Lady Gaga apologises for working with R. Kelly

Lady Gaga has apologised for working with R. Kelly and has said that she will be removing Do What U Want - a duet with R. Kelly - from iTunes and streaming services.

R, Kelly faces accusations that he sexually assaulted numerous women, as reported in the documentary Surviving R. Kelly.

In a statement, Gaga said: “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, referring to the women who spoke out against Kelly in the new “Surviving R. Kelly” documentary series. “I’m sorry, both for my poor judgment when I was young, and for not speaking out sooner."

The pop singer also wrote that she'd be removing Do What U Want from streaming services.

"As a victim of sexual assault myself, I made both the song and the 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. The song is called “Do What U Want (With My Body),” 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."

Read Lady Gaga's full statement on R. Kelly here below:

I stand by anyone who has ever been the victim of sexual assault: pic.twitter.com/67sz4WpV3i

— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) January 10, 2019