Lady Gaga took to Twitter last night to apologize for collaborating with R&B singer R. Kelly, who has been accused of sexual abuse by several women. She vowed to never work with Kelly again and added that she plans to remove their 2013 song, "Do What U Want (With My Body)" from iTunes and other streaming services. Gaga, a sexual assault survivor, also emphatically voiced her support for the women who have come forward with allegations against Kelly.
"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 began her lengthy statement. "What I am hearing about the allegations against R. Kelly is absolutely horrifying and indefensible."
The singer said that looking back, her thinking behind "Do What U Want (with My Body)" was "explicitly twisted." She explained that she made the song and video "at a dark time" in her life, and that her "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 added that if she could talk to her younger self, she'd advise her to seek therapy or help to openly discuss her trauma, rather than channeling it through the song. She also declared she will "continue to support women, men, and people of all sexual identities, and of all races, who are victims of sexual assault."
She wrote at the end of her statement: "I'm sorry, both for my poor judgment when I was young, and for not speaking out sooner. I love you."
Kevin Winter//Getty ImagesKelly and Gaga perfomring at the 2013 American Music Awards
Scrutiny of R. Kelly heightened after the documentary series Surviving R. Kelly aired on Lifetime last week, featuring women coming forward with stories of the R&B star's alleged sexual abuse. Kelly's attorneys say the accusations against the singer in the documentary are false, per Associated Press.
The program garnered millions of viewers and prompted ongoing discussion on social media. Like Lady Gaga, musician Chance the Rapper also denounced and apologized for working with Kelly in the wake of the series.
Following the broadcast, prosecutors in Illinois, Kelly's home state, are reportedly asking for potential witnesses and victims to come forward, according to Washington Post. CNN also reports that a lawyer for one of Kelly's alleged victims says he was contacted by the district attorney in Fulton County, Georgia, after the documentary aired.
This isn't Gaga's first time speaking up about sexual assault. In October, she publicly voiced her support for Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, who testified before the Senate about her sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Gaga said she believed Dr. Ford, and that she "was brave enough to share [her story] with the world to protect this country."
She also brought sexual assault survivors with her onstage at the 2016 Oscars when she performed "Til It Happens to You," her original song for The Hunting Ground, a documentary about sexual assault and harassment in colleges.
Erica Gonzales is the Senior Culture Editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage on TV, movies, music, books, and more. She was previously an editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com. There is a 75 percent chance she's listening to Lorde right now.
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