A rumored collaboration between pop titans Lady Gaga and Madonna for "The Devil Wears Prada 2" soundtrack has sent shockwaves through the music world, potentially marking a new chapter after a decade-long, gossip-fueled rivalry. This potential team-up arrives 15 years after their initial dispute, promising a seismic shift in their complex relationship.
The infamous "feud" began in 2011 with the release of Lady Gaga's LGBTQ+ anthem "Born This Way," which drew immediate comparisons to Madonna's 1989 classic "Express Yourself." Madonna herself weighed in the following year, publicly labeling "Born This Way" as "reductive."
Gaga, however, vehemently denied plagiarism during a 2011 NME interview. "What a completely ridiculous thing to even question me about," she said. "I will look you in your eyes and tell you that I am not dumb enough or moronic enough to think that you are dumb enough or moronic enough not to see that I would have stolen a melody. If you put the songs next to each other, side by side, the only similarities are the chord progression. It’s the same one that’s been in disco music for the last 50 years. Just because I’m the first f—ing artist in 25 years to think of putting it on top 40 radio, it doesn’t mean I’m a plagiarist, it means that I’m f—ing smart. Sorry."
Madonna continued to fuel the fire. During a 2012 interview with ABC News, when asked if "reductive" was a good or bad thing, she simply replied with "look it up," taking a sip of her tea. She famously performed a mash-up of the two songs on her MDNA Tour, even incorporating "Born This Way" choreography.
During the same tour, Madonna claimed Gaga rejected an invitation to perform together. "I have the best fans in the whole world. So take that, Lady Gaga!" Madonna said. "You know, I invited her onstage to sing with me. But, she turned me down. It’s okay. I’ve been rejected before. It builds a little character."
Despite the public barbs, a softening of relations began. In a 2015 Rolling Stone interview, Madonna clarified her stance. "The only time I ever criticized Lady Gaga was when I felt like she blatantly ripped off one of my songs," she told the publication. "It’s got nothing to do with ‘she’s taking my crown’ or ‘she’s in some space of mine.’ She has her thing. I do think she’s a very talented singer and songwriter. It was just that one issue."
Gaga later distinguished herself in a 2016 interview with Zane Lowe on Beats 1 before the release of her Joanne album. "Madonna and I are very different," Gaga said. "Just say, ‘We’re very different.’ I wouldn’t make that comparison at all and I don’t mean to disrespect Madonna, she’s a nice lady, and she’s had a fantastic huge career, biggest pop star of all time. But I play a lot of instruments. I write all my own music. I spend hours a day in the studio. I’m a producer. I’m a writer. What I do is different."
The symbolic end to the overt "feud" arrived in 2018. Following her Oscar win for "Shallow," Lady Gaga and Madonna were photographed embracing at Madonna’s exclusive Oscars afterparty, a moment captured by photographer JR for TIME magazine. This image cemented a public truce after years of speculation.
More recently, the two icons have shown increasing mutual admiration. Madonna, in a May 2019 interview with British Vogue, lamented how gossip pits successful women against each other. "People got very excited about [the thought of Lady Gaga and myself as] enemies, when we never were enemies," she said.
Gaga reciprocated in 2023, commenting "We love you M." on Madonna's TikTok, where the Queen of Pop thanked fans for their support for her Celebration Tour. In 2025, while accepting the Innovator Award at the iHeartRadio Music Awards, Gaga explicitly listed Madonna among her inspirations. "I wouldn’t be here without my inspirations. David Bowie, Grace Jones, Carole King, Elton John, Lady Starlight," Gaga stated after sharing what innovation means to her. "Madonna, Stevie Wonder, Duke Ellington, Cher and, of course, my dear friend Tony Bennett, who taught me to embrace the classics but never be bound by them."
The Collaborative Horizon: What a Gaga-Madonna Duet Means for Pop Culture
A potential Lady Gaga and Madonna collaboration transcends mere musical novelty; it signifies a profound moment for pop culture and the evolution of celebrity dynamics. For years, their perceived rivalry was a dominant narrative, often framed as a battle for the "Queen of Pop" crown.
This narrative, as Madonna herself pointed out, often serves to pit accomplished women against each other rather than celebrate their individual successes. Should the rumors of a track for "The Devil Wears Prada 2" soundtrack materialize, it would not only bridge a long-standing divide but also send a powerful message about artistic reconciliation and growth.
Such a collaboration would defy the industry's historical penchant for manufactured drama, proving that even the most "gossip-fueled" rivalries can evolve into mutual respect and creative partnership. From a musical standpoint, a joint effort could fuse Gaga's theatricality and contemporary edge with Madonna's enduring influence and iconic pop sensibility.
It would be a monumental event, drawing unprecedented attention to the soundtrack and potentially redefining what a "pop comeback" or "legacy collaboration" can truly be in the streaming era. This partnership would validate both artists' enduring impact and their capacity to adapt and surprise.
