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Mayhem (Lady Gaga album)

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Mayhem
Black-and-white photo of Gaga's face near a piece of glass
Standard cover
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 7, 2025
Studio
GenrePop
Length53:04
Label
Producer
Lady Gaga chronology
Joker: Folie à Deux
(2024)
Mayhem
(2025)
Singles from Mayhem
  1. "Disease"
    Released: October 25, 2024
  2. "Abracadabra"
    Released: February 3, 2025

Mayhem is the upcoming eighth studio album by American singer Lady Gaga. It is slated to be released on March 7, 2025,[3] through Streamline and Interscope Records.[4] Gaga collaborated with producers such as Andrew Watt, Cirkut and Gesaffelstein.

The album was recorded at Rick Rubin's studio Shangri-La, in Malibu, California. The album was preceded by the release of three singles. Its lead single, "Disease", premiered on October 25, 2024. "Abracadabra" followed as the second single on February 3, 2025. Mayhem also includes the Grammy Award-winning song "Die with a Smile", a duet with Bruno Mars, which was released on August 16, 2024.

Background

[edit]

In 2022, Lady Gaga toured several countries as part of the Chromatica Ball and began working on new material.[5][6] For several months prior to the album's announcement, Gaga shared photographs on social media of herself in a recording studio.[7] In March 2024, Gaga spoke publicly about the project for the first time, stating in an interview that she was "writing some of the best songs I can remember."[8]

The following May, she released the concert film Gaga Chromatica Ball, which contained a snippet of new music at the end.[9] Gaga has said that the upcoming pop album was made "from a place of happiness".[4][10] Her fiancé Michael Polansky recommended that she create a pop album and "lean in to the joy of it".[11] In mid-2024, Gaga began offering additional teasers for her new project. In July, she surprised fans by playing snippets of two unreleased songs after her performance at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics.[12] During a December 2024 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Gaga announced her duet with Bruno Mars, "Die with a Smile", would be part of the album.[2]

Development

[edit]

According to Gaga, the inspiration for the album stemmed from a period of deep introspection and personal challenges.[13] Gaga, Andrew Watt and Michael Polansky are listed as the executive producers of Mayhem.[14] She described the album as "a transgressive journey through genres" that reflects her diverse musical influences and life experiences.[15] In an interview with Rolling Stone on December 10, 2024, Gaga characterized the project as an eclectic work that amalgamates various genres, styles, and emotions, all guided by her profound love of music. She elaborated:

The album is imbued with my love for music: a diversity of genres, styles, and dreams. It leaps from one genre to another in a manner that feels almost corrupt, and it culminates in love. That's my answer to all the chaos in my life: I find peace in love. Every song I wrote emerged from surrendering to different dreams tied to my past, almost like a recollection of all the bad decisions I've made throughout my life. There are moments where we sonically push the sound to extremes, and others where everything revolves around love. That, to me, represents true chaos. It's sometimes difficult to see the light, but I think what makes inner chaos more challenging is when you occasionally catch a glimpse of the sun. For this reason, the album offers a bit of everything. It's a complete experience.[16]

Regarding her inspiration, the artist stated, "The album started as me facing my fear of returning to the pop music my earliest fans loved," further comparing the creative process to "reassembling a shattered mirror: even if you can't put the pieces back together perfectly, you can create something beautiful and whole in its own new way."[17]

Gaga has called the album, which was inspired by industrial dance music,[18] "chaotic" and "genre-bending".[19] An unspecified song from the record has been described by Jonathan Van Meter of Vogue as "intense and ominous... old-school Gaga banger, unsettling but also buoyant".[20] French DJ and record producer Gesaffelstein collaborated on the album.[18] The album was recorded at Rick Rubin's studio Shangri-La, in Malibu, California, where Gaga also made Joanne (2016) and the soundtrack to A Star Is Born (2018).[21]

