Lady Gaga to release new versions of Artpop album without song featuring R Kelly
New vinyl and CD versions of the record are available for pre-order
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Your support makes all the difference.Lady Gaga is releasing new physical editions of her 2013 album Artpop without the song “Do What U Want (With My Body)”, which features R Kelly.
There are pre-order listings for CD and vinyl versions of the singer’s third studio album on retailer HMV’s website, both of which leave the song off the tracklist.
The new versions are due out on 11 November, just over six years after the record’s original release date of 6 November 2013.
In January, Lady Gaga issued an apology for collaborating on the track with Kelly, who is currently awaiting trial for 13 federal sex trafficking charges. She also removed the song from various streaming services.
Lady Gaga posted a statement on social media that saying the allegations she had heard against Kelly were “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 wrote.
“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 intend to remove this song off of iTunes and other streaming platforms and will not be working with him [Kelly] again. I’m sorry, both for my poor judgement when I was young, and for not speaking out sooner.”
The Independent has contacted Lady Gaga’s representatives for comment.