Harlequin (Lady Gaga album)

Harlequin

Company type	Soundtrack album
Industry	Music
Founded	September 27, 2024 (2024-09-27)
Founder	Lady Gaga
Products	Soundtrack album

Harlequin is a soundtrack album by American singer-songwriter Lady Gaga, issued on September 27, 2024, through Interscope Records. The collection features alternative versions and musical influences drawn from the soundtrack of the 2024 musical thriller film Joker: Folie à Deux, in which Gaga portrays the DC Comics character Harley Quinn.

Gaga referred to Harlequin as a "companion album" to the motion picture, with some media outlets also categorizing it as a soundtrack album alongside the official film soundtrack released one week afterward. Critics interpret it as a concept album focused on Harley Quinn, presenting the narrative through Gaga’s artistic lens. The album comprises covers of classic American jazz standards and includes two original compositions by Gaga, furthering her jazz exploration after collaborations with Tony Bennett on Cheek to Cheek (2014) and Love for Sale (2021). Gaga characterized Harlequin as a "vintage pop" record. Promotional efforts involved a video shot at the Louvre, featuring her rendition of "The Joker", along with a televised performance of the original track "Happy Mistake".

Critical reception generally applauded Gaga’s portrayal of Harley Quinn and her interpretations of the Great American Songbook, though some reviewers noted limited innovation compared to her earlier jazz works. Commercially, Harlequin secured top 10 positions in Austria, France, Germany, Scotland, Spain, and Switzerland, while reaching the top 20 in Belgium Wallonia, Italy, Sweden, the UK, and the US. It also claimed the number one spot on the US Jazz Albums chart, marking Gaga’s third chart-topping album in this category.

Development

After concluding The Chromatica Ball (2022), Lady Gaga withdrew from social media and promotional activities to concentrate on her role as Harleen "Lee" Quinzel (Harley Quinn) in the 2024 musical thriller Joker: Folie à Deux. In a June 16, 2023 Instagram update, Gaga revealed she had been "healing" while editing her concert film Gaga Chromatica Ball (2024), shooting Joker: Folie à Deux, and working on music for a "special project". During late 2023 and early 2024, she offered glimpses into new music via social media by sharing studio images and insights into her creative process.

At the London premiere of the film on September 25, 2024, Gaga discussed the motivation behind her album, stating, "When we finished filming the movie, I wasn’t finished with her. Because I’m not done with her, I created Harlequin." She described it as embodying "a complex woman who desires to be whoever she wishes at any given moment."

Harlequin marks Gaga’s first jazz standards album without Tony Bennett following their joint projects Cheek to Cheek (2014) and Love for Sale (2021). In an interview with Rolling Stone, she highlighted that the process was not sorrowful and felt Bennett’s presence throughout. Reflecting on their artistic relationship, Gaga noted that although Bennett was not fond of rock & roll, he admired her willingness to take creative risks and innovate.

Composition

Billboard characterizes Harlequin as a concept album revolving around Gaga’s "manic portrayal of Harley Quinn". In an interview with the Associated Press, Gaga confirmed that the album comprises songs featured in the film, original compositions created specifically for it, along with an exclusive track named "Happy Mistake". During a conversation with Entertainment Weekly, she explained that "Happy Mistake" conveys her personal challenges with identity and the emotional toll of embodying various personas throughout her artistic journey.

Release and promotion

On September 20, 2024, Gaga sparked curiosity by posting enigmatic content on Instagram, leading to speculation about her seventh studio album or its link to Joker: Folie à Deux. Four days later, on September 24, she officially unveiled Harlequin, presenting the cover art and describing it as a "companion album" to the film. Simultaneously, pre-orders for CD, vinyl, and digital editions became available through her official online store. The following day, Gaga announced a promotional partnership with the Louvre Museum, sharing a preview of "The Joker" accompanied by footage of her wandering the museum after hours and painting a Joker-inspired smile on the Mona Lisa. This initiative also served to promote the forthcoming "Figures Du Fou" exhibition scheduled to open on October 16, 2024.