In May 2024, during a Q&A session following the premiere of her special Gaga Chromatica Ball, Gaga revealed that she was deeply immersed in writing and recording the album. She described the material as "completely different from anything I've done before" and emphasized her exploration of breaking musical genres and incorporating new creative influences. Gaga explained that each song is a reflection of her own internal chaos, presented with a celebratory tone aimed at connecting with audiences in various settings, from a party to an intimate moment at home.[15]

Composition

[edit]

According to the artist, Mayhem is a tribute to her "love for music, bringing together a wide variety of genres, styles, and different dreams." In an interview with Los Angeles Times, Gaga stated that the album is heavily influenced by industrial music, stemming from her interest in exploring various facets of electronic music. She explained, "I loved learning about industrial music and the different areas of electronic music," and emphasized her ongoing pursuit of blending genres, saying, "I've probably been judged for not sticking to just one thing, but not doing so is my life force."[2]

Regarding its musical approach, she described it as "utter chaos" that "breaks a lot of rules and is a lot of fun." The artist cited influences including "'90s alternative, electro-grunge, Prince and Bowie melodies, guitar and attitude, funky bass lines, French electronic music, and analog synthesizers." From a genre perspective, she added, "It just feels good. It sounds good. It's about following your own chaos to wherever in life it may take you."[13][22]

Title and artwork

[edit]

The cover art for Mayhem was unveiled on January 27, 2025, through Gaga's official website and platforms.[23] Prior to the official announcement, promotional posters appeared in New York City, featuring a black-and-white photograph of Gaga accompanied by the album's title and release date written in red at the bottom.[3] The standard edition cover features Gaga with disheveled black hair and her face slightly distorted behind a shattered glass.[23] The back cover maintains the black-and-white scheme, with Mayhem written in a distorted and aggressive font, while Lady Gaga appears below in a more classic typeface, with the first "A" inverted.[24] The photoshoot was overseen by Frank Lebon.[3]

In an interview with Elle, Gaga revealed that the album's title corresponds to a character whose presence is felt throughout the fourteen tracks: Mayhem. In the music video for "Disease", Mayhem—portrayed by Gaga, dressed in black with long nails—appears as a blood-eyed figure driving a car.[13][3] Regarding the choice of title, Gaga stated that "the album was called Mayhem to memorialize a piece of me and a piece of life that is not always easy to accept."[25] She further elaborated:

It was hard at first to name the album Mayhem because I so much don't want that feeling to be real. I am also a hopeful person. I'm also somebody that is a dreamer, but what I think I ultimately arrived at is; it's all of the fractures of who we are and the fractures in the world and the mayhem of that brokenness that ultimately teaches us the power of joy, and dancing and crying and laughing and listening to music and holding your friends and your family and repeat! This album is fun and I enjoyed the contrast of a fun album that's also called Mayhem.[25]

Release and promotion

[edit]

During promotion for Joker: Folie à Deux (2024), Gaga confirmed that the album's lead single would be released in October 2024, with the album originally set to follow in February the following year.[11] She spoke about the upcoming project further during the film's press tour. On October 21, Gaga officially announced the October 25 release of the lead single, "Disease", via social media, and revealed a teaser of its music video the following day.[26] The following month, "Disease" was accompanied by the release of two acoustic versions: "The Antidote", performed on piano, on November 13, and "The Poison", performed on electric guitar, on November 20.[27] On December 15, Gaga performed "Disease" and "Die with a Smile" during a Christmas special of Carpool Karaoke released on Apple TV+.[28]

