Warning: This post contains spoilers for M3GAN
One of the most entertaining things about M3GAN is the titular character’s penchant for busting out a few popular tunes, including “Titanium” by David Guetta ft. Sia. M3GAN, which stands for model 3 generative android, isn’t like any typical toy — the AI doll can dance, comfort, give advice, protect, do cartwheels, fight people, and pull off someone's ear. But it’s M3GAN’s singing that remains iconic above all else.
M3GAN sings a number of songs throughout the film, but it’s particularly her rendition of “Titanium” that stands out among the rest. M3GAN proves herself to be a versatile AI doll, capable of doing the very things her creators didn’t plan when they wrote her code. M3GAN takes to comforting Cady (Violet McGraw) through song, quietly and confidently performing “Titanium” in a bid to lull the grieving young girl back to sleep after a nightmare. While M3GAN may be compared to Chucky in the Child’s Play franchise and more recent horror dolls, like Annabelle, but the “Titanium” lullaby scene proves that it’s in a league all its own.
M3GAN's "Titanium" Lullaby Works Because It's So Unexpected
What makes M3GAN’s performance so memorable here is the element of surprise. Sure, audiences heard M3GAN singing briefly one time before, but “Titanium” was a popular hit in 2011, one that M3GAN wouldn’t have even known about, especially with so many other, newer songs to choose from. Performing “Titanium” turned up the creepy factor, and showed how domineering, quick, and intelligent M3GAN truly was.
No one expected the AI doll to start singing that particular song, and it elevated the scene because it seemed completely out of left field. “Titanium” was also an apt choice because the song not only calmed Cady, but the lyrics themselves served as a threat to Gemma — M3GAN was, to quote the song, “bulletproof” with “nothing to lose.” M3GAN was making a point and staking her claim as Cady’s protector in one fell swoop. She would not be deterred by anyone, and “Titanium” proved a startling show of tenacity on M3GAN’s part, as well as an entertaining one.
M3GAN's "Titanium" Lullaby Perfectly Fits The Movie's Self-Aware Comedy
M3GAN is not simply a horror film — it’s full of humor and wild, chaotic moments that make it a standout. The movie’s sense of humor plays into the “Titanium” lullaby moment perfectly, as it encapsulates M3GAN’s self-aware comedy, as well as its ability to not take itself so seriously. M3GAN’s “Titanium” scene could have easily been an embarrassing type of comedic moment, but it’s flawless because it’s intentional in what it’s trying to convey. After all, how many AI dolls are singing in their respective horror movies, and doing so while providing multiple layers to explore?
M3GAN’s “Titanium” lullaby shows that the filmmakers understand exactly what kind of movie it is trying to be, as well as its limitations as a PG-13 horror film. M3GAN is conscious of its campy horror-comedy tendencies, such as its viral dance sequence, and leans into that. M3GAN singing “Titanium” reflects its genuine self-awareness, with the film highlighting its own absurdity and saluting it, unashamed of what it is. The “Titanium” lullaby scene is M3GAN poking fun of itself while telling the audience that this is exactly how it’s meant to be. M3GAN’s performance, and the song choice, is comedic perfection, essentially summing up the horror film’s cognizance on so many levels.