Lady Gaga to re-release 'Artpop' without R. Kelly's song

Singer-songwriter Lady Gaga's studio album 'Artpop' just got a little shorter. The star removed disgraced singer R. Kelly's track 'Do What U Want' from her album.

The Grammy-winning singer, who had apologised for the collaboration in January, is re-releasing a new version of the album, striking the track altogether, reported Fox News.

Kelly's song has already been deleted from all the music streaming platforms and digital downloads amid sexual harassment allegations against the singer.

A different version of the track, featuring Christina Aguilera in place of Kelly, can be found on streaming and downloading platforms. However, this version will not be featured in the re-release but will still stand as a single.

In a tweet posted in January, the 'Shallow' singer said that the track was made during a "dark time" in her life. In the lengthy social media post, the 'A Star Is Born' singer, who collaborated with Kelly in 2013 recording duet 'Do What U Want (With My Body)', expressed her solidarity with the alleged victims.

"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. What I am hearing about the allegations against R Kelly is absolutely horrifying and indefensible," she wrote in her post at that time.

The 'A Star is Born' actor further said, "As a victim of sexual assault myself, I made both the song and 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."

Gaga isn't the only one taking down her collaboration with the disgraced singer. Chance the Rapper also removed 'Somewhere in Paradise' from streaming platforms after the release of 'Surviving R. Kelly', a docuseries focused on the women that suffered alleged sexual, mental and physical abuse at the hands of Kelly.

Kelly has collaborated with a number of artists including Jay-Z, Justin Bieber, Diddy, Usher, Chris Brown, Mariah Carey, among many others.

The new version of 'Artpop' without Kelly's song can be downloaded from Gaga's website beginning from November 11.

Kelly has been accused of sexual abuse and misconduct by multiple women over the past two decades. However, the accusations against the 52-year-old singer resurfaced in the wake of the recent documentary series 'Surviving R. Kelly' that chronicles allegations of abuse, predatory behaviour, and paedophilia against him.

( With inputs from ANI )