have thought of nothing but performing since my injuries earlier in the year," the 27 year-old singer said.