Cover Lady Gaga as ‘Mayhem’ in her new Abracadabra music video (Photo: VEVO/Youtube)
Lady Gaga as ‘Mayhem’ in her new Abracadabra music video (Photo: VEVO/Youtube)
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Lady Gaga is making waves again, and her latest project is filled with subtle clues, hidden references, and clever ‘Abracadabra’ moments that any ‘Little Monster’ will catch
There’s a lingering hope that whatever I say next comes across as unbiased—Lady Gaga stands out as one of my generation’s most intellectually engaging pop stars. As a wee girl, it was through her that I was first introduced to artists and philosophers I might have otherwise overlooked had it not been for the references she intentionally dropped all over her music videos, performances, and fashion statements.
Think the likes of Jean-Paul Sartre, whose epoch-making play No Exit she casually referenced in her 2014 collaboration with DJ Zedd, or her Applause music video, which draws heavy influence from the work of Spanish filmmaker Segundo de Chomón.
In her prime, she was the only one to challenge the status quo—while her contemporaries wore conventional outfits, she made her entrance on the red carpet in a giant egg or rode a unicorn while protesting for gay rights (this was 2013, two years before same-sex marriage was legalised in the United States).
It’s not that these ideas were entirely new, but if you were around the internet in the early 2010s, you would know that no one did it quite like her. In 2025, she captivates with yet another chart-topping hit, Abracadabra, and we are here to talk about it.
In case you missed it: Lady Gaga wears dress by Malaysian designers Rizman Ruzaini in her latest Vegas show
Below are references and Easter eggs for your entertainment!
‘Bad Romance’ reference
Above ‘Abracadabra’ lyrics reference ‘Bad Romance’
There’s something so enchanting about how Gaga inserts her name into the lyrics. In Abracadabra, she does this in the chorus: ‘Abracadabra amor, oh na na morta, oh Gaga’—a subtle reference to her iconic hit Bad Romance.
‘Abracadabra’ amulet dance formation
Above Lady Gaga references ‘Abracadabra’ amulet in a dance formation (Photo: VEVO/Youtube)
Above Lady Gaga references ‘Abracadabra’ amulet in a dance formation (Photo: National Geographic)
Lady Gaga references ‘Abracadabra’ amulet in a dance formation (Photo: VEVO/Youtube)
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The word abracadabra has a fascinating history. According to Dan Parke’s 2023 article, The Magic Behind ‘Abracadabra’ and Its Importance for Leaders, the term can be traced back to the third century AD. It is thought to have originated from ancient Aramaic, spoken in Mesopotamia, where the phrase avra kedabra was used, meaning ‘I create as I speak’. A similar Hebrew expression, abreg ad hābreg, also translates to ‘I will create as I speak’.
In her Abracadabra music video, Gaga taps into the ‘spiritual’ origins of the word, creating a triangular formation with her dancers, seemingly alluding to an amulet traditionally used as a protective charm.
Phantom of the Opera
Above ‘Phantom of the Opera’ influences ‘Abracadabra’ lyrics
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera influences Gaga’s bridge in Abracadabra. In the musical, The Phantom calls out to Christine Daaé, calling her his ‘angel of music’:
Sing, my angel of music
Sing, my angel
Sing for me
Sing
Sing, my angel
Sing for me
Gaga’s lyrics seem to be the reply, as she commands The Phantom:
“Phantom of the dance floor, come to me, sing for me a sinful melody.”
Related: Filipina Joanna Ampil takes on the role of Carlotta in ‘The Phantom of the Opera’
‘Alejandro’ references
Above Parts of Lady Gaga’s ‘Abracadabra’ music video seem to be a tribute to her pop hit Alejandro (Photo: Jbooxie/Reddit)
Parts of Lady Gaga’s ‘Abracadabra’ music video seem to be a tribute to her pop hit Alejandro (Photo: Jbooxie/Reddit)
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From camera angles, choreography, and set design, the Abracadabra music video pays homage to her 2010 pop hit Alejandro, where she boldly explored themes of love, power, and rebellion.
A fight within herself
Above Lady Gaga and her ‘Mayhem’ alter ego in Disease and Abracadabra music video (Photo: Disease MV/Youtube)
Lady Gaga and her ‘Mayhem’ alter ego in Disease and Abracadabra music video (Photo: Disease MV/Youtube)
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From a fan’s perspective, Gaga’s alter ego, Mayhem, has been pursuing her in both Disease and Abracadabra music videos. Gaga appears to be running from her, afraid of the past versions of herself she struggles to accept.
In both videos, Gaga is confronted by her alter ego, symbolising the internal conflict between who she was and who she has become.
In May 2024, the pop star released a poem titled A Poem for A Monster—and we all believe the entire album will explore this theme.
If you could walk with air under your feet
You’d find imagination is complete
With buoyancy and complicated turns
With heartbreak always nudging us to yearn
I found a way back to myself again
With different tones, and metals I could bend
I hope that you will love me in this way
For who I am—not then—but for today
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Jove holds a degree in Journalism and is currently pursuing graduate studies in Philosophy at the University of the Philippines–Diliman. She has flair for in-depth, interview-driven stories that explore politics and culture, shaped by her background in national broadsheets.
When she’s not on assignment, Jove spends her days painting, sipping lemonade, and walking her dog, Jupiter. She can often be seen in Escolta with a film camera in hand, browsing novelty shops in search of rare memorabilia. For leads, reach her at Jove@tatlerphilippines.com.
