LOS ANGELES — Lady Gaga knew the recipe to keep her Las Vegas shows electric: start in the studio. Before each residency performance this summer, she and a group of talented musicians clocked hours-long recording sessions, capturing that spark.

The energy from their studio time flowed into Gaga's performance and fueled the creation of her new album 'Harlequin,' out Friday. The superstar was initially uncertain about the project's direction before embracing the challenge of pushing musical boundaries — much like her fearlessly edgy character in 'Joker: Folie à Deux,' which opens in theaters Oct. 4.