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Shadow of a Man (song)

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"Shadow of a Man"
Song by Lady Gaga
from the album Mayhem
Genre
Length3:19
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Official audio
"Shadow of a Man" on YouTube

"Shadow of a Man" is a 2025 song by Lady Gaga, originally released on her studio album Mayhem (2025). It was written by Lady Gaga, Andrew Watt, and Henry Walter, also known as Cirkut. The song was first teased in the concert special, Gaga Chromatica Ball (2024). Gaga has performed the song live in 2025 during various concerts in promotion of Mayhem, including Coachella 2025.

Release and composition

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A short audio clip of "Shadow of a Man" was played at the end of Gaga Chromatica Ball (2024), a concert film of her 2022 stadium tour in support of the album Chromatica (2020).[1] The full song was later released as the eleventh track of Mayhem's standard edition.[2]

"Shadow of a Man" received comparisons to songs by Michael Jackson (pictured).

The Times said "Shadow of a Man" has "the urgent swagger of Bad-era Michael Jackson".[3] Similarly, Pitchfork and Rolling Stone described "Shadow of a Man" as "Michael Jackson-tinged"[4] and "Michael Jackson-infused", respectively.[5] According to Billboard, "Over glittering electropop synths and disco guitars, Gaga points to the imbalanced expectations for female artists who are expected to do twice as much work for half the reward. As she brings up the energy to a frenetic peak on the bulldozing chorus, Gaga declares that she’s done being “the one to fall on the knife” when she did nothing wrong."[6] A Vulture article called it "a sleek, Thriller-inspired track about dancing through adversity".[7]

Consequence has called the song "emotionally resonant"[8] and said "Michael Jackson's spirit seemed to have briefly entered the studio during the production" of "Shadow of a Man", which "is where the album's energy undeniably peaks".[9] The Independent said the song has "gurning" guitars.[10] Beats Per Minute opined the track blends dark disco elements with sonic influences reminiscent of classic Michael Jackson, and interpreted the song's lyrics as a message of empowerment, particularly for pop artists facing constant scrutiny and questions about their relevance.[11]

Reception

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Attitude said, "The energy rises for album stand out 'Shadow of a Man', which sounds very much a piece with lead single 'Disease'. Here the artist summons the spirit of Michael Jackson while maintaining an exhilarating and unmistakably Gaga edge. An electric guitar riff is employed to great effect in the track's outro, leaving us wanting more of this vibe."[12] Jason Collins and Jamie Broadnax interviewed Gaga about the song. In a subsequent piece, they called it Gaga's "most truthful and introspective song" of her entire musical career, opining that the song references how Gaga has grappled with feeling overshadowed by male artists throughout her career, while also addressing the complexities of identity and personal growth.[13] Elle included the song in their list of the best new songs they heard in March 2025, saying "With rapid-fire lyrics and an infectious energy, it's one of the high points of her latest album."[14] A writer for the Iowa State Daily said "Shadow of a Man", "The Beast", and "Blade of Grass" stood out and said: "All of these showcase Gaga's great lyricism and they break down the album's themes. 'Shadow of a Man' is pretty explanatory for what it means just from the title."[15] According to Beats Per Minute, "Shadow of a Man" is an "addictive", "defiant and triumphant" track, and suggested that it would have made an excellent album closer and is a strong candidate for a future single.[11] AllMusic's Neil Z. Yeung found it an "effortless pop anthem".[2] Variety's Steven J. Horowitz felt the track "struts with the type of cool of wearing sunglasses at night".[16] According to Vulture's Kristen S. Hé, the song is "infectious, but it arguably suffers the most for being cut from the same cloth as Mayhem's other disco-funk tracks."[7] In Billboard's March 2025 poll of fans' favorite track on the album, "Shadow of a Man" ranked in the top five.[17]

Live performances

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The first live performance of "Shadow of a Man" was during Gaga's headlining set at Coachella 2025, followed by further promotional concerts the same year.[18][19]

