"The Dead Dance" is a song by Lady Gaga. It was released on September 3, 2025, through Interscope Records, and was included on the digital reissue of her studio album MAYHEM. The track was written and produced by Gaga, Andrew Watt, and Cirkut, alongside material from MAYHEM.
The track is featured in the second season of the Netflix series Wednesday.
Background
The song was registered in the International Standard Musical Work Code Network (ISWC-Net) in March 2025, following the release of MAYHEM. One week before The MAYHEM Ball kicked off in July 2025, the official tour merchandise was released on Gaga's web store. Two of the merchandise pieces appeared to contain lyrics from song; a T-shirt with the line "When you killed me inside, that's when I came alive", and a grey fan with the line "Dancin' til I'm dead." Her main website also received an update, featuring a revamped web design with an interactive tarot card feature, which contained lyrics from songs on the album. One of the cards also featured the line "When you killed me inside, that's when I came alive."
During her virtual appearance on Roblox's Dress to Impress Q&A session on August 23, 2025, Gaga teased lyrics from the song via the chat feature. she shared: "TOTAL MAYHEM in here, who is excited for THE DEAD DANCE.", "You’ve created a creature of the night, now I’m haunting your air, your soul, your eyes."
On August 28, 2025, Gaga officially announced the song during the Wednesday Season 2 promotional Graveyard Gala event hosted by Netflix and Spotify in New York City. The immersive setting, inspired by Tim Burton's aesthetic, featured fog, raven props, and thematic touches designed to mirror the vibe of Wednesday. Guests were invited to step inside bespoke coffins for an exclusive first listen to a snippet of the song. In Netflix press release Gaga described the song as an emotionally charged, funk-inflected anthem about moving forward and finding joy with friends after heartbreak:
| “ | The inspiration for "The Dead Dance" was a breakup, and it was all about the way that we sometimes feel when it’s over; how a relationship ending can kill our ability to feel hopeful about love. It’s got this really cool, funky beat underneath it. And that is when the song becomes not just about the relationship; it becomes about having fun with your friends when you’ve been through something tough and amazing. I can’t wait for people to listen to it. | ” |
—Lady Gaga via Netflix press release | ||
Release and Promotion
Digital Release
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Label: Interscope Format: Digital download and streaming Released: September 3, 2025 |
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| # | Name | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Dead Dance" | 3:48 |
Release History
| Country | Date | Format | Label | Catalog # | Barcode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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September 3, 2025 | Digital download and streaming | Interscope | N/A | |
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September 5, 2025 | Radio airplay | Universal | ||
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September 9, 2025 | Contemporary hit radio | Interscope | ||
Performances
 Dates
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Show |  Channel
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|---|---|---|---|
| September 7, 2025 | 2025 MTV Video Music Awards | MTV & CBS |
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| Tour | Dates
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Performances |
|---|---|---|
| The MAYHEM Ball | Sep 11, 2025 - TBD | TBD |
| Total of performances | TBD |
Lyrics
[Verse]
Like the words of a song, I hear you call
Like a thief in my head, you criminal
You stole my thoughts before I dreamed them
And you killed my queen with just one pawn
[Refrain]
This goodbye is no surprise
This goodbye won't make me cry
[Chorus]
Yeah, I'll keep on dancin' until I'm dead
Dancin' until I'm dead, I'm dancin' until I'm dead
Yeah, I'll keep on dancin' until I'm dead (Dead)
I'll dance until I'm dead (Dead, dead, dead, dead)
'Cause when you killed me inside, that's when I came alive
Yeah, the music's gonna bring mе back from death
I'm dancin' until I'm dead (Dead)
I'll dancе until I'm dead (Dead, dead, dead, dead)
[Verse]
You've created a creature of the night
Now I'm haunting your air, your soul, your eyes
[Refrain]
This goodbye is no surprise (Is no surprise)
This goodbye won't make me cry
[Chorus]
Yeah, I'll keep on dancin' until I'm dead
Dancin' until I'm dead, I'm dancin' until I'm dead
Yeah, I'll keep on dancin' until I'm dead (Dead)
I'll dance until I'm dead (Dead, dead, dead, dead)
'Cause when you killed me inside, that's when I came alive
Yeah, the music's gonna bring me back from death
I'm dancin' until I'm dead (Dead)
I'll dance until I'm dead (Dead, dead, dead, dead)
[Bridge]
Do the dead dance (Dead)
The dead dance
Do the dead dance (Dead)
The dead dance
Do the dead dance (Dead)
The dead dance
Do the dead dance (Dead)
But l'm alive on the dance floor
[Chorus]
And I'm dancin' until I'm dead (Dead)
I'm dancin' until l'm dead, I'm dancin' until I'm dead
Yeah, I'll keep on dancin' until I'm dead (Dead)
I'll dance until I'm dead
'Cause when you killed me inside, that's when I came alive
Yeah, the music's gonna bring me back from death
I'm dancin' until I'm dead (Dead)
I'll dance until I'm dead
[Outro]
Dead (Dead, dead, dead, dead)
Music video
The music video for "The Dead Dance" was filmed at the Island of the Dolls (La Isla de las Muñecas) in Mexico on June 30, 2025 and premiered on September 3, 2025. Around July 10, video and rumours of the music video having been shot a few days earlier started to appear online. The video was announced on September 2, 2025.
