Chromatica

Chromatica
Lady Gaga lays on top of a grate with pink light underneath. A metal sculpture of a sine wave logo pins Gaga to the grate.
Studio album by
ReleasedMay 29, 2020 (2020-05-29)
Recorded2017–2020
Studio
Genre
Length43:08
LanguageEnglish • Korean
Label
Producer
Lady Gaga chronology
A Star Is Born
(2018)
Chromatica
(2020)
Born This Way The Tenth Anniversary
(2021)
Singles from Chromatica
  1. "Stupid Love"
    Released: February 28, 2020
  2. "Rain on Me"
    Released: May 22, 2020
  3. "911"
    Released: September 18, 2020
  4. "Free Woman"
    Released: April 13, 2021

Chromatica is the sixth studio album by American singer Lady Gaga, released on May 29, 2020, by Interscope Records and subsidiary Streamline. Gaga supervised the production with longtime collaborator BloodPop and a variety of other producers to create the album. Musically, Chromatica is a dance-pop record inspired by early 1990s house music, returning Gaga to her dance music roots and eschewing the stripped-down style of its predecessors Joanne (2016) and A Star Is Born (2018). The album's visual aesthetic saw Gaga adopt a cyberpunk-inspired persona.

Chromatica is a concept album centering on ideas of unwavering happiness and the pursuit of healing. Songs on the record encompass themes inspired by failed romance and mental health struggles in Gaga's private life. The music is distinguished by dense synthesizers, percussion, grooves, and orchestral arrangements that merge overarching melodies. Blackpink, Ariana Grande, and Elton John contribute guest vocals. Most of the recording took place at Henson Recording Studios and Gaga's in-home Hollywood Hills studio. Interscope advertised Chromatica through product endorsements and TV partnerships, although the marketing campaign was adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. To support the album, Gaga embarked on The Chromatica Ball concert series in July 2022, the first all-stadium tour of her career, after it was postponed twice due to the pandemic. It was commemorated in the 2024 HBO/Max special, Gaga Chromatica Ball.

Four singles supported the album, including the US Billboard Hot 100 top-five entry "Stupid Love", and "Rain on Me" with Grande, which marked Gaga's fifth number one song on the chart. "911" and "Free Woman" were released as singles in select countries. Chromatica was well received by music critics; the craftsmanship and treatment of the subject matter were praised, though the house production drew criticism from some. At the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, Chromatica was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album, and "Rain on Me" earned Gaga's second Best Pop Duo/Group Performance win. The album topped the charts in various countries, including the US, where it marked Gaga's sixth consecutive number-one on the Billboard 200. A remix album of Chromatica, titled Dawn of Chromatica, featuring an array of artists, was released on September 3, 2021.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Vulture was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Spanos, Brittany (May 30, 2020). "Welcome to 'Chromatica': Inside Lady Gaga's Triumphant Dance Floor Return". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 17, 2020. Retrieved April 23, 2022.