After the movie’s premiere in London, Gaga hosted an exclusive listening event for fans to experience the soundtrack firsthand. On October 1, she delivered a live performance of "Happy Mistake" on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.

Cover artwork

The main album cover depicts Gaga in a shower setting with orange hair, dressed in a white gown and wearing a flotation device around her neck. A variant cover, available exclusively on vinyl through Gaga’s web store, shows her reclining on a bed within a disordered bedroom, also featuring her signature orange hair. This image references significant moments from her career, including collaborations with Bennett and highlights from the Joanne World Tour (2017–2018). The reverse side of the album presents a photograph of a cluttered bedroom wall adorned with the 1862 painting Stańczyk by Polish artist Jan Matejko.

Critical reception

On Metacritic, which calculates a weighted average score out of 100 based on mainstream critic reviews, Harlequin earned a score of 73 from ten critiques, signifying "generally favorable reviews". The aggregator AnyDecentMusic? compiled eleven assessments and assigned an average rating of 6.8 out of 10.

The album’s vibrant and uninhibited atmosphere along with its musical approach received widespread acclaim. Critics from Rolling Stone, Sputnikmusic, and The Irish Times praised Gaga’s impassioned interpretation of jazz standards. Mary Siroky of Consequence commended its daring nature and narrative quality, while Robin Murray from Clash described it as "distinctive, enjoyable, and extravagantly expressive," labeling Gaga as a "360 artist for the contemporary era." Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine and Melissa Ruggieri from USA Today highlighted Gaga’s vocal capabilities. Neil Z. Yeung at AllMusic regarded it as an invigorating addition to her catalog without any filler tracks.

However, some reviewers expressed more cautious opinions. Neil McCormick from The Daily Telegraph and Ludovic Hunter-Tilney of Financial Times viewed it as reminiscent of Gaga’s earlier jazz endeavors but noted her individual influence on the standards. Michael Cragg at The Guardian considered it more of an introduction than a fully developed album, while Helen Brown from The Independent felt it lacked the chaotic essence tied to Harley Quinn’s persona. Thomas Green of The Arts Desk described certain songs as "disposable." Rob Sheffield from Rolling Stone identified Gaga's original songs as the standout elements within the collection.

Commercial performance

Harlequin entered the US Billboard 200 chart at position 20 during the week of October 12, 2024, achieving 25,000 units sold in its initial week. This represents Gaga's lowest opening rank for a full studio album on this particular chart. Despite this, the album secured the number one spot on both the Billboard Jazz Albums and Traditional Jazz Albums charts, marking her third chart-topping release in these categories. Notably, Harlequin posted the most substantial first-week sales for a jazz album since Gaga's previous release, Love for Sale, which debuted with 41,000 units.

Track listing

Note

• denotes the main and vocal producer.

Personnel

Information derived from the album's liner notes.

