Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars: The Duo We Didn’t Even Know We Needed
In a summer full of iconic collaborations, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars share
a delightful pop ballad
Lady Gaga has been teasing a new album for the past few months, and while “Die With A Smile” is not a part of what her fans have dubbed “LG7,” it’s a warm, romantic track with none other than Bruno Mars himself. A win on all accounts. However, I entered my first listen of “Die With A Smile” with a bit of trepidation. While I love Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars’ previous collaborations were pretty hit or miss for me – Silk Sonic was an absolute hit, and Cardi B an unfortunate miss. I found myself warming up to the single on the second listen, and by my third listen, it was officially catchy. There’s something about the two pop icons that works.
COURTESY OF INTERSCOPE
From the opening chords to the rousing build-up towards the end, “Die With A Smile” is an anthemic ballad that blends the catchiness of Gaga’s pop with the crooning quality of Mars’ R&B. Country aesthetics and twangy instrumentation give it an additional flare, but don’t be fooled: it’s not a country song. The highlight of the track comes towards the end as Mars dives into a lush, reverberating guitar solo. Similar to the countless Mars songs we know and love, such as “Grenade,” and “Talking to the Moon,” “Die With A Smile” is simultaneously swoon-worthy and devastating, envisioning two lovers who want to be together in their last moments by choosing to “die with a smile” in each other's arms.
"If the world was ending, I'd wanna be next to you / If the party was over, and our time on Earth was through / I'd wanna hold you just for a while / And die with a smile," belt Gaga and Mars on the chorus.
The aesthetics of the music video give a sweeping, retro feel to the song. Directed by Mars and Daniel Ramos, it features the duo in matching blue and red retro-Western outfits. With Gaga at the piano and Mars playing a guitar, the two look like they’re on a ‘70s TV show. Gaga bears a striking resemblance to Dolly Parton, complete with the signature mile-high, bright blond updo.
Summer 2024 has been full of iconic collaborations, from Charli XCX + Lorde (let’s face it, every Charli collab has been iconic), to Quavo and Lana Del Rey, and so on. However, in the midst of all of these matches, Gaga and Mars stand out. Like Lana and Quavo, they embrace a slightly Western touch on the track but manage to create a song that’s on par with Charli’s cultural relevancy. In the weeks following its release, fans took to social media to provide their own renditions of Gaga’s dance in the music video, showing that “Die With A Smile” has captured the hearts of fans around the world.
The pop veterans managed to create a song that’s as timeless as it is touching. There’s a grandeur in its simplicity, begging to be blasted on warm summer nights – with a smile, of course.