As she celebrates the release of her latest album Mayhem, Lady Gaga has revealed that if given the chance, she would have loved to collaborate with the late John Lennon. During a fan-led Mayhem press conference, Gaga was asked about her dream collaboration—whether with someone alive or deceased. Without hesitation she named the Beatles legend, praising his impact beyond music.
Gaga has paid tribute to Lennon multiple times throughout her career. In 2012, Yoko Ono honored her with the LennonOno Grant For Peace. In 2015, she delivered a powerful rendition of ‘Imagine’ at the opening ceremony of the inaugural European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan.
During the press-conference, Lady Gaga stated: “I think it would have been John Lennon,” she shared. “He had such a beautiful heart, and that’s one of my favourite things in music history, when an artist isn’t just remembered for their songs, but also for their heart.” The artist also reflected on her deep admiration for Lennon by showcasing her peace sign tattoo, which holds personal significance. “This peace sign was always outside 72nd Street by the Dakota, where he was tragically taken from the world,” she explained. “Yoko Ono would leave flowers there every day. I got this tattoo because of that. I never forgot what he stood for, and it’s what I stand for too.”
Her connection to Lennon isn’t new. In a 2011 NME cover story, she compared herself to him, citing their shared struggle with creative satisfaction. “I am perpetually unhappy with what I create,” she admitted. “Even if I say ‘Edge of Glory’ is a pop masterpiece, I’ll always hear things I wish were different.” She recalled Lennon expressing similar frustrations in his 1980 Playboy interview, where he revealed he disliked certain songs despite their widespread acclaim.
That same year, she worked with Lennon’s former Beatles bandmate, Paul McCartney, on a track for ‘High in the Clouds’, an animated film based on McCartney’s 2005 children’s book. She once shared a behind-the-scenes Instagram photo from the studio, featuring McCartney and Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready. Recalling how their collaboration came to be, she posted: “Always a good time with my buddy. I’ll never forget when he called me to work together—I hung up the phone because I thought it was a prank!”
Lady Gaga’s highly anticipated seventh studio album, ‘Mayhem’, officially dropped on March 7, marking her first full-length release since 2020’s ‘Chromatica’. It also follows ‘Harlequin’, her companion record for ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’.
Praised for its bold sound, ‘Mayhem’ received a four-star review from NME, which described it as an album where Gaga “dials everything up to 11.” The review highlighted how she remains true to her signature maximalist style, resisting contemporary pop trends in favour of crafting longer, immersive tracks.
