Here’s What You Need to Know About Lady Gaga’s Joker 2 Companion Album Harlequin

Here's What You Need to Know About Lady Gaga's Joker 2 Companion Album Harlequin

As a seasoned gamer and music aficionado who’s seen more movie sequels than I can count on both hands, I must say that Lady Gaga’s new album “Harlequin” has me absolutely smitten! The jazz standards and classics covered in this thirteen-track gem are like the perfect soundtrack to a late-night gaming session or a thrilling chase through Gotham City.


This week, Lady Gaga astonished her fans with the unveiling and release of a new album titled “Harlequin“. This thirteen-track collection hit the airwaves on Friday and is said to be a counterpart to the upcoming film “Joker: Folie ? Deux“. The album primarily consists of covers of timeless jazz standards and classics dating back over a century, some of which will be showcased in the highly anticipated sequel to “Joker“, with two original tracks, “Folie ? Deux” and “Happy Mistake”. Despite its cover-heavy nature, there’s plenty to glean from “Harlequin” regarding the impact of music on both the upcoming movie as well as Lady Gaga’s character Harleen “Lee” Quinzel.

One key insight from the film “Harlequin” is that Lady Gaga delves into the concept of personal identity. Known for being open about the intensity of her creative endeavors, it’s evident this carries over when crafting the character Lee for “Joker 2”. For Lady Gaga, the process revolved around the theme of “double personas” and discovering her character through music.

In her conversation with Apple Music, Lady Gaga explained that the concept of multiple personas has been integral to her songwriting process. The character of Harley Quinn (Lee) from the movie Joker particularly resonated with her, influencing her creatively on a deep level. The film’s rich musical background, filled with tracks she adores, allowed her to further explore and embody the character. This included not only singing and dancing but also donning costumes and makeup daily. As a result, the character lingered in her creative space, prompting Gaga to conceive an entire album inspired by Harley Quinn.

As a fan, I’ve pondered over how the Joker, particularly Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal in 2019’s film, delved deep into the concept of self-discovery, not just in terms of character development but also in terms of identity. In a dark and twisted way, Arthur Fleck’s transformation from a failed clown to the Joker was more than just a descent into madness; it was a journey where he uncovered a new version of himself amidst the chaos. This resonates strongly with Lady Gaga’s exploration of her character’s identity through music in the ‘Harlequin’ album, creating an intriguing parallel between the two narratives.

Lady Gaga has additionally called her album Harlequin both hers and one related to Harley Quinn, suggesting that the record, in a roundabout way, serves as a sort of precursor or origin story for the character.

As I reflect on this extraordinary piece of work, I see it as more than just a Lady Gaga album. It’s an embodiment of her artistry, yet it’s also deeply rooted in my character and my interpretation of female empowerment. That’s why the album transcends traditional genre boundaries.

She shared that the character resonated deeply within her, leaving an indelible impact on her creativity. Consequently, she felt compelled to create an entire album, inspired by this intriguing figure who is remarkably complex.

In discussing the album Harlequin, it’s worth noting that, beyond delving into the character of Lee, the song selections are intriguing when compared to Joker: Folie ? Deux. Although it remains uncertain which of the covers from the album will be included in the movie, it was announced this year that the film’s soundtrack will include fifteen cover songs. We’ve already seen previews of this with promotional materials for the movie featuring renditions of “Get Happy”, as well as “That’s Life”, “For Once in My Life,” and “What the World Needs Now Is Love”. Since many of the tracks on Harlequin are covers similar to these songs, the album offers fans not only a glimpse into Lady Gaga’s portrayal of Lee, but potentially a hint at what the movie’s sound might be like. Previously, Phoenix explained that he had to persuade her to sing off-key while filming to reflect her character’s energy.

Phoenix explained that he asked her to sing without using her vibrato, which he found too beautiful. He believed she felt exposed without it, but once she stepped away from the technical aspect, she discovered the unique voice of her character.

Although Harlequin won’t provide significant plot revelations regarding Joker: Folie ? Deux, Lady Gaga’s album provides valuable insights for DC fans, shedding light on Lee and preparing the musical landscape for the movie. Combined with the film’s official score released this week, we are gaining a clearer understanding of what to anticipate as we rejoin Arthur Fleck in theaters on October 4th.

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2024-09-29 02:09