On January 21, 2025, Gaga launched a countdown on her website set to end on January 27.[29] Each day, the website showcased artwork inspired by her previous material, beginning with The Fame (2008) and continuing with The Fame Monster (2009), Born This Way (2011), Artpop (2013), Joanne (2016), Chromatica (2020) and Harlequin (2024).[30] When the countdown ended, the album's official album cover and March 7 release date were revealed.[31] On February 2, Gaga attended the 67th Annual Grammy Awards and debuted the music video for "Abracadabra" during a commercial break as part of a partnership with Mastercard.[32][33] Hot Ones, a YouTube series, released an episode featuring an interview with Gaga on February 13.[34] An appearance on the Vanity Fair "Lie Detector Test" web series followed on February 19.[35] Spotify will host a "Little Monster Press Conference" on March 6, during which Gaga will answer questions submitted by the singer's top fans on the platform.[36] On Saturday Night Live's March 8 episode, Gaga will take on "double duty" for the second time in her career, appearing as both the host and musical guest for the night.[37] She is slated to headline Coachella in April 2025.[18] Gaga confirmed through her social media that she will perform a free-entry concert on May 3 on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, which she called "Mayhem on the Beach".[38][39]

Singles

[edit]

On October 25, 2024, the lead single "Disease" was released.[40][41] An electropop and dark-pop song, it received mainly positive reviews and reached the top thirty in multiple countries, including the United States and United Kingdom.[42] "Abracadabra" was released as the second single on February 3, 2025.[43] The song's dance-pop energy and theatrical visuals drew comparisons to her earlier works, and it became the second top ten (and top five) entry from Mayhem and of Gaga's career on the Billboard Global 200 chart following "Die with a Smile".[44]

Track listing

[edit]
MayhemStandard edition[45][24][46]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Disease"
3:49
2."Abracadabra"
  • Gaga
  • Cirkut
  • Watt
3:43
3."Garden of Eden"  3:59
4."Perfect Celebrity"  3:49
5."Vanish into You"  4:04
6."Killah" (featuring Gesaffelstein)  3:30
7."Zombieboy"  3:33
8."LoveDrug"  3:13
9."How Bad Do U Want Me"  3:58
10."Don't Call Tonight"  3:45
11."Shadow of a Man"  3:19
12."The Beast"  3:54
13."Blade of Grass"  4:17
14."Die with a Smile" (with Bruno Mars)
  • Mars
  • D'Mile
  • Gaga
  • Watt
4:11
Total length:53:04
Mayhem Target exclusive edition[47]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
11."Kill for Love"   
12."Shadow of a Man"  3:19
13."The Beast"  3:54
14."Blade of Grass"  4:17
15."Die with a Smile" (with Bruno Mars)
  • Mars
  • Gaga
  • Emile II
  • Fauntleroy
  • Watt
  • Mars
  • D'Mile
  • Gaga
  • Watt
4:11
Mayhem – Artist store exclusive CD edition[48]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
14."Can't Stop the High"   
15."Die with a Smile" (with Bruno Mars)
  • Mars
  • Gaga
  • Emile II
  • Fauntleroy
  • Watt
  • Mars
  • D'Mile
  • Gaga
  • Watt
4:11
Mayhem – Japanese CD edition[49]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
5."Can't Stop the High"   
6."Vanish into You"  4:04
7."Killah" (featuring Gesaffelstein)  3:30
8."Zombieboy"  3:33
9."LoveDrug"  3:13
10."How Bad Do U Want Me"  3:58
11."Don't Call Tonight"  3:45
12."Shadow of a Man"  3:19
13."The Beast"  3:54
14."Blade of Grass"  4:17
15."Die with a Smile" (with Bruno Mars)
  • Mars
  • Gaga
  • Emile II
  • Fauntleroy
  • Watt
  • Mars
  • D'Mile
  • Gaga
  • Watt
4:11
Notes

