Lady Gaga teams up with Tim Burton for spooky, cinematic new video for ‘The Dead Dance’

Lady Gaga has shared the spooky Tim Burton-directed video for her new single ‘The Dead Dance’ – check it out below.

The track was released on Wednesday (September 3) to coincide with the release of the second half of season two of Wednesday, in which Gaga makes a cameo as Rosaline Rotwood.

Gaga wrote ‘The Dead Dance’ for the show, alongside Andrew Watt and Henry Walter, and now the track’s eerie video has been released. Its black-and-white visuals depict Gaga among a forest of abandoned dolls, with the song’s funk-inspired hooks bringing them to life.

Gaga’s angular dance moves invoke ‘Thriller’ and Rocky Horror Picture Show – watch the full video here:

Gaga has said: “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.”

Speaking at the season two premiere, Gaga explained (via Rolling Stone): “I had a wonderful time working on Wednesday season two, even just being a small part of the show.

“I loved working with Tim Burton and Jenna [Ortega], and everyone here, it’s so incredible. Thank you. I’m also here to confirm my song ‘The Dead Dance’ is coming.”

Ortega opened up about working with Gaga while at SXSW this spring, explaining: “It’s the best. She’s the best, definitely one of the most talented individuals I’ve ever worked with. It was just a really, really special environment to be there with her and Tim [Burton], two people that I respect and have been inspired by so much.”

Gaga is currently out on the North American leg of her 2025 ‘Mayhem Ball’ tour, which kicked off in July. It is in support of her new album ‘Mayhem’, and she is set to head to the UK later this month for four nights at London’s O2 and two dates at Manchester’s Co-op Live. Find any remaining tickets here (UK).

She was, however, forced to cancel a date in Miami on Wednesday (September 3) just before it was due to start, citing an “extremely strained” voice.

In a four-star review of ‘Mayhem’, NME wrote: “Ultimately, ‘Mayhem’ feels like a great Gaga album because it’s just so much fun. At times, it’s a bit like reconnecting with an old friend who makes sense even when they seem to be chatting nonsense. When she sings “river in my eyes, I’ve got a poem in my throat” on ‘LoveDrug’, it’s just her overblown way of saying she’s sad and tongue-tied. Seventeen years after she broke through with ‘Just Dance’, Lady Gaga remains pop’s foremost agent of impeccably crafted chaos.”

Meanwhile, Lady Gaga was recently added to the performance line-up for the 2025 MTV VMAs.

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