Did Taylor Swift make a cameo on Lady Gaga’s 'Mayhem'? Rumor debunked

Lady Gaga’s latest album, Mayhem, has sparked notable speculation as many fans are convinced that Taylor Swift secretly lent her vocals to one of its tracks.

The rumors took off after listeners noticed similarities between Gaga’s How Bad Do U Want Me and Taylor Swift’s signature style. The social media platforms have been flooded with theories. However, it is now confirmed that Swift had no involvement in the song, Rolling Stone reports.

It all started when fans got their first listen to How Bad Do U Want Me, the ninth track on the brand new album Mayhem. The song features synth-pop production, reminiscent of Swift’s 1989 and Reputation eras, according to many. Some enthusiasts pointed out that the melody and vocal style sounded similar to Swift’s work.

The speculation reportedly escalated when listeners noticed a background vocal in the track echoing Gaga’s lyrics. To many, this almost whispery tone sounded just like Swift.

Rolling reports that one X (formerly Twitter) user posted side-by-side photos of Gaga’s Mayhem album art and Swift’s Reputation promo shoot, writing,

"THERES TAYLOR SWIFT BACKGROUND VOCALS ON HOW BAD DO YOU WANT ME BY LADY GAGA #MAYHEM"

Fans of both artists were quick to weigh in on the comments and their thoughts over the speculated Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga collaboration. Below are some of their remarks:

"Wait, Taylor Swift on a Lady Gaga track? That’s a collab I didn’t see coming! Can’t wait to hear how their voices mix—sounds like a major pop moment.", expressed a fan.

"Funny was just listening to it as I was reading and was thinking is sounded like Taylor lol", shared another.

"Omggggg I was thinking it sounded like something Taylor would put out but didnt wanna tweet it and get absolutely BASHED for it BUT I KNEW IT", chimed in a third.

---

Lady Gaga's 'How Bad Do U Want Me' does not have to do anything with Taylor Swift

The track does not sample Swift’s music at all. Instead, it interpolates Only You, a 1982 hit by British synth-pop duo Yazoo, Billboard reports. The song moves away from the darker pop sounds of earlier Mayhem tracks and leans into the relatively more 80s-inspired vibe.

Lady Gaga sings from the perspective of a 'bad girl' being pursued by someone who usually falls for 'good girls.' Despite the seeming resemblance to Taylor Swift’s sonic style from 2014 to 2019, she is nowhere in the credits. The song was co-written by Gaga, Andrew Watt, Henry Walter, and Gaga’s fiancé, Michael Polansky.

A source confirmed to Rolling Stone and Page Six that Swift had no involvement in the track. This puts the whole speculation to rest.

---

Read More: Sia x David Guetta: Beloved duo returns with dance anthem 'Beautiful People'