It started with a grunt. A raw, guttural noise from Bradley Cooper that transitioned into one of the most recognizable guitar riffs of the 21st century. When people talk about a star is born song lady gaga performed, they are almost always talking about "Shallow," though the soundtrack is actually a sprawling 34-track monster of folk-rock and bubblegum pop.
Honestly, "Shallow" shouldn't have worked as well as it did. Most movie songs feel like commercials for the film. They’re polished, safe, and usually played over the end credits while people are already looking for their car keys in the dark. But this was different.
The moment Gaga’s character, Ally, steps up to that microphone—timid at first, then unleashing that massive, chest-pounding "Whoa-ah-ah-ah-oh"—the air in the theater changed. You’ve probably seen the memes. You’ve definitely heard it at karaoke. But the technical brilliance behind how Lady Gaga and her collaborators built this track is what actually kept it on the charts for 100+ weeks.
The Writing Room Where the Magic Happened
Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt, and Anthony Rossomando weren't trying to write a global #1 hit. They were trying to write a conversation. That’s the secret sauce. "Shallow" is a dialogue.
Ronson has mentioned in several interviews, including a notable breakdown with Variety, that the song was originally intended to be a closing credit track. It was Bradley Cooper who pushed for it to be the centerpiece of the narrative. He wanted a moment where two people from different worlds found common ground in the "deep end."
Gaga brought her signature theatricality, but she stripped it back. Usually, she’s the queen of the avant-garde. Here? She was Ally. A girl with a big nose and a bigger voice who had been told "no" her entire life.
The lyrics are actually quite simple. "Are you happy in this modern world?" It’s a bit on the nose, right? But in the context of the film’s critique of the music industry’s hollow commercialism, it cuts deep. They wrote it at Gaga’s house in Malibu, leaning into the vulnerability of Jackson Maine’s addiction and Ally’s rising star.
Technical Mastery Under the Hood
Forget the glitz for a second. Let's talk about the structure.
The song begins in G major, a key often associated with "everyman" folk music. It’s grounded. It’s safe. Jackson Maine starts in a lower register, almost whispering. When Gaga takes over the second verse, the energy shifts, but the real magic happens during the bridge.
That bridge.
The modulation and the sheer volume of that vocal run serve as a literal "birth" of a star. Most pop songs stay in a comfortable 3-minute window with a predictable chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus layout. "Shallow" feels more like a three-act play. It builds tension through silence—those pauses between the guitar strums—and then releases it in a way that feels earned rather than manufactured.
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It’s also worth noting that they recorded the live performances for the movie. They didn't just lip-sync to a studio track. When you hear the grit in Gaga’s voice during the film version, that’s real oxygen hitting real vocal cords in front of a real audience at festivals like Stagecoach and Glastonbury.
Why the Rest of the Soundtrack Matters
While "Shallow" is the crown jewel, the a star is born song lady gaga fans often overlook is "Always Remember Us This Way."
If "Shallow" is the explosion, "Always Remember Us This Way" is the afterglow. It’s a classic piano ballad that draws heavy inspiration from Elton John and Carole King. In fact, Lady Gaga has often cited those 70s singer-songwriters as her blueprint for the film’s sound.
Then you have "I'll Never Love Again."
The story behind this recording is actually heartbreaking. On the day Gaga was set to film the final scene—where she performs this devastating tribute to Jackson—she found out her lifelong friend Sonja Durham had passed away from cancer. Gaga left the set, went to be with her friend's family, then came back and channeled all that real-world grief into a single take. That’s not acting. That’s a live exorcism of pain.
The Cultural Shift and the Oscars
We have to talk about the 2019 Oscars. That performance.
There was so much speculation about whether Gaga and Cooper were actually in love. They weren't, obviously—it was a masterclass in staying in character—but the chemistry was so thick you could have carved it with a steak knife. They walked from their seats to the stage without an introduction. No "And now, performing the nominee for Best Original Song."
Just two people and a piano.
It was the most-watched moment of the night. By the time Gaga won the Oscar for Best Original Song later that evening, it felt like a formality. She became the first person in history to win an Oscar, Grammy, BAFTA, and Golden Globe in a single year for the same project.
Breaking the "Movie Song" Curse
Usually, movie songs have a shelf life of about six months. Remember "My Heart Will Go On"? Iconic, sure, but it eventually became a bit of a punchline. "Shallow" avoided that fate by being genuinely good music first and a movie tie-in second.
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It tapped into a cultural desire for "real" instruments. In an era of heavy trap beats and hyper-processed vocals (which Gaga herself has mastered in her other eras), "Shallow" felt like a throwback to the days of Fleetwood Mac or Bruce Springsteen. It was organic. It was dusty.
