Lady Gaga’s Coachella 2025 Setlist: Pop Star Brings ‘Mayhem’ and Hits to the Desert

On April 11, 2025, the iconic Lady Gaga returned to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in a performance that many fans are already calling legendary. Under the starry California sky, Gaga delivered a powerful, theatrical, and emotionally immersive show that showcased not only her vast discography but also her newest artistic chapter: Mayhem.

Her setlist, a carefully curated blend of her biggest hits and fresh material, proved that Gaga remains one of the most innovative and compelling performers in the music world. From the moment she stepped on stage until the final dramatic note, the audience was transported on a sonic and visual journey that will be remembered for years to come.

A Night of Transformation: The Stage as a Canvas

Before diving into the songs themselves, it’s worth exploring the environment Gaga created. The Coachella main stage was transformed into something far more immersive than a typical concert venue. Massive LED screens, interactive platforms, holographic projections, and an elaborate lighting design worked together to bring her vision to life.

Each song had its own world. For “Poker Face,” the stage morphed into a neon-lit chessboard. “Shallow” was framed by a dusky desert backdrop evoking the intimacy of A Star Is Born. For songs off Mayhem, darker, gothic visuals dominated, introducing fans to a new and edgier Gaga persona.

The Setlist: A Fusion of Past and Present

Lady Gaga’s 2025 Coachella setlist was split into five acts, each reflecting a distinct mood and theme, progressing like a theatrical production. The transitions between acts were seamless, often bridged by short instrumental interludes, monologues, or visual storytelling on the screens. Below is a breakdown of the setlist and the narratives behind each act.

Act I: The Awakening

Theme: Rebirth, mysticism, and anticipation.

“Bloody Mary” – Opening the night with a hauntingly beautiful rendition of this fan-favorite, Gaga emerged from a glowing cocoon-like structure. Dancers in ethereal robes circled her as thunder and lightning visuals cracked behind her.
“Alice” – From Chromatica, this track continued the surreal vibe. Gaga, dressed in a futuristic white gown, led the audience through her metaphorical rabbit hole.
“Garden of Eden” – The first track from Mayhem of the night, this number introduced darker undertones. The stage burst into an electronic jungle, full of pulsing green lights and vine-covered platforms.

Act II: Fame and Fall

Theme: The high of fame and the darkness that follows.

“Poker Face” – One of Gaga’s most iconic hits, this version had a stripped-down intro before exploding into a full electro-glam spectacle. Dancers in black-and-white costumes performed synchronized moves on the massive chessboard.
“Monster” – A deep cut that resonated with long-time fans, this song brought a rock edge to the stage, paired with red lighting and monster-inspired visuals.
“Zombieboy” – A new track from Mayhem, likely named in tribute to late model Rick Genest (Zombie Boy), featured glitchy video art and haunting lyrics about identity and transformation.

Act III: Love and Loss

Theme: Vulnerability, heartbreak, and reflection.

“Alejandro” – Reimagined with a flamenco flair, Gaga brought Spanish guitar elements into this performance, dancing with masked figures in long black cloaks.
“Shallow” – Perhaps the most emotionally resonant moment of the night. Gaga performed this ballad seated at a piano shaped like a cracked desert rock, accompanied by a glowing moon backdrop. She dedicated the song to the cast and crew of A Star Is Born, and the crowd responded with a wave of cell phone lights.
“11:59” – Another standout from Mayhem, this track was performed exactly at 11:59 PM. The screen showed a ticking clock, and the lyrics explored themes of urgency and rebirth. Fans were amazed by the attention to detail.

Act IV: The Beast Within

Theme: Chaos, identity, empowerment.

“Scheiße” – With fierce choreography and martial aesthetics, Gaga and her dancers wore futuristic armor, challenging conformity and celebrating individuality.
“Replay” – A raw performance with strobe-heavy visuals and glitchy, looping effects symbolized mental health struggles and trauma. Gaga’s voice cracked at key moments, adding authenticity to the performance.
“Manifesto of Mayhem” – Performed as a spoken-word interlude, Gaga stood center-stage reciting lines about art, pain, and power. It was theatrical, intense, and entirely her.

Act V: Resurrection and Glory

Theme: Triumph, legacy, and love.

“Rain on Me” – Featuring holographic raindrops and synchronized fountains, the desert was transformed into a shimmering storm.
“Born This Way” – A celebration of self-acceptance, this anthem had a choir of LGBTQ+ youth from local California organizations joining her on stage. It was a moment of unity and joy.
“Mayhem” – The title track of her new album, this performance was dark, heavy, and industrial—complete with fire effects, digital destruction visuals, and Gaga dressed like a cyberpunk phoenix.
“Bad Romance” – The final song of the night, and a grand one at that. Gaga was “resurrected” on stage by dancers in plague doctor masks, rising into the air as the beat dropped. The crowd erupted in cheers, dancing and singing every lyric.

Costumes: Fashion Meets Narrative

As expected from Gaga, her wardrobe was a central storytelling device. Across the show, she changed outfits over a dozen times—from flowing angelic gowns to cybernetic armor to desert-goth couture. Each look enhanced the song it accompanied.

Her final outfit—a phoenix-inspired ensemble with fiery feathers and LED-lit wings—left a lasting impression, symbolizing both destruction and rebirth, much like the themes of her Mayhem album.

Fans React: “A Religious Experience”

The audience, both in-person and online, was overwhelmed. Social media lit up within seconds of the first act, with hashtags like #GagaCoachella, #MayhemBall, and #MotherMonster trending worldwide.

“It felt like being at church, if church had fireballs, screaming, and a thousand people crying,” one fan tweeted.

“She didn’t perform songs. She summoned them,” another wrote on Reddit.

Gaga herself took to X (formerly Twitter) after the show to thank her fans:

“What a night. Thank you, Coachella. You let me bring my madness to the desert, and I’ve never felt more alive. This is only the beginning. #MayhemBallTour”

Critical Acclaim

Music critics praised the performance for its bold concept, emotional storytelling, and cohesive production. Rolling Stone described it as “a masterclass in modern pop performance,” while Billboard called it “one of the most visually and thematically ambitious Coachella sets in recent memory.”

The Cultural Impact of ‘Mayhem’

Lady Gaga’s new era, Mayhem, is not just an album—it’s a statement. It explores chaos, rebirth, and human transformation in a digital age. Her Coachella performance acted as a live-action interpretation of that concept.

By choosing to debut multiple tracks from Mayhem at one of the world’s most-watched festivals, Gaga introduced the project with a bang. Songs like “11:59,” “Zombieboy,” and “Garden of Eden” are already climbing streaming charts, fueled by live performance buzz and viral clips.

What’s Next: The Mayhem Ball Tour

The Mayhem Ball Tour, officially launching in July 2025, promises to carry the spectacle of Coachella to arenas and stadiums across the globe. The tour’s teaser trailers suggest similar theatricality, with fans speculating it could rival The Monster Ball in scale and significance.

Early dates already sold out in cities like London, Tokyo, Los Angeles, and Berlin—proof that Gaga’s star power continues to burn brighter than ever.

Conclusion: A Historic Performance

Lady Gaga’s Coachella 2025 setlist was more than just a collection of songs—it was a statement, a journey, and a theatrical event rolled into one. By fusing her past hits with bold new material from Mayhem, she honored her legacy while pushing her artistry into daring new territory.

Her performance wasn’t just something to be watched. It was something to be experienced. And for those who witnessed it, either in the desert or through a screen, it was a reminder of Gaga’s unique ability to turn music into movement, chaos into choreography, and sound into soul.