How Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ ‘Die With a Smile’ Went From a Leftover Scrap to One of the Biggest Hits of the Year

The creation of the 2024 global hit "Die With a Smile" began with a rediscovery. Bruno Mars initially sketched the song's first lines three years earlier with his core creative team: songwriter James Fauntleroy and producer Dernst "D’Mile" Emile II, the latter a key architect behind Mars's acclaimed Silk Sonic project. The demo was set aside until Mars, aware that Lady Gaga was immersed in her "Joker: Folie à Deux" era, sensed its potential as a duet. As Fauntleroy noted, the timing was fortuitous, with Mars brilliantly resurrecting the idea from obscurity. Although it wasn't used in the film, this instinctual move set the stage for a major collaboration.

Producer Andrew Watt, who was working on Gaga's then-upcoming album, acted as a crucial conduit in early 2024. After a Las Vegas meeting, Mars invited Watt, Gaga, and her partner to his studio in Malibu. There, Gaga's approach immediately defined the session's collaborative spirit. Rather than passively listening, the artist—a Juilliard-trained pianist—sat down to manually learn and notate the chord progressions. Fauntleroy described this hands-on engagement as exceptionally rare for a superstar, marking the moment he realized the track was destined to be unique. This immediate, organic chemistry allowed Mars and Gaga to begin performing the song together on the spot.

The ensuing recording process was intensely productive. Watt compared the energy in the room to legendary sessions by Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson, with live musicians contributing and the two vocalists trading places in the booth. The second verse was completed in a matter of hours. Subsequent weeks involved Watt and Gaga refining her vocal delivery, while D’Mile and Watt meticulously polished the production. The finished song, released in August 2024, achieved unprecedented commercial success. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 for five non-consecutive weeks and set a new Spotify record as the fastest track ever to amass one billion streams, demonstrating its instant and massive global appeal.

Beyond its record-breaking metrics, the creators emphasize the song's intended longevity. Fauntleroy expressed a professional goal of crafting music that endures beyond a typical chart cycle, expressing confidence that "Die With a Smile" would outlive its creators. Andrew Watt similarly felt they were shaping a future classic from the very first studio take. The duet represents a powerful synergy between Mars's polished, retro-inspired artistry and Gaga's bold, transformative approach to pop. The release was also supported by Interscope Records, a label with a deep history of launching era-defining albums for both artists under chairman John Janick. This institutional backing, combined with genuine creative alignment, helped forge a song poised for lasting cultural impact.