Lady Gaga has released a new music video for her single The Dead Dance, her first collaboration with film director Tim Burton.
The video was shot at Isla de las Muñecas (Island of the Dolls), a small island in the canals south of Mexico City known for its macabre collection of dolls. Buried in local folklore and long a destination for curious tourists, the island provided the backdrop for a visually striking clip that alternates stark black-and-white sequences with sudden bursts of vivid colour and recurring doll imagery. The video incorporates choreography by Parris Goebel, with additional choreography credited to Corey Baker. Costumes were designed by Colleen Atwood. Production credits include Gaga and Michael Polansky alongside Burton and Natalie Testa.
The Dead Dance was produced musically by Gaga with Andrew Watt and Cirkut. The song premiered last night and was also featured in Netflix’s Wednesday Season 2 (Part 2), in which Gaga appears in a cameo as a character named Rosaline Rotwood.
Gaga has said the song was inspired by a breakup and the numbing effect the end of a relationship can have on hope for future love. She described the track as pairing that emotional core with an upbeat, 'funky' rhythm, framing it as both a breakup song and a tune for enjoying time with friends after a difficult experience.
See the video here.