Jason Derulo Says Lady Gaga 'Forced Me To Step My Game Up'

Monster Ball opening act was nervous about Gaga's fans, but they 'have just been incredible' to him.

When Jason Derulo got the call last fall that he'd be opening for Lady Gaga's Monster Ball Tour, the "Whatcha Say" singer could hardly believe it. In fact Derulo, who joined the tour in December, is still reeling from the experience of participating in Gaga's spectacle. It was completely out of nowhere," he told MTV News. "I got a call from my manager. He's like, 'You're on the Gaga tour.' I was like, 'Wow.' She asked us to be on the tour, and that's saying a lot for somebody of that caliber, who's had a year that she had, to ask us to be on the tour with her. ... I was so pleased, jumping through the roof." Derulo did admit that he was also nervous about the gig. He had heard that the very loyal Gaga "monsters" weren't too friendly too her opening acts, and Kid Cudi left the tour early, citing scheduling conflicts. But so far, the fans have actually been receptive to Derulo, he said. "I feel like I'm in a groove now, and my goal is just continue to get better," he said. "You know, she forced me to step my game up. I have to go in there with my game face on, because before I got on the tour actually I heard rumors or horror stories ... about the people who were on the show with her who were opening for her [and the fans' reactions], because they want to see Lady Gaga, they came to see Lady Gaga. ... I have yet to experience anything like that. The audiences have just been incredible, and I can't wait to do my own tour." MTVNews.com By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Matt Harper