Lady Gaga finally releases the highly-anticipated “MAYHEM”
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TOP 5
5. Perfect Celebrity
“Perfect Celebrity” delves into the isolating effects of fame, highlighting how society often views celebrities as almost otherworldly. The track explores rigid beauty standards and the tightly controlled aspects of a star’s image, from body perception to public persona. It also touches on the backlash many celebrities, including Lady Gaga, have faced for expressing their true emotions or opinions. Through its lyrics, the song sheds light on these pressures and the challenges of living under constant scrutiny.
4. Disease
“Disease” serves as a powerful introduction to the album, blending a mechanical, techno-pop sound with grungy undertones. Dark, edgy, and sensual, the track explores themes of lust and using physical connection as a form of healing. With its modern twist on classic Lady Gaga vibes, it feels fresh and enticing rather than overdone, setting the perfect tone for what’s to come.
3. Zombieboy
“Zombieboy” is one of the most unique tracks on the album—it’s insanely funky and a total earworm. This song has everything, from a stanky bassline and epic guitar synths to a fun little guitar solo moment. It gives off major ’80s vibes, with a hint of disco undertones.
Gaga’s chant-like vocals immediately got stuck in my head, making me want to repeat them. She sings about a guy who’s a bit of a player, emotionally distant, but undeniably gorgeous—the kind of guy you take home but don’t want to keep. The song perfectly captures the feeling of meeting someone at a frat party, bringing them back to your dorm, and hoping you don’t awkwardly run into them on campus later.
2. Blade Of Grass
“Blade of Glass” slows things down significantly on the album, delivering a love song that feels both sorrowful and delicate—yet it isn’t a breakup song. Instead, it explores the fragility and vulnerability within a relationship, the anxiety and fear that come with it, and the courage to love despite those challenges. The song tells the story of a couple who uplift each other in their darkest moments, standing strong together despite the chaos and struggles around them. No matter what, they remain each other’s person in the end. It’s a truly beautiful track, filled with deeply emotional lines and powerful metaphors.
1. Die With A Smile
If I’m being real, “Die With A Smile” absolutely deserved to blow up the way it did. This track is packed with everything I look for in music—passion, emotion, and raw, relatable lyrics. Both Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars pour their hearts into this song, creating a deeply moving experience that resonates with so many people. Personally, it brings up memories of someone special, and even my toddler sings it with his whole chest.
“Die With A Smile” infuses R&B and soul influences into the album, standing out from the other love songs on the tracklist. The vocal runs are stunning, the execution is flawless, and Gaga and Bruno’s voices complement each other perfectly, matching each other’s energy throughout. I hear this song on the radio 17 times a day, and I still turn it up and sing along every single time.
SONG-BY-SONG RATING
1. Disease (4/5)
2. Abracadabra (4/5)
3. Garden of Eden (4/5)
4. Perfect Celebrity (4/5)
5. Vanish Into You (3.5/5)
6. Killah (Feat. Gesaffelstein) (3.5/5)
7. Zombieboy (4.5/5)
8. LoveDrug (3.5/5)
9. How Bad Do U Want Me (4/5)
10. Don’t Call Tonight (4/5)
11. Shadow Of A Man (4/5)
12. The Beast (3.5/5)
13. Blade of Grass (4.5/5)
14. Die With a Smile (Ft. Bruno Mars) (5/5)
RGM RATING
(80%)
Lady Gaga released her newest album, MAYHEM, on March 7th, and it’s exactly the 2025 comeback album I was hoping for. I was worried we might see a version of Gaga so drastically different that her music would feel unrecognizable, but thankfully, that’s not the case. In fact, this album screams Gaga in the best way possible.
The tracklist is packed with everything that makes Lady Gaga’s music truly stand out—it’s theatrical, a little campy, and full of techno elements blended with bubblegum pop, singer-songwriter ballads, and even hints of R&B. The album takes you on a journey through time, with some tracks channeling ’80s and ’90s vibes while others feel distinctly modern.
MAYHEM explores themes of love, lust, fame, identity, and heartbreak, keeping listeners on their toes with every track. One moment, you’re dancing; the next, you’re teary-eyed. It’s chaotic, wild, and absolutely beautiful, making me even more excited to see what Lady Gaga has in store for the future.
Ileyah is a mom, a writer and a musician. She loves late nights and gluten free snacks.
