This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s spring editorial intern Ky Tanella. Find them on Instagram at @ky.tanella. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
★★★★★
Lady Gaga’s highly anticipated new album “Mayhem” dropped at midnight on March 7th, and I was sat: headphones on, ready to be served. And serve she did. This is a pop album for the ages, it combines everything we love from Gaga and refines it into a modernized package. Lady Gaga’s Mayhem explained and comfirmed that the pop genre continues to be in the right hands, and Mother Monster is absolutely bringing it. I’ve listened to it a few times, and each listen just gets better and better. I would say my top 3 are: Abracadabra, Garden of Eden, and Killah! But that’s my opinion, let’s go track by track!
Disease
“Disease” was released on October 25th, 2024 as Mayhem’s second single, and reassured everyone’s theories that we’d be getting a pop album. I remember being so excited, especially when I saw the amazing music video, everything just felt so 2010s Gaga. There are a few theories surroinding the lyrics of this song in particular, but based on the music video (and Gaga’s interviews), this song points to her fight with her inner demons. More specifically, points to her separation from her real life persona (Stefani Germanotta) and the Lady Gaga persona. This was also alluded to her in her song “911” off her album Chromatica, detailing the breakdowns she had after an assault by her music producer. Throughout Mayhem, quite a few songs discuss the disconnect Gaga feels from people, and how she sometimes yearns for a sense of normalcy.
Abracadabra
“Abracadabra” immediately cemented itself as a pop hit on February 3rd, 2025, the third single off Mayhem. She and her crew put so much effort into the choreography and design of the iconic music video, and everything – from the costumes, makeup, and dancing – just sent me back to the 2010s! Both the video and the song will go down as one of Gaga’s more iconic releases, and for a good reason. I’m so happy they’re starting to play this in clubs, as it really does feel like a club banger for the ages.
Garden of Eden
Oh, she’s INSANE for this one. It could very easily fit into any one of her older albums – most notably, “The Fame” – but her vision feels more refined, specifically for the nightclub/dancefloor scene. I barly have words for this one, it completely transported me to the club – the synths, the harmonies, the choral hook, the biblical imagery and implying that she’s the serpent in the Garden of Eden. We’re so back.
Perfect Celebrity
This is feminine rage incarnate. It’s sarcastic, it’s mean, it’s sexy. Gaga is no stranger to discussing how paparrazi and fame negatively impacts women in the industry. Under smashing drums and growling vocals lies her anger, a desire to be free from her idol status, and an acknowledgment that she will be hated by someone, somewhere. The song obviously reminded me of her song “Paparrazi,” and more notably, her performance of the song at the 2009 VMA’s. This performance is iconic, largely due to her intense visual imagery; she’s literally bleeding on stage, and depicts the paparazzi as photographing her death. She was adamant about portryaing this message on the VMA stage, and wouldn’t perform without it. Paparazzi and media have killed women, and she’s not afraid to remind you.
Vanish Into You
This is an extremely standard, emotional love ballad from the Queen herself, and her vocals really shine on this track. Gaga leans into the overproduction and harmonies that have historically set her apartfrom the rest. It’s ethereal, like an open-window road trip with the love of your life; it’s full-bodied yearning, as she literally craves to be physically merged with the person she loves.
Killah (feat. Gesaffelstein)
Oh man, this one is groovy! The funky guitar riffs? Her screaming? Iconic. I knew it was going to be a favorite the instant it started. The track marks her first collaboration with Gesaffelstein, a French DJ who’s collabed with such icons as The Weeknd, Daft Punk, Haim, Charli xcx, and Pharrell Willaims. Gaga has stated how much she likes this song, and the fact that the only instrument being used/recorded was a guitar! It reminded me of her album ARTPOP, as most of the songs (notably G.U.Y. and Venus) discuss feminine dominance and power in the bedroom, especially over men. Prince is very obviously a creative inspiration for this song in particular, which really bleeds through in her vocals.
Zombieboy
Famously, my girl loves monster imagery and I was begging for another track just like this. She sings about her animalistic lust for something (or someone) in such a compelling way, and she absolutely hits on this motif throughtout the song. Outside of the lyrics, the bass is so utterly funky. It reminds me of a 70s disco bop, while injecting Gaga’s classic chanting, unique vocals, and as always, an incredible hook. That guitar solo is also incredible, I love how electric and autotuned everthing sounds. I’m definitely playing this one at my next Halloween party.
