Lady Gaga brings ‘Mayhem’ back to pop music

By Libby D’Orvilliers

Friday was a historic day for “little monsters” everywhere. Lady Gaga’s freshest record, “Mayhem,” was released to thunderous applause and rave reviews from fans across the globe.

Lady Gaga is nothing short of a superstar and has been in the pop music scene for nearly two decades. That being said, I had some minor doubts that Gaga could bring anything fresh to the table with her sixth solo studio album. I was happy to discover that my doubts were not supported.

Having had Gaga’s discography on shuffle all week leading up to the album’s release, I thought I had a good idea of what was to be expected in the new album. Nothing could have prepared me for the wild musical masterpiece that was about to blast through my car’s stereo. 

Gaga’s past two records showed off her ability to be versatile. Her past solo record released almost five years ago, “Chromatica,” was very “of its time,” capturing the otherworldly experience of COVID-19 lockdown. While I absolutely adore her fourth solo studio album, “Joanne,” for its unique country-esque tones, it is good to see with “Mayhem” that we are ready to get back to the dance floor with a classic pop record.

The album opens with Gaga’s two previously released singles, “Disease” followed by “Abracadabra,” which started yet another viral dance trend. I feel like, despite these being the lead singles, the songs are more cookie-cutter, cut-and-paste-type pop songs in comparison to the rest of the album. These tracks were probably intentionally ready-made for the masses and the TikTok dance trends in order to garner hype for the record’s release. Not that there is anything inherently bad about writing a song with the intent to choreograph a cool number and music video to it, these songs just lacked the same unique flavor as the rest of the album.

Gaga is truly the expert at writing a catchy chorus. One that is just enough of an earworm that you will catch on quickly, but not one that will annoy you to no end by the third listen through — I’m looking at you “Don’t Start Now” by Dua Lipa.

For example, I found myself singing along to the chorus of the third track “Garden of Eden” on my second time listening to the album. This track has a beat that makes me want to run through the streets and dance like no one is watching, my hair going wild.

In speaking with fellow fans of Lady Gaga, I have heard several of my peers describe this record by comparing it to other “eras” or artists. For example, I have heard the album being called “Madonna-esque” and even that the song “How Bad Do U Want Me” sounds like it could have been on a Taylor Swift record. I found the latter statement particularly shocking. 

It is taking the easy way out to compare such a unique record to what has already been produced instead of viewing it as a new, separate entity. Gaga is unique. No one sounds like her and she does not sound like anyone else. This album is not an exception.

Weird and crazy and wild, “Mayhem” has all these expected elements of a classic Lady Gaga record. Yet, this record brings something new to the dance floor.

What it brings beneath all the tunes perfect for the club, is a peek into the star’s personal thoughts. For example, in “Perfect Celebrity” Gaga sings, “I’m made of plastic like a human doll / You push and pull me, I don’t hurt at all,” perhaps alluding to not only the pressure that being in the spotlight puts on her, but on women in all professions. Gaga has also noted that the track “Blade of Grass” was inspired by her real-life romantic relationship.

“Mayhem” provides the temporary escapism of a dance-pop track we need right now. If you listen closely though, Gaga still makes sure to keep us grounded in reality. Underscoring some of the bass heavy tracks, you will hear lyrics such as “I don’t wanna fade into the darkness tonight…Watch me, I swear/I’ll dance in the shadow of a man” from “Shadow of A Man.” Deeper lyrics like these capture the struggle that many women artists feel — that they have to have male “supervision” in order to stay relevant and successful.

Track eight, “LoveDrug,” keeps the high-energy record spinning at top volume, but also maintains more serious undertones. “I know this time/I won’t escape these thoughts in my head/I need you tonight/But I’m gonna fight the feelin’ instead/I don’t wanna feel, I don’t wanna cry/So I’m gonna dance until I feel alright.” This song captures the undertones of the record more explicitly and reflects that “dancing away the pain” is often a coping method that this album can provide. 

The 14-track-long album concludes with the Grammy-Award winning duet with Bruno Mars “Die With a Smile.” While incredibly crafted, this song has a completely different vibe from the rest of the record and not the song I would have chosen to end on. On its own, “Die With A Smile” is a fantastic song, but put at the end of a synth-filled dance-pop record, its slower ballad-like tone seems jarring.

Aside from the incredible selection of songs this record adds to Gaga’s discography, the artistic choices made in the packaging and promotion of “Mayhem” blew me away. From the broken glass imagery on the cover, to the bright red lettering on the merchandise, it is chaotic and messy — “Mayhem,” even — and I am loving it.

When you listen to this album, make sure you have the speakers up at top volume. Do this album justice, whether in the club or in your kitchen, turn it up and dance like no one—or everyone—is watching. The world is our stage little monsters. 

Libby D’Orvilliers is a junior psychology major