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Die with a Smile (CD booklet). United Kingdom: Interscope Records, Streamline. 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Wood, Miakel (December 19, 2024). "Lady Gaga on Coachella, LG7 and the 'slightly subversive' 'Die With a Smile'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d Dailey, Hannah (January 27, 2025). "Lady Gaga Announces New Album 'Mayhem': Here's When It Arrives". Billboard. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  4. ^ a b Ramsden, Sam (September 6, 2024). "Lady Gaga Reveals Why Taylor Swift & Chappell Roan Make Her Cry". Bustle. Archived from the original on September 10, 2024. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  5. ^ Lutkin, Aimée (January 27, 2025). "All About Lady Gaga's Next Album, 'LG7'". Elle. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
  6. ^ Paul, Larisha (January 26, 2025). "Lady Gaga Teases New Single 'Disease' With Cryptic Website and Playlist". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
  7. ^ Aswad, Jem (September 3, 2024). "Lady Gaga to Drop First Single From New Album in October". Variety. Archived from the original on September 3, 2024. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  8. ^ Griffiths, George (January 26, 2025). "Everything we know about Lady Gaga's new album LG7: Release date, lead single, tracklist and more". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
  9. ^ Smyth, Tom (May 25, 2024). "No Joke(r), Lady Gaga Teases Her New Album". Vulture. Archived from the original on May 26, 2024. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  10. ^ Kaufman, Gil (October 21, 2024). "Lady Gaga Announces the Release of Her New Single 'Disease'". Billboard. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
  11. ^ a b Van Meter, Jonathan (September 5, 2024). "Lady Gaga on Joker: Folie à Deux, Getting Engaged, and the Joy of Making Pop Music Again". Vogue. Archived from the original on September 5, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  12. ^ Kaufman, Gil (July 29, 2024). "Lady Gaga Surprises French Fans By Blasting Snippets of Two New LG7 Songs on Street". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
  13. ^ a b c Jeffs, Lotte (January 27, 2025). "Lady Gaga Makes Some Mayhem". Elle. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  14. ^ Sanchez, Chelsey (January 28, 2025). "A Complete Guide to Lady Gaga' New Album, Mayhem". Harper's Bazaar. Retrieved January 29, 2025.
  15. ^ a b Spanos, Brittany (January 25, 2025). "Everything We Know About Lady Gaga's Seventh Album". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 24, 2025. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
  16. ^ Millman, Ethan; McEwan, Liam (January 26, 2025). "How Lady Gaga Embraced 'Exercises in Chaos' to Make New Single 'Disease'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
  17. ^ Monroe, Jazz (January 25, 2025). "Lady Gaga Announces New Album Mayhem". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  18. ^ a b c Eede, Christian (December 30, 2024). "Lady Gaga's new album is inspired by industrial dance music, features Gesaffelstein". DJ Mag. Archived from the original on January 14, 2025. Retrieved January 2, 2025.
  19. ^ Dunworth, Liberty (November 22, 2024). "Lady Gaga teases "chaotic" and "genre-bending" new album: "It's very fun"". NME. Archived from the original on December 13, 2024. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  20. ^ Kaufman, Gil (September 5, 2024). "Lady Gaga Reveals LG7 Release Date, Describes Fiancé's Marching Orders: 'You Need to Make Pop Music'". Billboard. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  21. ^ Curto, Justin (September 5, 2024). "Lady Gaga's Fiancé Told Her to Make Pop Music Again". Vulture. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  22. ^ Prance, Sam (February 3, 2025). "Lady Gaga explains "resilient" meaning behind 'Abracadabra' lyrics". Capital FM. Retrieved February 7, 2025.
