Andrew Watt Shares the Creative Process Behind Die With a Smile
Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga’s collaboration on ‘Die With a Smile’ was not just a highly anticipated event in the music world, but a creative endeavor driven purely by a shared passion for music. When the two superstars came together to write and record the track earlier this year in Gaga’s Los Angeles studio, the focus was less on commercial success and more on creating something meaningful. According to Andrew Watt, the renowned songwriter-producer who worked alongside them, the session was about “the love of making great music.”
Watt, who previously collaborated with Gaga on The Rolling Stones’ track Sweet Sounds of Heaven in 2023, played a key role in bringing ‘Die With a Smile’ to life, along with D’Mile and James Fauntleroy. The result is a sweeping, cinematic ballad that has since topped the Billboard Global 200 for several weeks and accumulated over 625 million on-demand streams worldwide. Despite its success, Watt stresses that the song’s creation was never about following a formula. “This is a ballad with all-live instruments made to the human heartbeat,” Watt explains. “It’s not a formulaic song.”
The collaboration came together quickly. Within 24 hours of agreeing to work together, Mars and Gaga were in the studio, ready to explore the idea Mars had initially brought to the table. The haunting, emotional vibe of the song came naturally, with Gaga expanding on Mars’ ideas at the piano while he accompanied her on guitar. Their creative synergy is evident in the song’s retro Western-themed music video, where the two perform much like they did during the recording process—immersed in the music, focused on the simplicity of live instruments, and committed to getting the song just right.
One of the most significant challenges during the recording session, Watt recalls, was crafting a melodic structure that allowed both Mars and Gaga to shine as co-lead vocalists. He vividly remembers the moment when Gaga’s voice blended with Mars’: “When Gaga put her voice on top of Bruno’s, that’s the moment I remember… hearing their two voices together, you get lost in it.” That seamless vocal interplay is a key reason why the song resonates so deeply with audiences.
The impact of ‘Die With a Smile’ was immediate. Mars debuted the song live at his concert in Los Angeles’ Intuit Dome the same night it was released, with Gaga joining him on stage for a surprise performance. The reaction from the crowd was electric, a moment that Watt likened to witnessing “the Avengers of music” in action. The combination of Mars and Gaga’s talents has created a song that not only showcases their musical chemistry but also underscores their ability to move audiences through pure artistry.
