Is Lady Gaga’s newest album returning to her roots or ‘reheating nachos?’
Some fans said Gaga’s latest music sounds a lot like her early work. But critics and experts say this is the sound that made her successful.
When pop icon Lady Gaga began releasing music off her latest album, “Mayhem,” people said she was “reheating nachos,” meaning she was reusing a sound and lyrics.
Critics noted that Gaga’s latest release sounds a lot like her earlier albums, but reviewers, music experts and even Mother Monster herself said this isn’t a bad thing.
“This is people picking on Lady Gaga,” said Melissa Ferrick, a professor of the practice in music at Northeastern University. “It’s the sound from when she started, when she first found success. It’s certainly not exactly the same as what she put out years ago. Production styles have changed. We’re using new sounds, new approaches to recording. There are differences, they just are going to be more subtle.”
“Mayhem” is Gaga’s first original album since 2020, but she has been busy with other projects in the last five years. She starred in and made music for the “Joker” sequel as well as contributed to the “Top Gun: Maverick” soundtrack and created a crossover album with Tony Bennett.
After dabbling in different projects and sounds, Gaga is back to her pop roots with “Mayhem,” which many have compared to Gaga’s early albums like “The Fame,” given its dance-able tracks. Some of the lyrics even reference her earlier songs like “Bad Romance.” Pitchfork said the album is meant to “remind listeners why they fell in love with her in the first place, before the jazz belting or traditional singer-songwriter gravitas or movie stardom.”
When asked about “reheating nachos” in a recent interview, Gaga said: “I invented them and am proud of them.”
Ferrick, a singer-songwriter herself, agrees and points out other artists have done the same. Bands like Coldplay are instantly recognizable for their distinct style and Gaga is no different, she said.
“For an artist to become successful, (they have to find) a particular sound,” Ferrick said. “It’s been difficult for artists when they try to break out of that sound and do something new. … When they land on something that’s not only working, but feels good for them, they’ll stick with that and then hone that genre.”
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Once artists get big enough, many feel more comfortable experimenting, knowing they have a loyal fan base that’ll follow along with their new endeavors, whether it’s Gaga breaking into film with the 2018 remake of “A Star is Born” or Taylor Swift branching into a more folksy style with her 2020 albums “Folklore” and “Evermore.”
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But what often makes for successful transitions is the heart of the music. Someone like Swift or Gaga have the same voice and writing style even as they experiment.
“You could (compare it) to ‘White Lotus,’” Farrick said. “That has a particular feel to it, but different ensembles. We know somebody’s going to die, but we don’t know who. … (In music) it’s still Lady Gaga. It’s still Taylor Swift. There’s something about the way they write … it doesn’t matter if it’s just a guitar or a distorted guitar. Both of them are songwriters. They have something to say, so when you start from lyrics, the production is there to support that. The lyrics are really important. It’s at the center of their work.”
And, ultimately, Ferrick said fans of Lady Gaga will be pleased with her music.
“I don’t think any hardcore Lady Gaga fans care,” she said. “They’re probably psyched. She’s a true artist and I think true artists are able to work in different genres and mediums. … She’s been working in different genres of music. She is more than capable. She’s got one of the greatest voices of our generation.”
