The end of 2024 promises to be a hectic yet delightful period for Lady Gaga and her devoted fans, affectionately known as 'Little Monsters'. The singer-actress recently announced her plans to release the debut single from her upcoming seventh studio album in October. However, Mother Monster has now unveiled an unexpected release: a soundtrack titled 'Harlequin', designed to accompany the launch of 'Joker: Folie À Deux', the sequel to the 2019 Oscar-winning film 'Joker'.
'Harlequin' is set to drop on Friday, September 27, just a week before the release of 'Joker: Folie À Deux'. This album will feature 13 tracks, all newly recorded renditions of classic songs such as 'That’s Entertainment', which are featured in the film. Scroll down for the complete tracklist.
Gaga stars in the sequel alongside Joaquin Phoenix, portraying a reimagined version of the iconic comic book character Harley Quinn – Harleen “Lee” Quinzel, an arsonist who idolizes the Joker. 'Joker: Folie À Deux' has been described as a “jukebox musical”, incorporating several musical numbers where the Joker and Lee perform showtune classics through song and dance.
The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where our review highlighted Gaga as one of the film's strongest elements. However, it was noted that she “feels underutilized as a supporting player rather than the main attraction.” Additionally, the bold decision to include song-and-dance sequences was criticized for not advancing the narrative or character motivations, feeling more like an excuse to feature Gaga. The chosen songs were also deemed overly obvious, with tunes like 'That’s Entertainment', 'I’ve Got the World on a String', 'What the World Needs Now', and 'Gonna Build A Mountain' eliciting groans, suggesting that the director might have struggled with the plot and resorted to padding with songs.
Read our full review of this underwhelming yet highly anticipated sequel, which is one of 2024’s most eagerly awaited releases. Here is the tracklist for 'Harlequin':
1. Good Morning
2. Get Happy (2024)
3. Oh, When the Saints
4. World on a String
5. If My Friends Could See Me Now
6. That’s Entertainment
7. Smile
8. The Joker
9. Folie à Deux
10. Gonna Build a Mountain
11. Close to You
12. Happy Mistake
13. That’s Life
This album marks Gaga's first release since 2021’s 'Love For Sale', a collaborative effort with the late Tony Bennett. Her last solo studio album was 2020’s 'Chromatica'. Gaga's upcoming original material album has been referred to as 'LG7', in contrast to 'Harlequin', which she labels 'LG6.5'. She has already confirmed that the first single from her seventh studio album will be released in October, with the full album slated for a February release.
'Harlequin' hits the shelves on Friday; 'Joker: Folie À Deux' will be in theaters worldwide on October 4.