It also challenged the notion that Lady Gaga needed the meat dress or the "poker face" to be a legend. It stripped away the artifice. For many casual listeners who found her too "weird" in 2009, this soundtrack was the moment they finally admitted, "Oh, she’s actually one of the greatest vocalists of her generation."
What Most People Get Wrong About the Credits
If you look at the liner notes, the names are a "who's who" of Nashville and LA.
- Lukas Nelson: Son of Willie Nelson. He was the consultant who helped Bradley Cooper find his "Jackson Maine" sound. His band, Promise of the Real, acts as Jackson’s band in the movie.
- Jason Isbell: The Americana powerhouse wrote "Maybe It's Time," the song that defines Jackson’s internal struggle with aging and relevance.
- Diane Warren: She contributed to "Why Did You Do That?", the song Ally sings when she "sells out" to become a pop star.
Wait. Let’s talk about "Why Did You Do That?" for a second.
Fans spent months debating if the song was supposed to be "bad" on purpose. The lyrics are about... well, a guy’s butt. "Why do you look so good in those jeans? / Why'd you come around me with an ass like that?"
In the narrative, it represents Ally losing her soul to the pop machine. But ironically, the song is a total bop. It shows Gaga’s range—she can write a masterpiece like "Shallow" and then turn around and write a perfectly vapid pop hit that would dominate Top 40 radio.
The Longevity of the Sound
Even in 2026, you still hear these tracks. Why?
Because the movie captured a universal truth about the "shallow." We live in a world of digital filters, curated Instagram feeds, and artificial intelligence. There is a deep, primal hunger for something that feels like it has dirt under its fingernails.
The soundtrack to A Star Is Born isn't just a collection of songs; it's a documentation of a specific type of creative alchemy. It’s what happens when a director with a vision (Cooper) meets a performer with nothing left to prove (Gaga) and they decide to be completely honest with each other.
How to Truly Appreciate the Music Today
If you really want to experience these songs, stop listening to the radio edits. The radio edits strip away the dialogue.
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The "official soundtrack" includes snippets of dialogue between the tracks. It’s meant to be heard as a linear story. Listening to "Shallow" without hearing Jackson Maine say, "I just wanted to take another look at you," right before it starts, misses the emotional context that makes the song hit so hard.
Also, check out the "Enigma" live versions from Gaga’s Vegas residency. She performs "Shallow" at the end of every show, usually in a giant robotic suit or a t-shirt, and the way she’s evolved the song since the movie came out is fascinating. She plays with the phrasing. she lets the audience sing the "Whoa-ah-ah" parts. It’s become a hymn.
Actionable Steps for Music Lovers
To get the most out of this era of Gaga's career, follow these specific steps:
Watch the "Making of" Documentary
Check out Five Foot Two on Netflix if you haven't. While it was filmed mostly before A Star Is Born, it gives you the raw look at the chronic pain and the creative drive that fueled her performance as Ally. It puts the "struggle" in the songs into perspective.
Listen to the "Before" and "After"
Listen to Gaga's album Joanne (2016) right before the A Star Is Born soundtrack. Then listen to Chromatica (2020) after. You can hear how the rock-and-roll, "earthy" vibes of the movie influenced her transition from experimental pop to a more grounded, vocal-centric artist, before she eventually returned to the dance floor.
Study the Lyrics of "Maybe It’s Time"
If you’re a songwriter or just a fan of lyrics, sit down with Jason Isbell’s "Maybe It's Time." It is arguably the best-written song on the soundtrack from a technical perspective. It deals with the idea of "killing" your old self to let a new version of you grow. It’s the thematic backbone of the entire film.
Compare the Four Versions
A Star Is Born has been made four times (1937, 1954, 1976, and 2018). If you have a weekend, watch the 1976 version with Barbra Streisand. Comparing Streisand's "Evergreen" to Gaga's "Shallow" is a fascinating study in how "power ballads" have changed over forty years. Streisand is all about elegance and polish; Gaga is all about the break in the voice and the raw emotion.
The legacy of a star is born song lady gaga fans love isn't just about the awards. It’s about the fact that a movie song managed to stop being "a movie song" and just became part of the cultural furniture. It’s a reminder that even in a "modern world," we still want to dive into the deep end every once in a while.
Go back and listen to the soundtrack from start to finish. Skip the singles. Listen to the weird filler tracks, the bluesy jams, and the quiet piano demos. That’s where the real story of Ally and Jackson Maine lives.
The "Shallow" might be where we start, but the rest of the album is where we stay.