13-time Grammy Award-winner Lady Gaga debuted Harlequin, a surprise album inspired by the character Harley Quinn from Joker: Folie à Deux (ahead of the film’s wide release on 4th October). Out now via Interscope Records, the album was co-executive produced entirely by Lady Gaga and Michael Polansky, taking listeners on a genre-defying journey that captures the essence of one of pop culture’s most iconic and chaotic figures. Gaga announced the album via her Instagram this week, teasing fans with glimpses of the project.
Affectionately dubbed LG6.5, Harlequin is an exploration of the raw, emotional complexity of a woman who thrives in chaos, a genre-defying force who cannot be contained. Just like Harley Quinn and Gaga herself, this album is unpredictable, full of contrasts, and unapologetically bold.
Notably, Harlequin marks Lady Gaga’s first jazz-inspired album since the passing of her longtime collaborator Tony Bennett. The album represents a step forward in bringing classic standards into the modern era, as if these timeless songs were reimagined through the lens of all the music that followed. Gaga breathes new life into these beloved tracks, combining her deep love of jazz with a fresh, avant-garde approach, honoring the past while pushing it into uncharted territory.
What makes Harlequin unique is the way it floats effortlessly between all musical styles, pulling from whatever sounds felt right in the room.
A modern take on vintage pop, the album is influenced by the vast American musical lexicon —heavily rooted in blues and early American music. Songs like “World On A String” might be called jazz today, but when Tony Bennett released it, it was simply pop music. That’s the spirit of Harlequin, a record that defies labeling and taps into the essence of American music.
This is an album made in the purest sense, reminiscent of a time when musicians simply created the records they wanted to make. An album meant to be heard front-to-back, all at once.
From jazz to punk, funk to blues, and everything in between, Harlequin features unique and original arrangements of songs that evoke the vibrant chaos and emotional depth of the character. Classics like “Good Morning” and “Get Happy (2024)” are reimagined with additional lyrics–punctuating Harley’s rebellious spirit, while “Oh, When The Saints” and “World On A String” take on new meaning through quirky, high-energy arrangements that reflect her wild, untamed nature.
The album also features fresh interpretations of “If My Friends Could See Me Now” and “That’s Entertainment,” with a stark contrast in vocal performances that bring out Harley’s mischievous side. “Smile” is transformed into a haunting anthem of self-awareness and irony, while the track “The Joker” dives deep into Harley’s connection with the infamous Joker, giving listeners a glimpse into their twisted, yet profound bond.
Original songs like “Happy Mistake” and “Folie À Deux” serve as the emotional core of the album, combining raw vulnerability with chaotic energy, reflecting a woman’s struggle between her sense of identity and her descent into madness.
In standout tracks like “Gonna Build A Mountain” and “That’s Life,” the album takes a more introspective turn, showcasing Harley’s resilience, ambition, and her ability to reinvent herself even in the face of adversity. The poignant and dreamy “Close To You” offers a moment of quiet reflection amidst the album’s emotional highs and lows.
Harlequin was created, performed and recorded between Malibu and the famed Palms studio in Las Vegas while Gaga was finishing her Jazz & Piano residency in the summer of 2024. Gaga and Polansky brought together a handpicked roster of world class musicians, collaborators, and arrangers to craft an album that captures the spirit of Harley Quinn in every note. Gaga produced on all tracks alongside longtime collaborator Benjamin Rice. Whether it’s a crooning ballad over surf guitar, or an intense anthem set to the rhythm of war drums and clashing trash cans, every track bursts with energy and emotion.
As diverse and complex as the character and woman that inspired it, Harlequin is an album that celebrates a figure who thrives on danger, who lives for the undefinable, and who embraces the beautiful chaos of her own dreams. This is Gaga like you’ve never heard her before. This is Harlequin.
