Dawn of Chromatica is the third remix album by American singer Lady Gaga, released on September 3, 2021, by Streamline and Interscope Records. Consisting of remixes of songs from Gaga's sixth studio album, Chromatica (2020), the album embraces an underground, hyperpop production and features collaborations with numerous pop, electronic and brazilian musicians.
Gaga's goal with her album was to display her love and support towards younger and upcoming artists. The featured acts include Arca, Rina Sawayama, Pabllo Vittar, Charli XCX, Ashnikko, Shygirl, Dorian Electra and Bree Runway, while retaining the contributions of Ariana Grande, Blackpink, and Elton John from the original album. Dawn of Chromatica received generally favorable reviews from music critics, who underscored its experimental nature. Commercially, it peaked at number 66 on the US Billboard 200, while topping the Dance/Electronic Albums chart.
Background and recording
On March 2, 2020, American singer Lady Gaga announced that her sixth album, Chromatica, was to be released on April 10. The album was later postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, though it was eventually released on May 29, 2020. On April 4, 2021, the album's executive producer, BloodPop, teased the possibility of a Chromatica remix album, asking his Twitter followers to suggest which artists they would like to see on such a project if it were to exist. He later replied to his tweet and tagged Japanese-British musician Rina Sawayama, who replied to it with a smirking emoji. He also confirmed he was working with British musician Charli XCX on a remix of the album's third single "911", and that the remix album would include an early version of "Babylon" that soundtracked an advertisement for Gaga's cosmetics brand Haus Laboratories. On May 8, BloodPop revealed on his Twitter that American musician Dorian Electra would be on the album. During an interview at the 2021 Brit Awards, Sawayama talked about the project, stating that "The wish is on the internet, and I've done my bit, let's just say that. So, it's in the works." She also hinted that the song she was featured on was "Free Woman".
On May 12, 2021, Charli XCX announced that production for the "911" remix had begun. Later that month, British musician Bree Runway revealed she was involved with the remix album during an interview on The Jonathan Ross Show, while on August 10, announcing she would appear on a remix of "Babylon" by tweeting out its lyrics. That same day, Gaga acknowledged the album for the first time, saying that it was "so f*cking " in a tweet, and American singer and rapper Ashnikko confirmed her involvement with the project. A snippet of her "Plastic Doll" remix was teased by RuPaul's Drag Race winner Aquaria during a DJ set in the weeks leading up to the album's announcement. During the same period of time, the brazilian singer and drag queen Pabllo Vittar hinted that she would be featured on a remix of the song "Fun Tonight" bringing dancing brazilian rhythms such as forró and brega-pop, and American producer Lil Texas confirmed his involvement by posting a short snippet of his remix of "Sine from Above". Other announced contributors include British musician Shygirl and Venezuelan producer Arca, who revealed to her Discord fan server that she had remixed Chromaticas second single "Rain on Me", which features American singer Ariana Grande.
In July 2021, Canadian producer and singer Grimes announced on her Discord that she had produced remixes of the three interludes featured on Chromatica. She mentioned that she initially missed the deadline to submit them to the record label, but later speculated that due to the project's delay, there would be time. However, after the album's official announcement on August 30, 2021, it was apparent that Grimes' contributions did not make the cut.
Talking about the album, Maureen Lee Lenker of Entertainment Weekly opined that "while most remix albums are a further celebration of the lead artist's music, the forward-thinking Lady Gaga uses Dawn of Chromatica to also spotlight some of the recent pop talent that's blossomed in her image." In an interview with The Wall Street Journal after the release of the record, Gaga said: "I love young artists and support them. All of them on the album have something to say, and they performed their hearts out."