How do you make a euphoric, 1990s-style dance-pop album while paralyzed by depression, PTSD, and chronic physical pain? We explore Chromatica, Lady Gaga’s 2020 therapy-pop concept album that turned her darkest moments into a vibrant, neon cyberpunk world of healing.

From the catatonic low point that preceded it to the crucial partnership with BloodPop, the deliberate choice of vintage house music as a sanctuary, and its accidental release into a locked-down world, Chromatica proved you can synthesize pain and joy on the dance floor.

• The years of rebranding and trauma that led into the album’s creation
• Recording dance anthems while battling fibromyalgia and depression
• Choosing 1990s house music for its history of communal release
• The hidden meanings inside tracks like 911, Rain on Me, and Sine from Above
• The pandemic pivot, bizarre promotional tie-ins, and lasting house-pop legacy