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The track received positive reviews from critics, who praised its disco style and described it as one of the album’s standout moments. It reached number 76 on the Billboard Global 200 and also charted in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Brazil, France, Greece, and Portugal. The song has inspired a dance trend on social media.[2][3]
"Zombieboy" is 3 minutes and 33 seconds long.[5] It is a tribute to model Rick Genest (1985–2018), who appeared in the music video for Gaga's 2011 song "Born This Way".[6][7]Pitchfork described the track as a "glitzy disco bop" with a "double dutch chant".[8]Paper magazine said it "sounds like a long-lost '80s New York club classic".[9]Billboard described "Zombieboy" as "groovy".[10]Stereogum believed that it has a "swaggering bassline and shimmering synths" and "sounds like a post-apocalyptic roller disco as Gaga begs for the affection of a man who's long gone".[11]Autostraddle called it "disco-guitar" and "foot-tappingly percussive".[12]Hypebeast said the song adds "disco-driven energy" to the album.[13]
According to the Campus Times, the song "brings back Lady Gaga's sexual prowess through her trademark references to monsters. Gaga requests that her zombie boy puts his 'paws all over me,' which is a callback to previous works in which she uses 'paws' to reference hands, especially noticeable in 'Born This Way', and 'Monster', and has remained in the linguistic repertoire of her fan base."[14] The lyrics allude to Genest’s iconic skeletal tattoos and his outsider identity, with lines such as “you’ve got beauty written deep in your bones” interpreted as both literal and metaphorical.[1] According to Capital FM, Gaga honors Genest not only as a muse but as a symbol of unconventional beauty and resilience.[1] The song’s references to “teeth made of tin” and “nails like diamonds” suggest a blend of fragility and strength, echoing the contrast between Genest’s striking appearance and the vulnerability he carried beneath.[1]
Critical reception
Billboard's Stephen Daw ranked “Zombieboy” as the third-best track on Mayhem, describing it as “the campiest possible disco number” with “groovy guitars,” a “clap-along drum beat,” and speak-sung vocals that channel the hedonism of Gaga’s early work.[15]Rolling Stone's Brittany Spanos described “Zombieboy” as “a little Artpop meets The Fame,” calling it “a cute and sexy track” and one of Mayhem’s “surprisingly funky moments.”[16]Out's Taylor Henderson said the song was "instantly iconic".[17]The Guardian's Alexis Petridis said "the Chic-style disco of 'Zombieboy' is unexpectedly disrupted by a widdly-woo hair metal guitar solo. Equally, it is smart enough to marshal its star's diversity".[18]Minnesota Daily's Sommer Wagen said the song has a "sparkling disco melody" and opined, "The track stands apart from the rest of the album and is by far its most exciting non-single track."[19]
Pitchfork's Jaeden Pinder called "Zombieboy" a "glitzy disco bop", highlighting the lyric "Put your paws all over me, you zombie boy" as one of the album's standout "Gaga-isms".[20]Vogue's Christian Allaire said the song and "Garden of Eden" are "sexy pop bangers certain to be hits in all the gay clubs".[21]The Observer's Caroline Collins said "Zombieboy" is Gaga "at her most hypnotic, blending horror and romance into a seductive anthem" and opined, "the track feels like a successor to 'Monster' from The Fame Monster."[22]NME's Nick Levine described "Zombieboy" as a "disco-rap banger", noting that Gaga "sounds a bit like a musical theatre kid channelling Blondie’s Debbie Harry – but just about gets away with it."[23]
Commercial performance
"Zombieboy" entered several national charts following the release of Mayhem. The song debuted at number 76 on the Billboard Global 200, a chart that ranks the most streamed and best-selling songs worldwide. In the United States, it debuted at number 85 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week of March 22, 2025, and reached number six on the Hot Dance/Pop Songs chart.[24] In Canada, it peaked at number 85 on the Canadian Hot 100, while in Brazil it reached number 95 on the Brasil Hot 100.[25] In the United Kingdom, the track debuted at number 76 on the UK Streaming Chart for the week of March 20.[26] In France, it entered the top 200 at number 141, and in Greece, it charted at number 42 on the Digital Singles Chart.[27][28]
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