Lady Gaga got snubbed at the Golden Globes, and she'll be damned if she doesn't get that Oscar! But first, she has to get a nomination.
Recently, in a move that shocked fans, Gaga removed her song "Do What U Want," featuring rapper R. Kelly, from all streaming services. R. Kelly has fallen back to the center of controversy, following the release of a docu-series detailing his sexual misconduct entitled Surviving R. Kelly which aired on Lifetime.
On her Twitter, Gaga denounced the song stating "I think it’s clear how explicitly twisted my thinking was at the time," and continued with "I’m sorry, both for my poor judgment when I was young, and for not speaking out sooner."
Gaga's tweets came days before the voting deadline closed for the Academy Awards on January 14th; and some have been claiming the apology is simply an attempt to appeal to the voters of the Academy. Gaga has been on the awards circuit for her performance in A Star Is Born and surely has eyes on the Oscars. But Steve Greenberg, R. Kelly's attorney, stated "Mr. Kelly appreciates that she recognized his immense talent ... but finds it regrettable that she is now exploiting this controversy to try and help her in her effort to win an Oscar."
The song has never particularly been one of Gaga's fondest hits; she didn't include the song in her Joanne World Tour, or her recent residency in Las Vegas, Enigma. Even the song's music video was never completed, which is probably for the better when you find out what it was going to be.
The nominees for Academy Awards will be announced on January 22nd, and only time will tell if Lady Gaga can reap the fruits of her efforts. Sales of the 2013 single have sky rocketed since her apology so one can make the argument that the publicity for the song did more to spread the song then suppress it.
Oscar season is heating up and with Glenn Close inching out Gaga for Best Actress at the Golden Globes the pressure is higher than ever for Gaga to be in the Academy's good graces. Was making a public apology for a five-year old song enough to win one of the toughest juries around? Or maybe she feels real regret for her past decisions? But, whether she is sincerely sorry or just trying to fake it till she makes it, Gaga surely has set her sights on that elusive Oscar nomination, and in less then a week we'll see if she gets it.