Lady Gaga has taken on a challenging new role, transforming her singing voice to portray Harley Quinn in the highly anticipated musical sequel “Joker: Folie à Deux,” where she stars alongside Joaquin Phoenix.
In a recent interview, Gaga opened up about the vocal transformation she underwent for the film, emphasizing that her approach was a significant departure from her previous work.
“People know me by my stage name, Lady Gaga, right? That’s me as a performer, but that is not what this movie is; I’m playing a character,” she explained. “So I worked a lot on the way that I sang to come from Lee and to not come from me as a performer.”
Understanding that the soundtrack would be integral to the film’s narrative, the “A Star Is Born” actress knew the music had to be handled with precision.
“How do you take music and have it just be an extension of the dialogue, as opposed to breaking into song for no conceivable reason?” Gaga pondered. “It was unlike anything I’ve ever done before.”
This new vocal approach allowed Gaga to explore an aspect of her performance her audience had never seen.
“For me, there’s plenty of bum notes, actually, from Lee,” she said, laughing about her singing voice in the movie. “I’m a trained singer, right? So even my breathing was different when I sang as Lee. When I breathe to sing onstage, I have this very controlled way to make sure that I’m on pitch and it’s sustained at the right rhythm and amount of time, but Lee would never know how to do any of that. So it’s like removing the technicality of the whole thing, removing my perceived art form from it all and completely being inside of who she is.”
“Joker: Folie à Deux,” a sequel to the 2019 Academy Award-winning “Joker,” follows Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix), a struggling comedian who finds love with Harley Quinn (Lady Gaga) while being held at Arkham State Hospital. Upon their release, the couple embarks on a tragic and ill-fated romantic journey.
Director Todd Phillips shared with Empire magazine how Lady Gaga’s portrayal of Harley Quinn offers a fresh and distinct spin on the iconic character, deviating from previous interpretations.
“Joker: Folie à Deux” is set to hit theaters on October 4, promising a unique blend of music and storytelling that fans won’t want to miss.