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Lady Gaga in a complex, dramatic, floral-themed Halloween costume stands in a deep red, spider-web-draped room, holding a shovel.

Creator and Artist Stories

Lady Gaga's Mayhem Halloween Ball: The Dead Dance, giant spiders, and the fans who danced their way to the stage

By Vivien Lewit, Global Head of Artists

Oct 31, 2025 [[read-time]] minute read

A large group of people in elaborate, colorful, and spooky Halloween costumes posing closely together in a dimly lit, party setting. Costumes include a green dress, a red outfit with white face paint, a black-and-white striped Frankenstein-style wig, and a blonde figure wearing a crown and a red dress. They are all looking towards the camera.

Last night Lady Gaga and YouTube brought “MAYHEM” to life with an epic Halloween celebration in the hallowed halls of La Paloma in Barcelona, Spain. The night of larger-than-life spiders, skulls, costumes and dancing ended with four lucky fans earning a spot on stage at tonight’s stop on “The MAYHEM Ball” World Tour.

Halloween is more than a holiday—it’s an aesthetic. It’s about finding beauty in the dark and power in the theatrical. Much like the world Lady Gaga has built for over a decade.

Lady Gaga in a detailed, pale pink and white floral and feathered costume with a large, white, conical headpiece stands on a stage or balcony, holding a large, silver accessory. They are brightly illuminated by vibrant purple and pink stage lights. Two backup performers stand on either side. A glowing, red YouTube logo is visible in the lower right foreground.

From iconic music videos to jaw-dropping live performances, Lady Gaga creates entire universes for her Little Monsters to live inside. "MAYHEM" is an embrace of chaos, transformation, and Gaga’s signature artistry. The music videos - “Abracadabra,” “Disease,” and “The Dead Dance” - are a visual feast, creating a new world for her community to explore.

A densely packed collection of dozens of vintage, creepy, and distressed dolls covering an entire wall or surface. The dolls vary in size and condition; many have cracked paint, tangled hair, missing clothes, or broken limbs. They are hung or attached closely together, creating a chaotic and overwhelming display. The lighting emphasizes the unsettling, aged appearance of the dolls, including one large doll in the lower right foreground with a detached or broken head and another with a gaping hole in its chest. The overall aesthetic is dark and macabre.

Bringing “The Dead Dance” to Life

"The Dead Dance,” spotlighted in the cinematic music video directed by visionary Tim Burton—and produced by Gaga and Michael Polansky, alongside Burton and Natalie Testa—quickly took on a life of its own with fans everywhere creating their own version of the signature moves and uploading them to YouTube Shorts.

Last night that digital celebration became a physical reality on Hallows-eve in Barcelona.

A dark, foreboding hallway dramatically lit by intense red light, creating a deep red filter over the entire scene. The walls and ceiling of the narrow passage are draped with white, translucent fabric or fake cobwebs, enhancing the sinister, tunnel-like effect. At the end of the hallway, a silhouetted figure stands in the distance, partially illuminated by a bright light source on a stand near their feet. Red uplights placed along the sides of the hall exaggerate the shadows and contribute to a spooky, Halloween-themed atmosphere.

Entering the historic La Paloma club, guests passed through an immersive spider corridor descending into a party that was a living embodiment of the "MAYHEM" aesthetic. Inside, hundreds of YouTube fans and creators, dressed in stunning costumes, were greeted by a spectacle of Gigantes puppets, drag artists and ballroom performers. To their surprise, reigning from a fantastical balcony above, was the Mistress of Mayhem herself - Lady Gaga!

A performer in an elaborate, high-contrast black and white costume with a dramatic bow tie and bold makeup stands behind a DJ booth, throwing up peace signs. The DJ booth features a large, glowing, red YouTube Play Button logo in the foreground. The background is a darkly lit, ornate archway.

The night was designed not just for fans, but with them. With Matyouz Ladurée as the night’s MC alongside Àlex Marteen and Monsieur Blaya behind the DJ booth, the energy culminated in a ballroom battle a.k.a a real life "The Dead Dance" competition. The prize? A spot on stage with Lady Gaga at tonight’s “The MAYHEM Ball” World Tour stop at Barcelona’s Palau Sant Jordi.

A large, crowded room, possibly a concert hall or nightclub, is bathed in dramatic green light from stage lights and spotlights shining down onto the audience. The crowd, densely packed and stretching to the back, has their hands raised and is facing a stage or central area. Above the crowd, a large, multi-legged spider-like figure or prop is visible, perched on a metal structure or scaffolding, which is topped with a grand, ornate chandelier. Bright beams of light diagonally cross the space, creating a dynamic, high-energy atmosphere, likely during a performance or Halloween-themed party.

Gaga encouraged guests to show off their best dance moves while her dancers selected top performers from the crowd to join them onstage. As she chose a selection of winners, the line between artist and audience blurred.

It was a powerful reminder that with Lady Gaga, spectacle isn't just something you watch—it's something you become a part of.

Don’t miss a second of Lady Gaga’s “MAYHEM” only on YouTube

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