Larisha Paul of Rolling Stone noted that Gaga is "always drawing upon her knowledge of the history of music" and described the song as "a showcase of her return to dark pop that pays homage to the influences that shaped her career.
"[15] Kyle Denis of Billboard described the track as an "explosive new dance-pop single" and highlighted its "high intensity", while pointing out that it builds upon the dark electronic elements introduced in her previous release, "Disease".
Her latest single, 'Abracadabra,' is an unrestrained dancefloor anthem that takes us straight back to her The Fame Monster days in the late 2000s", adding that it revolves around a "brilliantly nonsensical yet irresistibly catchy chorus.
"[16] Jenesaispop named it the song of the day on February 3, 2025, stating it "feels like stepping back into 2009, but with a production refined for today's era", while describing it as "a full-fledged dark electropop banger in classic Gaga style.
", writing, "'Abracadabra' delivers a latex-tight hook in true Born This Way fashion, though a closer listen reveals traces of over a decade of artistic reinvention: a touch of Chromatica in the house piano, and a full-throttle vocal turn that unmistakably stems from serious theatrical training.
"[19] In a review for PinkNews, Marcus Wratten observed that "the song reaches its climax with a Europop-inspired chorus, followed by an energetic post-chorus where the megastar repeats the title with a fragmented syntax.
[22] Internationally, the song debuted at number ten on the Billboard Global 200 with 47.7 million streams, becoming the second top-ten entry from Mayhem and of Gaga's career, after "Die with a Smile".
[24][25] In the United Kingdom, it debuted at number six on the UK Singles Chart after only four days of tracking, marking Gaga's 17th top-ten song in the country and third from Mayhem, after "Die with a Smile" and "Disease".
"[6] The creative process, set preparations, and rehearsals lasted approximately three weeks, while the actual shoot took place over two days at a studio in Santa Monica in early December 2024.
[2] Rolling Stone writer Paul highlighted the video's frenetic choreography, describing it as "an eruption of chaos and movement," while also noting that "its aesthetics reinforce the concept of Mayhem and, along with the song, recall The Fame Monster era with its dark and theatrical visual style.
"[18] Eva Blanco Medina of Vogue España praised its striking opening, noting that the video begins with a clear message: "Dance or die," setting the stage for a "high-voltage choreographic showcase.