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- Credits
- Director - Tim Burton
- Executive Producer - Lady Gaga, Michael Polansky and Ariel Leon Isacovitch
- Producer - Tim Burton, Natalie Testa and Bobby Campbell
- Production Company - The Roots Production Service
- Choreography - Parris Goebel featuring original choreography by Corey Baker
- Director of Photography - Andres Arochi
- Editor - Laura McMillan
- Post Production - Take 5 Productions
- Management - Bobby Campbell for Haus of Gaga
- VFX Supervisor - Jesse Kawzenuk
- Head of Production - Francisco Rojas
- Line Producer - Carlos Llergo
- Executive Prod. Coordinator - Carolina Arochi
- 1st. A.D. - Paco Llaca
- 2nd A.D. - Daniel Flores
- 2nd2nd A.D. - Nil Gironés
- Steadicam Op. - Josefina Matus
- 1st A.C. - Gustavo Guzmán
- 2nd A.C. - Mario Hernández
- VTR - David Bahena
- Video Operator - Alfredo Ríos
- Video Assist. - Aldo Torres & Juan Cerón
- Data Manager / DIT - Jorge Hernández
- Production Manager - Dann Castilleja
- Logistics - Juan Ramón del Valle
- Unit Manager - León Alonso Becerra
- Production Coordinator - Andrea Lozano
- APOC - Esbeidy Arevalo
- Office PA - Andrea V Estrop
- Key P.A. - Haciel Ortiz & David Ortiz
- P.A. - Juan Pablo Hernández, Jonathan Bobadilla, Christian Lara, Mario Ocaña, Eduardo Ríos & Fernando Guillen
- Safety Protocol Sheriff - Ana Lucia González López & Jordina Mateu Lagrange
- Director Chaperone - Samantha Arenas
- Celebrity Chaperone - Yamily Chiquini
- Chaperone Glam Team - Majo Mora
- Location Manager - Adrian Enriquez
- Costume Designer - Colleen Atwood
- Costume Assistant - Christine Cantella
- Key Costume Assistant - Ale Carlos
- Production Designer - Claudio “Pache” Contreras
- Art Team - Hector Iruegas, Isaac Medina, Gilberto Miñón, Katia Lozano, Sandra Colina, Renata López, Aranza Gómez & José Manuel Cruz, Erick Urbano, Samanta García, Pablo López, Felipe de Jesús Enríquez & Miguel Torres, Camila López.
- Mask Artist - Roberto Ortiz
- Mask Wrangler - Sara Matos
- Make Up VFX - Cale Thomas
- Key Make Up Assistant - Marco Hernández Ram
- Make Up Assistant - Gloria Serrano & Raquel de la Mora
- Playback - Daniel Balboa
- SPFX - Luis Ambriz
- Making Of / BTS - Camila Tapia
- Gaffer - Cristo Domínguez
- Key Grip - José Manuel Hernández
- Electrician / Grip - Oscar Ortega, Javier Mejía, Sergio Quiroz, Brandon Arismendes, Esteban Vargas, Williams Millerson & Oscar Jaramillo
- Catering - Hecho En Casa
- Catering & Craft - VIP Amigo | Pam Roches
- Client Service - Ramon Marroquin
- Key Hair - Frederic Aspiras for Haus of Gaga
- Key Make Up - Sarah Tanno-Stewart for Haus of Gaga
Promotional Images
- Photography by TBA.
Behind the Scenes
Synopsis and Fashion Credits
The music video for "The Dead Dance," directed by Tim Burton, is a gothic spectacle set in Mexico, Isla de las Muñecas (Island of the Dolls). At the very start, Gaga, with cracked porcelain skin, is one of the dolls, hanging from the wall before she "comes alive" and performs the track amidst creepy, dismembered dolls and zombie-like figures. Her choreography symbolizes resilience and rebirth after heartbreak, echoing the song’s themes of overcoming betrayal.
Reference
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