Lady Gaga has shared a statement to her Twitter, declaring her intent to remove her 2013 song ‘Do What U Want (With My Body)’ – featuring R. Kelly – from iTunes and other streaming platforms.
Gaga also apologised for not speaking out sooner amid backlash from fans.
The statement comes in light of the Lifetime documentary series, Surviving R. Kelly, in which several women allege Kelly had sexually abused them. The documentary also reveals new allegations of sexual, mental, and physical abuse and the alleged abuse of underage girls.
Gaga’s statement reads:
“As a victim of sexual assault myself, I made both the song and video at a dark time in my life, my intention was to create something extremely defiant and provocative because I was angry and still hadn’t processed the trauma that had occurred in my own life.
“I think it’s clear how explicitly twisted my thinking was at the time. If I could go back and have a talk with my younger self I’d tell her to go through the therapy I have since then, so that I could understand the confused post-traumatic state that I was in – or if therapy was not available to me or anyone in my situation – to seek help, and speak as openly and honestly as possible about what we’ve been through.
“I can’t go back, but I can go forward and continue to support women, men, and people of all sexual identities, and of all races, who are victims of sexual assault.”
Gaga wrote that she did not share this statement as an excuse for her actions but as an explanation.
“Till it happens to you, you don’t know how it feels. But I do know how I feel now,” she wrote.
As well as her intention to remove ‘Do What U Want (With My Body)’ from streaming platforms, Gaga also declared she will not be working with Kelly again.
“I’m sorry, both for my poor judgement when I was young, and for not speaking out sooner. I love you.”
I stand by anyone who has ever been the victim of sexual assault: pic.twitter.com/67sz4WpV3i
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) January 10, 2019
Gaga’s statement comes as others in the industry continue to speak out against Kelly.
John Legend, who appears in the documentary, recently took to Twitter to slam Kelly as a “serial child rapist”.
Legend had been replying to fans who had praised him for speaking out against the artist.
“To everyone telling me how courageous I am for appearing in the doc, it didn’t feel risky at all. I believe these women and don’t give a fuck about protecting a serial child rapist. Easy decision,” Legend tweeted.
Also I’m happy to support the work of people like my friends at @ALongWalkHome who have been speaking out on behalf of the survivors for a long time.
— John Legend (@johnlegend) January 4, 2019
In the first episode of the documentary, Kelly’s former backing singer Jovante Cunningham, claims she and several others witnessed him having sex with his 15-year-old protege Aaliyah on a tour bus in the 1990s.
This article discusses allegations of sexual abuse. If you would like to talk to a counsellor about rape, sexual abuse or domestic violence, please contact 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732. If you are in immediate danger, please contact 000.