LoveDrug
Um, hello? It’s giving ARTPOP in the best way! There’s so much ethereal guitar in this album, it feels so grunge, and her lyrics are incredibly raw and heartwrenching in this one. In this album, there seems to be a theme of wanting desperately to escape from her emotions, and a need to “dance” through the pain. This is also a concept explored in her 2020 album Chromatica. This track is such a “crying in the club” song, and I know I totally will be after one vodka cran.
How Bad Do U Want Me
If I’m totally honest, I’m not sure how to interpret this song, so feel free to correct me! But, this track has such a lovey-dovey charm to it. Personally, I interpreted it as Gaga being driven crazy by the mixed signals given by the subject of this song; alternatively, the love interest as equally as confused, as they don’t want to mess up a relationship with her. It’s classic yearning, situationship behavior, and it feels like she’s asking for reassurance in a fed-up, angry way. The song gives sweet, 90s bop and I love that!
Don’t Call Tonight
Yet another “crying on the dance floor” bop that could fit perfectly on The Fame or Born This Way. It’s another break-up song filled with a crushing desire for the love she deserves. The lyrics are accompanied by an amazing, groovy bass line and short, snappy synths that just scream 1980s. I’m grooving, but there are tears in my eyes, especially with her lyrics: “Don’t call tonight / Tomorrow you’ll desert me.” It initially wasn’t my favorite, but defintely grows on me the more I listen to it, as I can’t believe how well-produced the song is.
Shadow of a Man
I know I keep saying this, but this one is straight from “The Fame Monster.” The club synths, the dance beat, the monotone voice she does during the chorus; everything about it is a certified 2010 club banger. I’m listening to it as I write this, and I want to get up and treat this bustling cafe like it’s a nightclub, or maybe I’ve just had too much espresso. Also, she’s dancing in the shadow of a man, and she “won’t be used for [her] love and left out to cry!” This could be pointing to her place in a male-dominanted industry, but I also love how most of her songs are about not taking shit from a man!
The Beast
The first time I listented to this, I couldn’t tell how I was supposed to feel: Are we sad or are we horny? Or maybe both? My flashlight is on at the concert, and I’m swaying back and forth, but we’re lusting over another monster, this time in the form of a werewolf (metaphorically). Her vocals are insane in this song, it’s so emotional, raw and slow, and full of desire – she’s taking it, and I have no choice but to sit back and let her. At this point, the album is beginning to slow down, and we’re gearing up for some emotional ballads. This one has some power behind it.
Blade of Glass
Sit Lady Gaga at a piano and give her a microphone, you can guarantee I’m crying. This an extremely emotional 2000s love ballad directed at her fiance, Michael Polansky. Her vocals are raw in this one, and you can really tell how much she loves him. There’s an intense key change in the last third of the song that had me wanting to fall to my knees in a parking lot – surely this song couldn’t get any better, and it did. The “blade of grass” she’s singing about is a reference to when Polansky asked Gaga how she’d want to be proposed to – they were in the yard, and she just asked him to take a blade of grass and wrap it around her finger. Like, are you kidding? So cute.
Die With a Smile (feat. Bruno Mars)
I was worried at first when I saw this was the closer of the album, worried that it wouldn’t fit the vibe of the rest of the album. However, she slows it down just enough in the last two songs to make this a beautiful ending, such a powerful little ballad. This song, made in collaboration with Bruno Mars, was the first single Gaga released on August 16, 2024. The iconic music video made its rounds on the internet, and cemented itself as an incredible ballad between two 2010s pop icons! It was insane to me that they never collaborated before, as they both blew up around the same time, they both have incredible voices, and have stayed relevant through decades of pop!
If this hasn’t convinced you to listen to the new Gaga album, I don’t know what will! It’s truly incredible, and will definitely be one of her more iconic pop albums, and I’m so glad I had the pleasure of listening to and writing about it.
I hope you enjoyed my review on Lady Gaga’s New Album Mayhem! Leave your thoughts in the comments down below!
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