All ‘Gag’ no ‘Awe!’: Lady Gaga’s new album, “MAYHEM,” is a complete disappointment and letdown to the music industry

Ever since the early 2010s, Lady Gaga has been an icon.

Whether wearing a dress made entirely of meat to the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards or jumping off the stadium roof during her 2017 Super Bowl Halftime show, I’ve always found Gaga unique and unafraid to differ from other pop artists.

However, when I listened to her new pop album, “MAYHEM,” released on March 7, each song left me more disappointed than the last.

Almost all 14 songs had the same tired dark-pop theme with echoing vocals and raunchy lyrics, which made the whole album sound identical and lack authenticity.

In “Killah,” featuring French DJ Gesaffelstein, the intro sounded promising, with electric guitar sounds and a classic ’80s pop beat that reminded me of early Prince rock. However, as soon as Gaga started to sing, I immediately cringed at her vulgar lyrics and the song’s forced attempt to sound like punk rock.

Even in her pre-released single “Abracadabra,” Gaga’s inability to create depth in her lyrics and constant use of an overdone techno-pop beat left the song sounding like something straight out of a cringy sci-fi movie.

Much of the album features small anecdotes from her past songs, such as “Disease,” in which Gaga sings, “I could play the doctor, I could cure your disease” — a homage to her 2009 song “Bad Romance.” Although I see how this could be nostalgic for fans, I was disappointed in how many of the songs sounded similar to her past albums. If I wanted to listen to her older music, I would just go to Spotify and press play.

I also noticed that in several songs, Gaga sounded eerily similar to other artists. For example, in “Zombieboy,” the clapping beat and chanting rhythm almost made me think I was listening to “Hollaback Girl” by Gwen Stefani. In “How Bad Do U Want Me,” Gaga sounds distinctly similar to Taylor Swift in “Hits Different,” with the electric beat and echoing choruses.

Although most pop songs have the same fast-beat rhythms and surface-level lyrics, Gaga was once known for her unique blend of pop and even rock sounds. Her powerful vocals and complex lyrics made her one of the only artists to explore individuality while also creating a catchy tune.

Unfortunately, “MAYHEM” left the best parts of her music in the past. Gaga sounds worn out, and her dynamic style, which once drew me to her music, is nowhere to be found.