Charts

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References

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  1. ^ "Yes, Lady Gaga Revisited Fan-Favorite Demos While Working on 'Mayhem'". Cosmopolitan. March 7, 2025. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
  2. ^ a b Yeung, Neil Z. (March 7, 2025). "Mayhem by Lady Gaga". AllMusic. Archived from the original on March 9, 2025. Retrieved March 8, 2025.
  3. ^ Potton, Ed (March 6, 2025). "Lady Gaga: Mayhem review — dancefloor bangers are the diva at her best". The Times. Archived from the original on March 7, 2025. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
  4. ^ Pinder, Jaeden (March 7, 2025). "6 Takeaways From Lady Gaga's New Album MAYHEM". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on March 8, 2025. Retrieved March 9, 2025.
  5. ^ Burn, Richard (March 7, 2025). "Lady Gaga 'Mayhem' review: An all-out pop microcosm of her career so far". Rolling Stone UK. Archived from the original on March 9, 2025. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
  6. ^ Daw, Stephen (March 7, 2025). "Every Song From Lady Gaga's 'Mayhem' Album, Ranked". Billboard. Retrieved March 9, 2025.
  7. ^ a b S. Hé, Kristen (April 11, 2025). "Every Lady Gaga Song, Ranked A deep dive into a star who almost single-handedly raised the bar for pop music". Vulture. Archived from the original on April 22, 2025. Retrieved April 22, 2025.
  8. ^ "Lady Gaga on Mayhem and Why SNL Is One of the Only Spots She Can "Do It All in One Place"". Consequence. March 6, 2025. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
  9. ^ Siroky, Mary (March 7, 2025). "In Mayhem, Lady Gaga Is Refracted and Reborn: Review". Consequence. Archived from the original on March 9, 2025. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
  10. ^ Brown, Helen (March 7, 2025). "On Lady Gaga's Mayhem, Mother Monster is back in all her shock-horror-bop glory". The Independent. Archived from the original on March 8, 2025. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
  11. ^ a b "Album Review: Lady Gaga – MAYHEM". Beats Per Minute. March 19, 2025. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
  12. ^ Grimes, Gary (March 7, 2025). "Lady Gaga MAYHEM review: 'Gaga in her most straightforward pop star mode since The Fame'". Attitude. Archived from the original on March 13, 2025. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
  13. ^ Collins, Jason; Broadnax, Jamie (March 6, 2025). "'Shadow of a Man': Lady Gaga's Most Truthful and Introspective Song Yet". Black Girl Nerds. Archived from the original on April 4, 2025. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  14. ^ "These Are the Best New Songs We Heard Last Month". Elle. April 1, 2025. Archived from the original on April 3, 2025. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  15. ^ Fobian, Dylan (March 9, 2025). "Review: Lady Gaga's new album 'MAYHEM' has a bit of everything". Iowa State Daily. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  16. ^ Horowitz, Steven J. (March 7, 2025). "Lady Gaga Returns to Her Dance Floor Roots — and Has a Blast — on Mayhem: Album Review". Variety. Archived from the original on March 7, 2025. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
  17. ^ Aniftos, Rania (March 13, 2025). "Fans Voted Lady Gaga's 'Vanish Into You' as Favorite 'Mayhem' Track". Billboard. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  18. ^ Frank, Jason P. (April 12, 2025). "Lady Gaga Played Chess with Her 'Poker Face' at Coachella". Vulture. Archived from the original on April 12, 2025. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
  19. ^ Paredes, Alberto (April 27, 2025). "Lady Gaga in Mexico 2025: This was her explosive concert at the GNP Seguros Stadium" [Lady Gaga in Mexico 2025: This was her explosive concert at the GNP Seguros Stadium]. La Crónica de Hoy (in Spanish). Archived from the original on April 27, 2025. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
  20. ^ a b Lady Gaga — Shadow Of A Man. TopHit. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
  21. ^ "Lady Gaga Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
  22. ^ "Top Singles (Week 11, 2025)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Archived from the original on March 18, 2025. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  23. ^ "Lady Gaga Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
  24. ^ "Official IFPI Charts − Digital Singles Chart (International) − Εβδομάδα: 11/2025" (in Greek). IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on March 19, 2025. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  25. ^ "Top 200 Singles Semana 11 de 2025" (PDF). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. March 20, 2025. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 20, 2025. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
  26. ^ "Top Radio Hits Romania Weekly Chart: May 22, 2025". TopHit. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  27. ^ "Top Radio Hits Russia Weekly Chart: Apr 10, 2025". TopHit. Archived from the original on April 11, 2025. Retrieved April 13, 2025.
  28. ^ "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  29. ^ "Official Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  30. ^ "Official Streaming Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  31. ^ "Lady Gaga Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
  32. ^ "Lady Gaga Chart History (Hot Dance/Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
  33. ^ "Top Radio Hits Global Monthly Chart: April 2025". TopHit. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
  34. ^ "Top Radio Hits Russia Monthly Chart: April 2025". TopHit. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
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