MAYHEM is Lady Gaga’s seventh studio album after a five-year hiatus from music. The album rollout began with lead singles “Die With A Smile” and “Abracadabra,” both topping the U.S. Hot 100.
“I did want the chaos to end, and that’s why the record is the way that it is,” Lady Gaga told Billboard.
Blends of music genres were seen throughout the album from ballads, to early 80s-inspired synth-pop. “Mayhem,” is seen at the beginning of the album, while resolutions are seen sonically and lyrically towards the end.
Press Conference
Spotify hosted a press conference to support the rollout of MAYHEM. Fans were able to ask questions to the singer about the album. One fan asked about the sequel to the Telephone music video during the event.
“There will be but I’m not going to give it all away, you wouldn’t want that anyway,” she said.
My Ranking:
- Garden of Eden
- Zombieboy
- Vanish Into You
- Abracadabra
- How Bad Do U Want Me
- Killah (feat. Gesaffelstein)
- Disease
- Blade of Grass
- Vanish Into You
- LoveDrug
- Die With A Smile (feat. Bruno Mars)
- Shadow of A Man
- Don’t Call Tonight
- The Beast
Performances
Lady Gaga was the host and musical guest on Saturday Night Live, where she performed a theatrical dark-pop performance of “Abracadabra.” She also performed “Killah (feat. Gesaffelstein)” in a technicolor, 80s-inspired act.
Opinion
MAYHEM is a culmination of Lady Gaga’s work within her 15+ year career as a singer and entertainer. Sonically the album is incohesive, however, this is what makes the album work. Lyrically, the album grapples with everything from the struggles of fame to the imperfections of love.
I loved how she was able to craft a concept album with a resolution, with all of us facing mayhem on a day-to-day basis. This album shows us that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Towards the end of the album some slower songs such as: “The Beast,” did drag on for me. Other than one or two songs, the album was one of the strongest albums of the year so far.
