Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga's "Die With a Smile" duet became a massive hit in 2025 — but it almost didn't see the light of day! In a new interview with Variety, producers James Fauntleroy and Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II are revealing why.

Fauntleroy and Emile shared that Mars initially shelved the song after it was first written three years ago. However, the project gained new life when Mars learned of Lady Gaga's role in the movie Joker: Folie à Deux, which inspired him to revisit the track. Mars believed Gaga would be the perfect collaborator for the song due to the timing of the film. As Fauntleroy explained, "He was such a genius for pulling that out of the back of his subconscious memory because of the timing of that movie."

Though initially considered for the film's soundtrack, the song eventually became part of Gaga's album Mayhem.

Gaga's dedication to the project impressed the team. She learned the song's chords on the piano and even requested pen and paper to write them down. Producer Andrew Watt described the recording sessions as magical, with Mars and Gaga trading vocals and instruments, creating an organic and collaborative atmosphere. What shared, "I knew she could play the piano, but watching her actually sit down like a musician and learn the chords, so much so that she actually asked for a pen and paper and wrote the chords down… This is unheard of. She learned the f***ing song, dude, right there. And they were performing, singing it together. And that’s when I should have known it was going to be something special.”

The success of "Die With a Smile" is undeniable after toping charts, and even winning a Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. The song also topped iHeartRadio's Songs of 2025 list with over 1.5B total audience spins. Despite almost being abandoned, the duet's genuine artistic collaboration led to its success, proving that great music often comes from unexpected places.

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Brian Fink