Music: Gorillaz - The Happy Dictator ft. Sparks: Unmasks Power in a Musical Mirror

Gorillaz, the animated project led by Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett, have long been known for genre-blending, global influences, political bite, and vivid visual storytelling. Sparks are veteran pop-rock oddballs, the Mael brothers, whose flair for theatrical vocals and witty songwriting has given them cult status. Together, Gorillaz and Sparks combine their strengths—ambition, satire, sonic diversity—on “The Happy Dictator.”

“The Happy Dictator” is the lead single from Gorillaz’s ninth studio album The Mountain, released 11 September 2025. It features Sparks and lays bare themes of power, control, illusion, and propaganda. The song uses joyful, almost celebratory tones—even the language of salvation and renewal (“I am the one to give you life again, I am the one to save your soul, Amen”)—to cast a mirror back on how dictators soothe populations with promises and spectacle.

Musically, it mixes Gorillaz’s eclectic production with Sparks’ lyrical and vocal punch. The track feels satirical yet catchy—dark undercurrents wrapped in a strong melodic hook. It’s the kind of song meant to make you dance while thinking.