Runway (song)

In October 2025, while on tour promoting her eighth studio album, Mayhem (2025), Lady Gaga was spotted in Milan filming scenes for the film The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026). Her involvement in the project, which took place during her Mayhem Ball (2025–2026) tour, coincided with the development of the film's soundtrack. The following year, on April 6, 2026, the final trailer for the film was released, featuring a preview of "Runway"; the official post accompanying its release stated that the song is performed by Lady Gaga and Doechii. The track is part of the film's soundtrack and takes its title from Runway, the fictional fashion magazine headed by the character Miranda Priestly. On April 10, 2026, the song was released for digital download and streaming via Interscope Records and Capitol Records. "Runway" marks the first collaboration between the two artists. Doechii had previously presented Gaga with the Innovator Award at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards. Later that year, Gaga spoke warmly of Doechii in a British Vogue interview: "The power in her words, her vulnerability, the way she rhymes with this wild mix of audacity and emotional precision — it struck me to the core". Doechii later spoke about working with Gaga in an interview with E! News, describing the experience as "amazing" and hinting that they "have more to come" following the release of "Runway". At the film's New York premiere on April 21, Gaga praised Doechii, describing her as a "brilliant artist", and confirmed that they had been working on additional material together. == Composition ==

"Runway" was written by Gaga, Doechii, Jayda Love, Andrew Watt, Cirkut, D'Mile, and Bruno Mars, and produced by the latter four. It is a house-pop song with an 1980s-inspired electronic beat, drawing influence from ballroom culture. Alexa Camp of Slant Magazine wrote, "Gaga's hook nods to the largely anonymous soul singers who appeared on the myriad house-pop songs that dominated radio airwaves in the early '90s". Jordi Bardají of Jenesaispop also highlighted the influence of 1990s house, describing the track as a "colorful, chic, and French-leaning disco-house" song. He further noted that Gaga performs a spoken first verse, in a style reminiscent of "Babylon" from her 2020 album Chromatica, in addition to the chorus, while Doechii takes on the majority of the song's vocal sections. Pitchfork identified "obvious influence" in the song from RuPaul's 1992 single "Supermodel (You Better Work)", and added that it further echoes elements from "Vogue" (1990) by Madonna. Elle Starr Bowenbank further highlighted the song's emphasis on confidence and visibility, framing the runway as a metaphor for embracing public attention. == Critical reception ==

Robin Murray of Clash called "Runway" a "blockbuster in every sense", which succeeds due to its "unrestrained maximalism". He added, the track "owns its over-the-top nature in every way, a luxurious, larger-than-life single whose self-conscious ownership of the headlines comes from two women who specialise in seizing attention with their every act". Billboard Lyndsey Havens called it a catchy collaboration which is "booming with in-your-face bass and filled with the exact type of confident sass that anyone about to hit the runway would want to hear". Katie Atkinson, from the same publication, felt the song is "perfect for the catwalk". while Liberty Dunworth of NME described it as "charismatic" and "unapologetic". In his review for Stereogum, Danielle Chelosky found the song's beat "generic", while adding that the hook was "fun". Kiana Mickles of Pitchfork argued that "Runway" doesn't offer songwriting that adds anything new to queer pop, and its beat feels like an echo of better tracks. She added, "It's more suited for an H&M than any reputable dancefloor". == Commercial performance ==

Following its release, "Runway" recorded 2.96 million unfiltered streams on Spotify and debuted at number 32 on the platform's global chart. It marked the second-highest debut of that week and became Gaga's thirty-fourth and Doechii's fifth top-forty entry in the country. It also entered at number 11 on the UK Singles Sales Chart and at number 10 on the UK Singles Downloads Chart. In its second week on the UK Singles Chart, the song fell 59 places to number 91. In Japan, the song entered at number 69 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100. In Australia, "Runway" debuted at number 90 on the ARIA Singles Chart. In New Zealand, it debuted at number five on the Hot 40 Singles Chart, an extension of the main chart. == Music video ==

Development The music video for "Runway" was directed by Parris Goebel and released on April 27, 2026. It was executive produced by Gaga and Michael Polansky, with contributions from Doechii, Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith, and Moosa Tiffith, while choreography was created by Goebel alongside Robbie Blue. The video features designs from both emerging and established fashion houses and designers, including Robert Wun, Viktor & Rolf, Gaurav Gupta, and Harris Reed, among others, Gupta described the crystal-embellished bodysuits worn by Gaga and Doechii in the video as a "second skin", explaining that they were designed to make couture function as both "armour and identity". Synopsis The music video is set against a high-fashion backdrop and takes place in a stylized setting with bold lighting and theatrical staging, where a group of dancers posed in sculptural outfits perform synchronized choreography. Gaga and Doechii emerge from the crowd wearing elaborate ensembles and take part in a series of choreographed sequences, appearing in multiple avant-garde looks accompanied by dancers. Throughout the video, the visual shifts between large group formations and more focused performances by the two artists, incorporating elements of ballroom-inspired movement and theatrical staging. In later scenes, the performers appear in voluminous, Victorian-inspired gowns while continuing the choreography, alongside other conceptual looks such as a shared red jacket designed for two performers. The video culminates with Gaga and Doechii walking side by side down a runway. Reception Christian Allaire of Vogue described the video as a "campy delight" and noted its use of avant-garde looks. Hannah Dailey of Billboard wrote that Gaga and Doechii "work it" in the video, highlighting its catwalk imagery and the variety of structured and colorful outfits worn by both artists. InStyle Hannah Malach and Attitude Aaron Sugg noted that one of Gaga's looks, featuring yellow waves, recalled her hairstyle from the "Telephone" (2010) music video. Camille Freestone of ''Harper's Bazaar'' described the video as combining "high camp, high fashion, high performance, and high glamour", and noted its use of theatrical costumes, dancers and emerging designers. == Credits and personnel ==

Credits are adapted from Tidal. • Lady Gaga – lead vocals, songwriting • Doechii – lead vocals, songwriting • Andrew Watt – production, songwriting, background vocals, bass, electric guitar, keyboards • Bruno Mars – production, songwriting, background vocals, drums, keyboards • Cirkut – production, songwriting, programming, synth bass, synthesizer • D'Mile – production, songwriting, bass, keyboards • Jayda Love – songwriting, vocal engineering • Paul Lamalfa – engineering, vocal engineering • Alex Kalzetionis – recording, second engineering • Marco Sonzini – additional engineering • Serban Ghenea – mixing engineering • Bryce Bordone – additional mixing engineering • Randy Merrill – mastering engineering == Charts ==