Lady Gaga, commonly known for her pop songs “Bad Romance” and “Shallow,” has just released her seventh studio album. “MAYHEM” tackles Gaga’s experiences with romance, desire and chronic pain. While I’m not an expert on Lady Gaga’s discography, this album definitely got me in my feels. 

“Disease” and “Abracadabra,” both start this album with a bang. Gaga commented on “Disease” and the song’s meaning in an X post. It’s about facing fear and inner darkness, and how sometimes she can’t always win or escape the parts of herself that are scary.

Similarly, “Abracadabra,” which originally aired in a music video during a commercial break at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, hints that rather than simply existing everyday, we should aim to thrive in life. This is supported by the lyrics, “With a haunting dance, now you’re both in a trance / It’s time to cast your spell on the night.” 

The third song on “MAYHEM” is “Garden of Eden” which refers to life’s temptations as written in the New Testament of the Bible. This song, similar to “Abracadabra,” has elements of grunge mixed with early 2000s pop. In an interview with USA Today, Gaga said “Garden of Eden” is a song about the temptation of clubbing and all the bad decisions those partying can be seduced into making when alcohol is present. 

A perfect pairing on this album is “Perfect Celebrity” and “Shadow Of A Man.” In these songs, Gaga shares the unrealistic expectations she is held to in the music industry, especially in a male-dominated field. Listeners will always have different standards, so as an artist, Gaga finds it hard to please everyone’s tastes. 

Track five, “Vanish Into You,”  is without a doubt one of my favorite songs on this album. The electricity and catharsis in this track are more thrilling and reminiscent of Gaga’s older music. 

The lyrics “We were happy just to be alive / Can I vanish into you?” show how Gaga wants to merge with her partner to be insulated from the chaos of the outside world. 

Gaga pulled out all the stops with “How Bad Do U Want Me,” my favorite track on the album. Not only does track nine hit in all the right ways, but it’s also reminiscent of  “brat summer” energy –  the explosive culture surrounding pop artist Charli XCX’s June 2024 album, “brat.” 

The lyrics, “You hear my name, ’cause she’s in your brain / And I’m here to kiss you in real life,” suggest Gaga is making her partner decide between a false idea of another girl or simply her in real life. Rather than specifically mentioning another woman, Gaga refers to the socially acceptable side of herself that she is tired of displaying.

Next up is my personal least favorite, “Killah (feat. Gesaffelstein).” Not only is it not my typical pop-related taste in music, but the production and vocals are not Gaga’s best work. It vaguely reminds me of Taylor Swift’s “Vigilante Shit” which I’m not a big fan of either. However, I have to give Gaga props for exploring different methods of music and going out of her comfort zone on this one. 

Similarly, track seven, “Zombieboy,” instantly reminds me of a Rockwell song because of its ominous instrumentals and mysterious vocals. I can see this track being a classic spooky season song for years to come.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Gaga said that she recorded “Zombieboy” as a tribute to her late friend, Rick Genest, whose stage name was Zombie Boy. Genest was a Canadian artist who held a Guinness World Record for his full-body tattoos. 

I have mixed feelings about track 12, “The Beast”. While Gaga says one thing in an interview, I have a very different interpretation of the lyrics. To me, It seems overly sexual with the lyrics, “I wanna feel the beast inside / I know you’re hungry, ready to bite.”

“The Pre-Chorus of that song is, like, somebody that is saying to the beast ‘I know you’re a monster, but I can handle you and I love you,’” Gaga said in an interview with Zane Lowe. 

The second to last track on “MAYHEM” is “Blade of Grass.” Gaga wrote this song as a salute to finding her forever person. She also mentioned that by the time the album was finished, this was her favorite song. 

“[My partner] asked me how I would want him to propose to me one day,” Gaga said at Spotify’s Little Monster Press Conference. “We were in our backyard and I said ‘Just take a blade of grass and wrap it around my finger.’”

Last but not least, “Die With A Smile,” accompanied by Bruno Mars, is the final song on “MAYHEM.” Considered a comeback single for both artists who hadn’t released music in two years, the track went viral on TikTok after being released last August. In addition, the track won the 2025 Grammy for “Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.” 

“Getting to work with Gaga has been an honor,” Mars said in an interview with Variety magazine. “She’s an icon and she makes this song magical. I’m so excited for everyone to hear it.”

Whether you’re a fan of Gaga’s discography or not, “MAYHEM” is without a doubt worth a listen. Her grunge-pop mixed with a “Taylor-esque” revival is something every music-listener can relate to. 

Edited by Ainsley Bryson | abryson@themaneater.com

Copy edited by Chase Pray | cpray@themaneater.com 

Copy edited by Natalie | nkientzy@themaneater.com 

Edited by Annie Goodykoontz | agoodykoontz@themaneater.com