Lady Gaga submits ‘Wednesday’ song ‘The Dead Dance’ for Emmys

Lady Gaga’s “The Dead Dance” from Netflix’s “Wednesday” will be submitted for Emmy consideration in the outstanding music and lyrics category.

The song was written and produced by Gaga and her frequent collaborators Andrew Watt and Cirkut (Henry Russell Walter). “The Dead Dance” can be heard in the second season of the Tim Burton-led series during episode 7. It plays when Enid (Emma Myers) and Agnes (Evie Templeton) perform a dance routine at the Venetian Gala.

Gaga, already a fan of the series, told me Tudum: “I got a call that the show was looking for music. I immediately had a song in mind called ‘The Dead Dance.’ Once I knew it would be for ‘Wednesday’ I decided to work on it even more and make it extra special for the show.

Gaga, who released the song last September, incorporated it into her Mayhem Ball Tour setlist. The multi-hyphen said the inspiration for “The Dead Dance” was about a breakup. “It’s about how we sometimes feel when it’s over — how ending a relationship can destroy our ability to be hopeful about love,” she told Tudum. “In the song I say, ‘I’ll keep dancing until I’m dead,’ which means I acknowledge that, and I keep going. I also say, ‘I’m taking back the power.'”

The cheerful song is anything but a sad song. It’s about transformation and celebration. Gaga said, “The middle of the song says ‘Do the Dead Dance, the Dead Dance’ over and over again. And that’s when the song isn’t just about the relationship. It’s about having fun with your friends when you’ve been through something hard and amazing.”

A creepy video directed by Burton was also released. In the video, Gaga stands on a wall surrounded by baby dolls before she begins her death dance and wakes up the dolls. She is joined by masked backup dancers for the chorus as day turns to night, the puppets bobbing their heads to the cheerful tune. Gaga produced the video with Michael Polansky alongside Burton and Natalie Testa. Costume designer Colleen Atwood designed the outfits for both the video and the show.

Gaga also made a brief cameo on the show as Rosaline Rotwood, a “legendary Nevermore teacher who crosses paths with Wednesday (Jenna Ortega).

Speaking about their collaboration, Burton, who directs and executive produces the show, shared Variety“She is such an artist and for me working with an artist is inspiring.”

Voting on the Emmy nominations begins on June 11.