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For pop superstar Lady Gaga, the past few years have been full of successes with few failures. “Rain On Me” from her last studio album, “Chromatica,” earned the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100, and her performance in “House of Gucci” provided her with favorable reviews and even an Oscar nomination for “Hold My Hand.”

However, her leading performance in the 2024 film “Joker: Folie à Deux” dampened her continuous success; the film received negative reviews and did poorly at the box office.

Now comes Gaga’s seventh studio album, “Mayhem,” released on March 7. Although it lacks lyrical strength, the album calls back to Gaga’s well-known theatrics in albums like “The Fame Monster.”

With 14 tracks and a run time around 53 minutes, the work is an amalgamation of Gaga’s last few years navigating the film industry and processing love, mental health setbacks and her relationship in the limelight. This album is her next major success, demonstrating true grit and being authentic while being a redemption from “Joker” 2.

The album opens with its first single, “Disease.” This dark pop track jumps into piercing synths immediately after a howling vocal opening, setting the tone for a sensational instrumental experience.

The song’s production fits well in today’s pop landscape filled with the sleazy party songs of Charli XCX’s “Brat” and the airy synth-pop of Sabrina Carpenter’s “Short n’ Sweet.” “Disease” is a dazzling return to the bolder side of the record, which highlights the chaos Gaga is known for.

The second single, “Abracadabra” is infectious with its chaotic energy. The song was released alongside a haunting, dance-heavy music video during the 2025 Grammy Awards ceremony, immediately drawing attention from watchers. With roaring, brutal synthesizers running the electropop track, it interpolates the 1981 Siouxsie and the Banshees song “Spellbound.”

The track takes listeners through a lyrical journey of commanding life by celebrating love and embracing the dark parts of it. Gaga channels pure chaos with the song’s pulsating beat and dramatic vocals, commanding listeners to the dance floor. “Abracadabra” wedges itself forcefully into the minds of many through its impeccable catchiness and enigmatic flair — on brand for the singer.

“Garden of Eden” is a standout song from this record, using the biblical metaphor for having frivolous experiences with hot strangers on a dance floor. The playful, sultry nature of Gaga’s singing encapsulates the hedonistic themes of the track.

The track merges Gaga’s best qualities, combining EDM with her usual synth-pop elements. One of three tracks on the album produced by French DJ and producer Gesaffelstein, the song creates a perfect blend of the indie sleaze aesthetic, pristine dance-pop and phenomenal vocals.

“Killah,” the main collaboration between Gaga and Gesaffelstein, is an encapsulation of “Mayhem” as a whole. The track is an experimental electro-funk song that contains an overstimulating electronic breakdown.

The lyrics explore the femme fatale, framing Gaga’s hunt for a single guy. Her vocals are almost seductive throughout the track. “Killah” is a true killer within the tracklist, marking its territory as a soon-to-be fan favorite.

One of the strongest tracks on the album, “Zombieboy,” delivers an unapologetic and blaring funky instrumental. The structure of the song is perfect, with spoken verses and dramatic singing throughout the chorus. The bridge solidifies this track’s marvelous energy, with a funky electric guitar break and lofty vocals. The track is a strong example of bedazzling already established “perfections” in pop music, making things edgier and more unique instead of softening her personable style.

Ilana Zahavy | Design Editor

The song “Shadow of a Man” resembles songs from Gaga’s album “Born This Way,” with its waving synths and spoken background vocals deepening the song’s impact. The chorus’s infectious melody captures the essence of funky ‘80s synth-rock.

It leaves listeners with a message of perseverance in a man’s world, triumphing over the hardships faced as a woman. A vocal feminist, Gaga delivers pure energy that makes the song very impactful to its listeners.

The fourth track, “Perfect Celebrity,” is a gritty announcement that Lady Gaga is the perfect celebrity. With influences spanning from grunge and trip hop, similar to Madonna’s innovative 1998 album “Ray of Light,” Gaga goes headfirst into her complicated relationship with celebrity, tearing through critics and the consequences of fame. This song is a great addition to songs with similar themes like “Paparazzi” and “Plastic Doll.”

Like “Perfect Celebrity,” “How Bad Do U Want Me” and “Shadow of a Man” draw significant inspiration from other notable pop releases, including Taylor Swift’s pristine synth pop on “1989” and Michael Jackson’s iconic post-disco classic “Thriller.”

The album finishes with “Die With A Smile,” a seemingly commercial push with a feature from Bruno Mars. Because the song’s already garnered awards, adding it to the end of the album makes sense for an artist of her caliber.

The middle-of-the-road soft rock production on the song creates a bittersweet ending to the chaos that ensued throughout the album. The concept of dying satisfied alongside a lover displays an overarching message of enjoying life’s pleasures to the fullest.

Gaga’s maximalist tendencies are packed into this record, chock-full of unremitting excitement and themes of struggle set to dance-floor beats. The album clearly achieved Gaga’s vision to portray havoc while lacking the cliches of a concept album.

“Mayhem” lives up to its name. It lights dance floors on fire and delivers unadulterated, shameless pop to her listeners after years of prioritizing other ventures.

Published on March 26, 2025 at 12:31 am