Pop diva Lady Gaga’s 2013 song “Do What U Want,” featuring R. Kelly, saw a 13,720 percent boost in the U.S. sales following her statement about working with the singer, according to Billboard.
Nielsen Music reports that the song sold 2,000 downloads on January 10. That’s a surge from the song’s inconsequential figure from the day before.
On January 9, Gaga broke her silence, days after the series finale of Lifetime’s docu-series Surviving R. Kelly. In a note posted on Twitter, Gaga apologized and said she would be removing “Do What U What” from streaming platforms, explaining that she was at a “dark time” in her life when she went through with the collaboration.
However, the song’s surge in sales will be brief: The Kelly collaboration had been removed from the iTunes Store, Apple Music, and Spotify.
The release — titled “Do What U Want (With My Body)” — features R. Kelly — who denies any wrongdoing — singing the lyrics: “Do what I want, do what I want with your body/Back of the club, taking shots, gettin’ naughty/No invitations, it’s a private party.”
The post drew praise on Twitter, with users tweeting messages of support such as “We all stand by you! I love you!” and “You did not owe anyone an explanation Gaga. You are a beautiful person, with a beautiful soul that has saved and inspired so many people.”
Gaga’s apology comes amid renewed attention on allegations of sexual misconduct against Kelly, which were highlighted in a six-hour documentary series about the singer.
In the Lifetime cable network show titled “Surviving R. Kelly” which premiered earlier this month, backup singers alleged sexual relations between him and three girls under the age of 16, including 15-year-old star Aaliyah, who died in 2001 in a plane crash.