Musicians

• Lady Gaga – lead vocals
• Tim Stewart – guitar on tracks 1 through 8 and 10 to 12
• Steve Kortyka – saxophone on tracks 1 to 7, 9, and 10; backing vocals on track 1; conductor and piano on tracks 2 and 11
• Daniel Foose – bass guitar on tracks 1 to 5 and 7 to 12; backing vocals on track 1; double bass on track 6
• Alex Smith – piano on tracks 1, 5, 6, and 9; backing vocals on track 1; organ on tracks 2 to 5 and 10 to 13; Wurlitzer organ on tracks 4 and 5
• Donald Barrett – drums on tracks 1 to 3, 5 to 7, 9 to 11, and 13; backing vocals on track 1
• Brian Newman – trumpet on tracks 1 to 3, 5 to 7, 9 to 11, and 13; backing vocals on track 1
• Ashley Wigginton, Seth Fetzer, Tim Brooks, Tyler Wigginton – additional vocals on track 1
• Adrienne Woods and Moonlight Tran – cello on tracks 2, 6, 9, and 11
• Adam Schroeder – saxophone on tracks 2, 6, and 11; bass clarinet on track 9
• Erick Tewalt and Rick Keller – saxophone on tracks 2, 6, and 11; clarinet on track 9
• Rob Mader – saxophone on tracks 2, 6, 9, and 11
• Curt Miller, Isrea Butler, Kirby Galbraith – trombone on tracks 2, 6, 9, and 11
• Dan Falcone, Gil Kaupp, Jason Levi – trumpet on tracks 2, 6, 9, and 11
• John Pollock and Tianna Heppner – viola on tracks 2, 6, 9, and 11
• Lauren Cordell, Mark Cargill, Naoko Taniguchi, Nicole Garcia, Rahmaan Phillip, Rebecca Sabine, Shigeru Logan – violin on tracks 2, 6, 9, and 11
• Nathan Tanouye – trombone on tracks 2, 9, and 11
• Bethany Mennemeyer – violin on tracks 2, 9 and 11
• Jacob Scesney – saxophone on tracks 2 and 11
• Tom DeLibero – trumpet on tracks 2 and 11
• Benjamin Rice – drums on tracks 4,5 ,8; percussion on tracks 4 ,10 ,12; guitar on track 12
• Sal Lozano – saxophone on tracks 6 ,13; flute on track 9
• Rashawn Ross – trumpet on tracks 6 and 9
• Michael Bearden – conductor and piano for track 6
• David Phillippus – trombone for track 6
• Juliette Jones – violin for track 6
• Brandon Lamonte Hawkins et al. – additional vocals for track 9
• Giovanna Clayton and Jacob Braun – cello for track 13
• David Campbell – conductor and piano for track 13
• Michael Valerio – contrabass recorder for track 13
• Brian Scanlon et al. – saxophone; Alex Iles et al. – trombone; Dan Fornero et al. – trumpet; Matt Funes et al. – viola; Ana Landaurer et al. – violin; Ashley Levin et al. – vocals all featured on track 13

Technical

• Emily Lazar – mastering engineer
• Serban Ghenea – mixing engineer
• Benjamin Rice – engineering across tracks 1–12; arrangement contributions throughout several songs
• David Boucher and Kevin Harp – engineering duties across various selections
• Noah Hubbell and Kaleb Rollins – engineering and vocal mixing specifically for track 13
• Paul Lamalfa and Joe Dougherty – vocal engineering along with additional engineering support
• Bryce Bordone among others provided mixing and engineering assistance
• Alex Smith and Steve Kortyka contributed arrangements across multiple pieces
• Lady Gaga alongside Daniel Foose arranged numerous compositions
• Arrangements also involved contributions from Michael Polansky, Tim Stewart, Donald Barrett and Brian Newman
• Danny Jonokuchi together with David Campbell handled arrangements for designated tracks

Charts

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Chart rankings for Harlequin

Chart (2024)	Highest position
Croatian International Albums (HDU)	11
Greek Albums (IFPI Greece)	25
Hungarian Physical Albums (Association of Hungarian Record Companies)	8
Japanese Digital Albums (Oricon)	37
Japanese Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)	37
Lithuanian Albums (AGATA (organization))	69

Chart (2024)	Highest position

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Chart (2024)	Highest position

! scope="row"| Portuguese Albums (Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa) |14 |}

Chart (2024)	Highest position

! scope="row"| Spanish Albums (Productores de Música de España)

Release history

Dates and formats for the release of Harlequin

Territory	Release Date	Available Formats	Record Label
Multiple regions	September 27, 2024	Streaming Digital download	Interscope
United States		Vinyl CD
Various locations	October 11, 2024
Australia	November 1, 2024			Universal Australia

See also

• Joker: Folie à Deux (soundtrack)
• Joker: Folie à Deux (score)