"Harlequin": Gaga’s Love Letter to the Crazy

Graphic by Hollie Raposo

BY maya sien

Lady Gaga’s unexpected new album Harlequin explores the demented mania of the character she takes on in the upcoming film Joker: Folie á Deux– none other than the infamous Harley Quinn. As Gaga’s voice dances along the melodies of some of America’s Golden Age classics, you can't help but wonder what is going on beneath the surface as each moment of vulnerability lures you further into this album's story—a story of theatrics, performance, and none other than “folie á deux.”

As Harlequin begins with the classic “Good Morning,” Gaga pumps up the spectacle like never before. With a big band sound and angelic choir backing up her every note, this listen becomes truly larger than life–not to mention the intense electric guitar, bass, and drums that carry the album to really push that “Joker” feel. It’s intense, electric, and ecstatic. Though Lady Gaga is often known for her theatrics throughout her career, there is something different about Harlequin, something that puts Gaga in her element like never before. Her voice flies through every song effortlessly in a truly astounding way. Not a single song left me without chills from Gaga’s wild yet graceful tone–a true testament to her style. The majority of the songs in the album do have a big band, larger-than-life feel, but they also have a touch of vulnerability–a moment of quiet before the lights hit the stage and the performance begins. Within these small moments, there is a glimpse into Gaga, or rather Harley Quinn, where we see the small moments of fear, doubt, and absolute insanity before the theatrics take over her mind. These small moments accumulate power throughout the album’s listen and eventually pay off in its stand-out moments. 

I will admit, despite all my praise, that this listen can get very redundant and repetitive, especially because there are only two original songs in the whole album. But this simply makes the highlights of this album stand out as unique pieces in Gaga’s discography. Things began to truly shift during Gaga’s unique adaptation of Broadway’s “The Joker”–the guitar roaring louder than ever before, giving weight to a tone of rage and depth that has not yet been reached thus far. This is then followed by, in my humble opinion, the most powerful track on the album and a standout in Lady Gaga’s music career as a whole, the first original track; “Folie à Deux.” This elegant waltz thrives on its simplicity– a stark contrast compared to the extravagant nature of the work that surrounds it. Gaga transforms into Harley Quinn at this moment, immersing the listener in this demented waltz that expresses a manic never-ending love. The haunting choir and musical dissonance bring this track to life in an unforgettable way.

This is not to discredit the following original song on the album, “Happy Mistake,” one of the few purely vulnerable tracks throughout this work. The acoustic sounds and imagery of the piece make it stand out among the rest. It is Gaga at her finest– making music that is powerful, tells a story, and immerses the listener in the tragic world that her character lives in. Gaga’s vocals reach new heights in this song that will make you want to rip your heart right out of your chest.

After these show-stopping numbers, Gaga concludes the album with an outstanding rendition of the Sinatra classic, “That’s Life.” It is a perfect representative of the listening experience that Harlequin provides. It is remarkable how Lady Gaga can reinvent these American classics into something that is so quintessentially her. Harlequin is a spectacle; boisterous, yet vulnerable, beautiful, yet utterly insane. It is Lady Gaga doing what she does best– creating beautiful art.