The song received generally positive reviews from critics, who singled it out as one of the strongest tracks onMayhem and praised its production while also noting influences from her earlier works. Commercially, it charted in several countries following the release of its parent album, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Ireland, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as well as on theBillboard Global 200.
Gaga performed "Garden of Eden" live at several events, including her 2025promotional concerts andThe Mayhem Ball tour (2025–2026). During these shows, she appeared in a black outfit and played electric guitar, with the stage illuminated in green lighting.
In March 2024,Lady Gaga stated that she was writing "some of the best songs she could remember" and revealed that work on her upcoming album had begun in 2022 while she was on herChromatica Ball tour (2022).[1][2] Following the announcement of her studio albumMayhem (2025), Gaga revealed the song title as part of the tracklist on February 18, 2025.[3] Lyrics from the song circulated a day earlier on her official website in a string of cryptic teasers.[4] On March 5, she previewed the song through anESPN commercial that features the song over clips and montages ofFormula One racing.[5]
"Garden of Eden" was written and produced by Gaga,Andrew Watt,Cirkut, andGesaffelstein. Gaga performed lead vocals and played synthesizers, while Watt contributed bass, drums, guitars, percussion, and synthesizers. Cirkut handled drums, programming, synthesizers, and keyboards, and Gesaffelstein provided programming. It was recorded atShangri-La in Malibu, California, by Paul Lamalfa, with additional engineering by Marco Sonzini. Tommy Turner and Tyler Harris served as assistant recording engineers. The song wasmixed bySerban Ghenea at Mixstar Studios inVirginia Beach, Virginia, with Bryce Bordone as assistant mixing engineer, andmastered byRandy Merrill atSterling Sound Studios inEdgewater, New Jersey.[6]
"Garden of Eden" is anelectro,[7]electroclash,[8]synth-pop,[5] anddance-pop[9] track, which incorporates sharp, rock-infused guitar riffs,[10] a chuffing beat, and squelching synths throughout the arrangement.[11] It showcases influences from some of Gaga's earlier works, includingThe Fame (2008),[7][12]The Fame Monster (2009),[12]Born This Way (2011) andArtpop (2013).[13]Billboard's Stephen Daw described the track as an "eclectic" club song that incorporates elements from Gaga's expansive career while leaning into2000s pop influences.[13] Nick Levine ofNME found the song's stuttering vocal hook reminiscent of "Poker Face",[14] whileLos Angeles Times contributor Mikael Wood felt the "whoa-oh-oh" motif is borrowed from "Bad Romance" (2009).[15]Consequence's Mary Siroky found traces ofArtpop tracks "Swine" and "Manicure" in the song's "devil-may-care energy".[16] Adam White ofThe Independent described it as an example ofMayhem's eclectic pop aesthetic, pivoting from a mid-2000sNelly Furtado–style delivery to a serene chorus reminiscent ofBorn This Way, and then intosurf-pop in the style of thethe B-52s.[17]AllMusic's Neil Z. Yeung noted that "Garden of Eden" blends early-2010s electroclash influences with a bright, melodic chorus, drawing comparisons to the style ofChristina Aguilera'sBionic (2010).[18]
Lyrically, the song depicts a hedonistic one-night encounter set in a rave-like environment.[19][20] According to Walden Green ofPitchfork, the lyrics draw heavily on biblical imagery, reimagining theGarden of Eden as a contemporary dancefloor.[19] Writing forThe i, Emily Bootle described the song as portraying a bacchanalian party in which Gaga depicts herself "falling over in my nine-inch heels" while seeking fleeting romantic connections.[20]Consequence's Siroky wrote that the song finds Gaga reaching back to a simpler moment — one that embraces the effortless clarity of a "girlfriend for the weekend, boyfriend for the night" kind of arrangement.[16]
Upon release, "Garden of Eden" received mostly positive reviews from music critics with many declaring the song a standout. In a ranking of all songs on the album forBillboard, Stephen Daw placed it second, calling the track an "A+ pop gem" as well as a conglomeration of "all the sounds that have helped make Gaga the icon that she is".[13]Alexis Petridis ofThe Guardian viewed the song as an example of "the fleeting clubland hook-up as balm for the soul".[21]Vogue editorChristian Allaire called "Garden of Eden", along with "Zombieboy", the album's two "sexypop bangers certain to be hits in all the gay clubs".[22] Similarly, Stephen Ackroyd ofDork felt that these two track form "a pair of gloriously camp club ragers destined to become late-night anthems for the creatures of the night."[23]Variety's Steven J. Horowitz called it a "snapping sweet treat", suggesting it fulfills the promise of high-impact, low-stakes art first hinted at in "Abracadabra", the last single issued before the album's release.[12] Ludovic Hunter-Tilney ofFinancial Times opined that "Garden of Eden" features Gaga attempting, in an eccentric yet brilliant way, "to reverse the fall of mankind with a paradisiacal hook-up on the dancefloor."[24]
