Lady Gaga "Harlequin" LP

Red Vinyl 13-time Grammy Award-winner Lady Gaga releases Harlequin, a surprise album inspired by the character Harley Quinn from Joker: Folie à Deux. The album was co-executive produced entirely by Lady Gaga and Michael Polansky, taking listeners on a genre-defying journey that captures the essence of one of pop culture’s most iconic and chaotic figures. Affectionately dubbed LG6.5, Harlequin is an exploration of the raw, emotional complexity of a woman who thrives in chaos, a genre-defying force who cannot be contained. Just like Harley Quinn and Lady Gaga herself, this album is unpredictable, full of contrasts, and unapologetically bold. Notably, Harlequin marks Lady Gaga’s first jazz-inspired album since the passing of her longtime collaborator Tony Bennett. The album represents a step forward in bringing classic standards into the modern era, as if these timeless songs were reimagined through the lens of all the music that followed. What makes Harlequin unique is the way it floats effortlessly between all musical styles, pulling from whatever sounds felt right in the room. A modern take on vintage pop, the album is influenced by the vast American musical lexicon—heavily rooted in blues and early American music. This is an album made in the purest sense, reminiscent of a time when musicians simply created the records they wanted to make. An album meant to be heard front-to-back, all at once. From jazz to punk, funk to blues, and everything in between, Harlequin features unique and original arrangements of songs that evoke the vibrant chaos and emotional depth of the character. The album also features fresh interpretations of songs with a stark contrast in vocal performances that bring out Harley’s mischievous side. Original songs serve as the emotional core of the album, combining raw vulnerability with chaotic energy, reflecting a woman’s struggle between her sense of identity and her descent into madness. Harlequin was created, performed, and recorded between Malibu and the famed Palms studio in Las Vegas while Lady Gaga was finishing her Jazz & Piano residency in the summer of 2024. Lady Gaga and Polansky brought together a handpicked roster of world-class musicians, collaborators, and arrangers to craft an album that captures the spirit of Harley Quinn in every note. As diverse and complex as the character and woman that inspired it, Harlequin is an album that celebrates a figure who thrives on danger, who lives for the undefinable, and who embraces the beautiful chaos of her own dreams. This is Lady Gaga like you’ve never heard her before. This is Harlequin.