Lady Gaga Addresses Her 2013 Collaboration With R. Kelly After Backlash

In the wake of the Lifetime documentary Surviving R. Kelly, Lady Gaga feels strongly about her 2013 song with the R&B singer, announcing her plans to remove it from iTunes and other streaming platforms.

“I stand behind these women 1000%, believe them, know they are suffering and in pain, and feel strongly that their voices should be heard and taken seriously,” Gaga said in her lengthy statement which she shared via Twitter on Wednesday. “What I am hearing about the allegations against R. Kelly is absolutely horrifying and indefensible.”

“As a victim of sexual assault myself, I made both the song and video at a dark time in my life,” she continued. “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.”

Gaga, 32, faced criticism in recent days after collaborating years ago with Kelly, especially after the documentary series brought many sexual assault allegations against Kelly to proper light. The six-part documentary series featured interviews with dozens of women who accused the performer of sexual assault and misconduct. He has denied all allegations from the documentary and all others made in recent years.

A new criminal investigation into Kelly has reportedly been opened following the release of the docu-series.

Gaga continued, saying that the song, “Do What U Want (With My Body),” made it “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 opnely and honestly as possible about what we’ve been through.”

She explained that she “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. I have demonstrated my stance on this issue and others many times throughout my career.”

She explained further that her statement was not meant to “make excuses for myself, but to explain.”

“I intend to remove this song off iTunes and other streaming platforms and will not be working with him again,” Gaga declared. “I’m sorry, both for my poor judgement when I was young, and for not speaking out sooner.”