MAYHEM, Lady Gaga’s highly anticipated 7th studio album, is a love letter to fans following her evolution since her debut in 2008. Gaga returns to the theatrical pop anthems that initially catapulted her to stardom, paying homage to her roots all while avoiding rehashing previous eras.
The hype around a new album was first raised by “Disease” and the Grammy-winning “Die With a Smile” with Bruno Mars. However, with the third single “Abracadabra”, Gaga transports us back to 2009. She navigates the fine line of honouring her decade-defining hits, such as “Born This Way” and “Bad Romance”, while producing a unique career-defining highlight. After the diversions of Gaga’s career showcasing her range, such as her soft-rock album Joanne and cast recordings of A Star is Born, the single marks a renaissance of Born This Way Gaga.
The techno-rock success “Perfect Celebrity” is an intimate exploration of living under public scrutiny. Gaga directly addresses listeners, becoming a “human doll” to match the expectations of consumers. She plays with the listeners, smirking at how they “love to hate” her. The growling edge to her vocals embodies this fierce rage, amplified by infectious electric guitar riffs. The song grapples with her split identity and the person behind the fame.
Well-placed ballads and softer pop songs showcase the versatility of Gaga’s powerhouse voice. The synth-pop “How Bad Do U Want Me” could be a Taylor Swift bonus track, even sparking speculation of her performing backing vocals. Unlike “Abracadabra”, this track loses Gaga’s distinct voice and persona. Her songwriting shines through in “Blade of Grass”, but the intimate and heartfelt tracks are too few and far between; songs such as “LoveDrug” rely upon lyrical cliches.
The album is a journey through decades of music, combining ’70s funk with 2000s pop. “Killah”, featuring French producer Gesaffelstein, is explicitly sultry, accentuated by the call-and-response electric guitar and techno synths. “Zombieboy”, a tribute to her late friend Rick Genest, is “Hollaback Girl” meets Prince. However, the second half becomes oversaturated with electropop tunes.
From funk to techno to ballads, Gaga has been a musical chameleon, successfully changing with the times as well as honouring her roots. Despite favouring electropop at the expense of heartfelt ballads, this homage to her glory days reminds listeners of how she earned her superstardom and why she is a pop icon that is here to stay.
“Lady Gaga Vogue 2024 02” by VOGUE Taiwan is licensed under CC BY 3.0.