Lady Gaga Surprises Fans with New Album "Harlequin" Ahead of Joker Sequel
Lady Gaga has shocked fans by announcing the release of a surprise album titled Harlequin, set to drop on September 27. This companion record ties into her role in Joker: Folie à Deux, in which she stars alongside Joaquin Phoenix.
In a cryptic Instagram post, Gaga revealed the album artwork and simply captioned it: “Harlequin. September 27. A companion album to Joker: Folie à Deux.” Fans had anticipated her seventh studio album, LG7, for next year, with a single release in October, but this new record comes as an unexpected bonus.
Harlequin will be Gaga's first studio release since Chromatica in 2020. While she kept details about the album under wraps, her October Vogue cover interview hinted at a secret project, now revealed to be Harlequin. Gaga confirmed that LG7 is still slated for a February release.
Gaga’s collaboration with long-time producer Benjamin Rice signals that she’s been hard at work. Recent social media posts showed her in the studio, captioning one: "Just me in the studio – happy as ever making music. Feel so grateful, heart is peaceful. It’s like meditation. I can’t wait for you to hear what I’m working on."
Although she recently released a song with Bruno Mars, Die With A Smile, it’s not expected to be included in this album.
In Joker: Folie à Deux, Gaga plays the character Harlequin, a reimagined version of Harley Quinn. The film has a musical element, but both Gaga and director Todd Phillips have stressed that it’s not a traditional musical. Phillips explained, “Most of the music is really just dialogue... Arthur sings because he doesn’t have the words to express himself.”
Fans are now eagerly anticipating both Gaga’s musical return and her portrayal of Harlequin when Joker: Folie à Deux hits theaters.