In a review forPitchfork, Walden Green praised the track on which "Gaga invokesMDMA, nine-inch stilettos, and some good old-fashioned blasphemy, envisioning the site of original sin as a warehouse rave with God in the DJ booth."[19] Chris Hedden ofScreen Rant ranked the song ninth among the album's tracks and described it as a blend of Gaga's rock-tinged pop, calling it "the perfect combination".[25] Kristen S. Hé ofVulture called it "pure musical hedonism", and highlighted "the stuttering synths, pitch-shifted guitars, and the choral call-and-response — 'So hit the lights / Come on and hit me, come on!'" as examples of how the song "pushes it over the top" with its attention to detail.[26] Alexa Camp atSlant Magazine thought the track was "an attempt to revive the messy party-girl shtick" hailing fromThe Fame with a "shamelessness of someone half her age".[7]Beats Per Minute's JT Early called it a "wonder", praising its production,[11] whileThe New York Times's Lindsay Zoladz described it as "skronky, gloriously hedonistic".[27]
Ed Power ofThe Irish Times was critical of "Garden of Eden", describing it as reminiscent of "a randomSpice Girl frontingThe Prodigy" — albeit poorly — and criticized its lyrics as clichéd to the point of parody, citing lines such as "DJ hit the lights … I could be your girlfriend for the weekend."[28] Megan Lapierre ofExclaim! found it a less impressive version of "Abracadabra".[29]
During the release week ofMayhem, "Garden of Eden" entered theBillboard Global 200 at number 31. It was one of twelve tracks from the album to appear on the chart, ranking as the third highest-charting track among them.[30] In the United States, the song debuted at number 52 on theBillboard Hot 100 and at number three on theHot Dance/Pop Songs chart.[31][32] On the latter chart, Gaga simultaneously placed nine songs from the album, with "Garden of Eden" ranking as the second highest-positioned track.[33] In Canada, it entered theCanadian Hot 100 at number 43,[34] while in Brazil it reached number 47 on theBrasil Hot 100.[35]
In the United Kingdom, "Garden of Eden" debuted at number 23 on theUK Singles Chart, marking her 32nd song to enter the top 40 of the chart.[36] Across Europe, the song peaked at number 17 in Greece and reached the top 40 in Ireland and Finland,[37][38][39] while also charting in Switzerland (43),[40] Poland (51),[41] Portugal (51),[42] Slovakia (65),[43] the Netherlands (75),[44] the Czech Republic (77),[45] France (82),[46] Spain (84),[47] Germany (92),[48] Sweden (92),[49] and Italy (97).[50]
Elsewhere, "Garden of Eden" charted in Australia, where it peaked at number 77 on theARIA Singles Chart,[51] and reached number four on New Zealand's Hot Singles chart.[52] In Asia, the song peaked at number 11 onBillboard Japan's Hot Overseas chart and entered the charts in Singapore, where it reached number 16.[53][54]
Gaga included "Garden of Eden" in the set list of her 2025promotional concerts forMayhem,[55][56] as well as her seventh solo headlining tour,the Mayhem Ball (2025–2026).[57][58] During these performances, the stage turned green for the song as Gaga played on electric guitar, moving with her dancers toward the tip of the catwalk near the end of the track.[55][56][59] Gaga, matching her dancers, took the stage in an all-black ensemble that featured a short, gothic-styled hairstyle, a veil reminiscent of mourning attire, tall leather boots, and translucent lingerie pieces.[60][61] Robin Murray ofClash found the "epic, wildly over-the-top" performance one of the highlights.[62] Poppy Burton ofNME noted the track was "given an operatic revamp".[63] Chris Willman ofVariety's remarked that for "Garden of Eden" Gaga and her dancers "engaged in a funkier style of movement than at other times, and it was delightful."[64]
On January 14, 2026, Gaga performed the song atMayhem: Requiem, a one-off concert, held atThe Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles.[65]
^ab"Top Singles (Week 11, 2025)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.Archived from the original on March 18, 2025. RetrievedMarch 17, 2025.
