Lady Gaga’s “Mayhem” Fails to Disappoint

Lady Gaga, who rose to fame 20 years ago for defying pop norms and remains a cultural icon today, released her latest summer album, Mayhem. 

Released on March 7, it has found remarkable success with tracks like “Die with a Smile” surpassing the iconic original “Poker Face” in popularity with over two billion streams. It has also been recognized as the fastest song to reach one billion streams on Spotify. 

The album stays true to her signature subgenre of pop and bears resemblance to styles found in her most well-known songs like “Just Dance.” Her Saturday Night Live performance of “Abracadabra” and a collaboration with Bruno Mars both contributed to the overnight success of Mayhem. Within hours of its release, ten of the fourteen tracks reached the top of national and global charts in over 20 countries.

“Die with a Smile” finds immediate success with a gorgeous duet between Gaga and Mars, with an upbeat theme of love and devotion capturing the hearts of many. It found widespread popularity on TikTok for its emotional chorus and it brings a welcomed variety to Mayhem’s overall tone. Other tracks like “Killah” bring back the dark theme, with heavy synth and vocal layers, and lyrics based on control and desire rather than the love and devotion found in “Die with a Smile.” It’s been well received by many for its subtle nods to Gaga’s early dark-pop music to go well with her other upbeat tracks.

With Mayhem, Lady Gaga not only delivers a critically successful album, but shows she still shines in relevance and pop culture as she did years ago. With a mix of nostalgia and modern twists makes this album deserving of its success.