Madonna on Lady Gaga: “She blatantly ripped off one of my songs”
By Ben Kelly
Madonna has spoken out about the long rumoured rivalry between herself and Lady Gaga in the new issue of Rolling Stone magazine.
Asked about her title ‘Queen of Pop’, and the potential contenders for it, she said “I do think of myself as a queen, but I don’t think I’m the only queen. There’s room for other queens. We reign over different kingdoms.”
Speaking in wider terms about feminism, she commented, “We live in a world where people like to pit women against each other. And this is why I love the idea of embracing other females who are doing what I’m doing.”
“I don’t think she wants my crown either,” she said of Lady Gaga. “The only time I ever criticized Lady Gaga was when I felt like she blatantly ripped off one of my songs…it was just one issue,” she remarked – referring to the similarities between her own 1989 hit Express Yourself and Lady Gaga’s 2011 track Born This Way, which she famously described as ‘reductive’.
She went on to describe the feud the media have created between the women as “really boring, quite frankly. And you know what? I don’t care anymore. Here’s the thing: One day everyone’s going to just shut up about it. You’ll see! I have a plan.”
Sounds slightly ominous.
Madonna is in London today to appear at tonight’s BRIT Awards, where it’s rumoured she will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as performing her new single Living For Love.