  23. ^ a b Spanos, Brittany; Paul, Larisha (January 27, 2025). "LG7: Lady Gaga Sets Release Date for New Album 'Mayhem'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  24. ^ a b "Lady Gaga – Mayhem Standard CD". Lady Gaga. Interscope Records. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  25. ^ a b Jeffs, Lotte (February 3, 2025). "Lady Gaga Tells Us Everything You Want To Know About 'Abracadabra' After That Spectacular Grammys Reveal". Elle. Retrieved February 6, 2025.
  26. ^ Blistein, Jon (October 22, 2024). "Lady Gaga's Latest 'Disease' Teaser Depicts a Frightening Chase". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  27. ^ Richardson, Kalia (November 20, 2024). "Lady Gaga Drops Stripped-Back, Guitar Rendition of 'Disease'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  28. ^ Zemler, Emily (December 16, 2024). "Lady Gaga, Dua Lipa, Chappell Roan Appear in 'Carpool Karaoke' Holiday Episode". Rolling Stone Australia. Archived from the original on December 16, 2024. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  29. ^ Lopez, Julyssa (January 17, 2025). "Lady Gaga Seems to Tease 'LG7' With a Mysterious Countdown Clock on Her Website". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
  30. ^ Kaufman, Gil (January 17, 2025). "Lady Gaga Posts Mysterious Countdown, Hinting At 'LG7' Album News". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
  31. ^ Spanos, Brittany (January 24, 2025). "Everything We Know About Lady Gaga's Seventh Album". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 24, 2025. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
  32. ^ Aswad, Jen; Garcia, Thania (January 27, 2025). "Lady Gaga's Next Album, 'Mayhem,' Due March 7". Variety. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  33. ^ Willman, Chris (February 3, 2025). "Lady Gaga Premieres New Single and Music Video, 'Abracadabra,' During Grammys Commercial Break". Variety. ISSN 0042-2738. OCLC 60626328. Archived from the original on February 3, 2025. Retrieved February 2, 2025.
  34. ^ Dailey, Hannah (February 13, 2025). "Lady Gaga Recalls Wanting to 'Walk Away' From Music on Introspective 'Hot Ones' Episode". Billboard. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  35. ^ Frank, Jason (February 19, 2025). "Lady Gaga Confirms She Remembers 'Telephone Part 2'". Vulture. Retrieved February 23, 2025.
  36. ^ Borge, Jonathan (February 21, 2025). "Lady Gaga On 'MAYHEM,' New Lyrics, and a Special Spotify Gift for Little Monsters". InStyle. Retrieved February 23, 2025.
  37. ^ Shanfeld, Ethan (February 18, 2025). "'SNL' Sets Lady Gaga and Shane Gillis as March Hosts". Variety. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  38. ^ Dailey, Hannah (February 21, 2025). "Lady Gaga Announces 'Mayhem on the Beach' Concert in Rio de Janeiro". Billboard. Retrieved February 21, 2025.
  39. ^ "Lady Gaga confirmó oficialmente su concierto gratuito en Río de Janeiro". Ambito (in European Spanish). February 21, 2025. Retrieved February 21, 2025.
  40. ^ Paul, Larisha (September 5, 2024). "The First Single From Lady Gaga's New Pop Album Will Arrive Next Month". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 7, 2024. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  41. ^ Monroe, Jazz (September 5, 2024). "Lady Gaga Says New Album Is Out in February 2025". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  42. ^ "Lady Gaga - Biography, Music & News - Billboard". Billboard. Retrieved February 10, 2025.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  43. ^ "Abracadabra – Single by Lady Gaga". Apple Music. United States. Retrieved February 2, 2025.
  44. ^ Trust, Gary (February 10, 2025). "ROSÉ & Bruno Mars' 'APT.' Breaks Record With 15th Week at No. 1 on Billboard Global Excl. U.S. Chart". Billboard. Retrieved February 10, 2025.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  45. ^ "Mayhem – Album by Lady Gaga". Apple Music. United States. Retrieved February 4, 2025.
  46. ^ "Lady Gaga on X: "Get ready for MAYHEM"". X. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  47. ^ "Lady Gaga – Mayhem (Target Exclusive, CD)". Target Corporation. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
  48. ^ "Lady Gaga – MAYHEM Store Exclusive CD". Lady Gaga Online Store. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
  49. ^ "Mayhem [Regular Edition] [CD] – Lady Gaga" (in Japanese). Universal Music Japan. Retrieved February 26, 2025.