Parris Goebel Discusses Lady Gaga’s Coachella Performance With Vanity Fair

In a new interview with Vanity Fair, Lady Gaga’s choreographer Parris Goebel discusses the creative process behind crafting Gaga’s 2025 Coachella performance.

Parris calls the collaboration “probably the most fun I’ve ever had working on a project, and I think that comes down to working with Gaga.”

Read the full interview here.

On Choosing the Setlist:

“We were just like, ‘how do we make the most iconic opening ever?’ And we started throwing out song names. ‘What if we open with Abracadabra?’ I said we have to do Scheiße, because it’s my favorite. ‘And what if we ended the act with Poker Face? It would be so unexpected.’ I think people were expecting her to open with the new album, but we did this mash-up of new and old hits. I think it was the perfect blend to wake everyone up and say: She’s here! She’s back!”

On Creating the Opera House:

“Gaga and I talk every day, and we’re constantly sharing ideas, photos, and inspiration. It just kind of came to me: What if we do an opera house, like Mayhem Opera House? […] When I started working with Gaga, I very quickly learned that my wildest dreams and fantasies could transpire with her. I texted her, ‘Let’s do an opera house.’ And she texted back and said, ‘I love it. Let’s do it.’”

On Her Favorite Part of the Putting the Show Together:

“Working with such a free thinker, someone who’s open-minded and takes risks and cares about true artistry. She really puts the time, energy, and money into her art. You can see that. We both managed to lock ourselves away in this little ‘Mayhem’ world and be kids again. And it was so theatrical. I really thrive in those spaces. I love the drama—how dance, music, and visuals can take you to another world. It’s obviously a lot of hard work, but it’s been a dream.”

On Revamping Old Choreography:

“The cool thing, I’m coming in fresh with someone who already has such a massive legacy and impact on the world. I just want to honor what she’s done, what’s she’s created, and then also put a fresh twist on it. I’m always thinking about her fans. So it was like, What will the fans love to see again in this world, the ‘Mayhem’ world? Then deciding to give them something new here, switching it up there. It was a beautiful balance of honoring what she’s done and then putting a fresh lens on it.”

On How the Mayhem Ball Will Differ From Coachella:

“No comment.”

Lady Gaga’s MAYHEM Ball kicks off in July, following the biggest show of her in Brazil, and a series of stadium shows in Singapore.