The release of Lady Gaga’s highly anticipated album “MAYHEM” introduced a new era for the iconic pop star by exploring themes of empowerment, love and chaos.
Lady Gaga has made a career for herself by pushing boundaries to inspire change in music through her creative expression.
From wearing a meat dress at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards to her speech at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards about transgender rights, she had consistently used her platform to challenge music and inspire inclusivity.
Listening to “MAYHEM” from start to finish, it is the kind of album that makes you lose yourself in the music, so much so that you forget you’re even driving.
“Abracadabra,” the second single from “MAYHEM,” immediately creates a mystical and magical vibe that is felt throughout the rest of the album.
This song is the most indicative of Gaga’s iconic hits like “Bad Romance” and “Applause” by creating an atmosphere of theatricality and avant-garde.
Through lyrics, “Hold me in your heart tonight / In the magic of the dark moonlight / Save me from this empty fight / In the game of life,” Gaga transports her listeners to a world of mysticism and vulnerability with dramatic flair.
Since its release, the song has accumulated over 170 million streams on Spotify, and I predict it will become one of the top-performing tracks on the album.
The second song, “Garden Of Eden,” represents introspective themes of temptation versus self-worth in contrast to the more upbeat nature of most of the song.
The orchestration along with Gaga’s melodic voice adds an ethereal nature to the song, making it a stand-out track by highlighting her emotional depth.
This track also explores aspects of open sexuality through lyrics such as, “I could be your girlfriend for the weekend / You could be my boyfriend for the night / My excuse to make a bad decision.”
Gaga intertwines themes of femininity and desire as we’ve seen throughout the album, while also referencing the tension between personal freedom and traditional religious values.
Later in the album, “Killah” featuring Gesaffelstein hits another tone shift, showcasing Gaga’s confidence through heavy techno beats as she sings about taking control of her desires and power as a woman.
“And the boys all pass me by / Talkin' some shit with your hand on my ass / I'm a murderer in disguise,” Gaga sings in the verse.
Track 8, “Zombieboy,” offers another refreshing moment to “MAYHEM”’s dark energy with a more campy disco aesthetic that is reminiscent of Chappell Roan’s recent success of “HOT TO GO!” with upbeat rhythmic lyrics.
The song is driven by groovy guitars and clap-along drum beat as Gaga narrates a night spiraling out of control in one of my favorite lines, “I could be your type from your zombie bite.”
Gaga commands attention through a sense of dominance and defiance over her listeners as she continues to reject the objectification of the traditional male gaze.
The traditional male gaze is defined by the expectations of a male fantasy that are subjected to women in media, according to a July 14, 2023 New Yorker article.
These darker elements begin to reveal themselves throughout the rest of the album as “MAYHEM” continues to blend powerful themes of liberation with dark metaphors such as in track 11, “Shadow Of A Man.”
“I don't wanna be the one to fall on the knife / To come alive I'm about to be there, I'm about to be there / Watch me, I swear I'll dance in the shadow of a man,” Gaga sings.
The last song of Gaga’s seventh full-length album has already seen early success with the pre-release single collaboration with Bruno Mars, “Die With A Smile.”
The song brings two of the most beloved artists of the early 2010s together and recreates their magic in a single that has continued charting since its release.
“Die With A Smile,”, currently stands at the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Global 200 chart and has stayed there for 10 consecutive weeks, according to Billboard’s website.
This track is emotionally powerful while being infectious and showcases some of the best vocal performances from Gaga and Mars in their recent careers.
Each track on the album feels uniquely Gaga while creating a brand new experience and her ability to evolve and push boundaries has grown with every album release.
With “MAYHEM,” Gaga further solidified her place as one of the most influential and daring figures in pop music through her commitment to pushing boundaries and I’m eager to see her artistry persist.
