Do What U Want

"Do What U Want"
"Do What U Want"
Single by Lady Gaga featuring R. Kelly
from the album Artpop
Released	October 21, 2013
Studio	Record Plant (Los Angeles); PatchWerk (Atlanta); ;
Genre	Synth-pop; electropop; R&B;
Length	3:47
Label	Streamline; Interscope;
Songwriter(s)	Stefani Germanotta; Paul Blair; Robert Kelly; Martin Bresso; William Grigahcine;
Producer(s)	DJ White Shadow; Lady Gaga;
Lady Gaga singles chronology
R. Kelly singles chronology
Christina Aguilera version cover
Audio video
	"Do What U Want" feat. Christina Aguilera on YouTube

"Do What U Want" is a song by American singer Lady Gaga from her third studio album, Artpop (2013). Featuring guest vocals from American singer R. Kelly, the song was released as the album's second single on October 21, 2013, by Streamline and Interscope Records. Gaga wrote and produced "Do What U Want" alongside Paul "DJ White Shadow" Blair, with additional writing from Kelly, Martin "Tchami" Bresso and William "DJ Snake" Grigahcine. Blair first presented Gaga with the song's initial concept two years prior to its release. Production on "Do What U Want" was completed in 2013, with Kelly's vocals added soon after. Its sudden popularity upon premiering led to the song becoming the second single from Artpop.

Musically, "Do What U Want" is a mid-tempo synth-pop, electropop and R&B song featuring 1980s-style synthesizers and an electronic instrumental track. The lyrics discuss the media's appetite for publishing opinion and critique, with Gaga telling detractors that her thoughts, dreams and feelings are her own, no matter what one does with her body. Upon its release, "Do What U Want" received generally positive reviews from music critics, who praised the song's simplicity and production. The single cover for "Do What U Want", a close-up of Gaga's buttocks in a floral thong, was photographed by American fashion photographer Terry Richardson, who had also directed the song's accompanying music video. The video was planned to be released through BitTorrent in December 2013 but was cancelled for unknown reasons.

"Do What U Want" was a commercial success, topping the charts in Greece and Hungary while peaking within the top 10 in Austria, Canada, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Lebanon, Norway, Scotland, South Korea, Spain, and the United Kingdom as well as the top 20 in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States. Live performances of the song were televised on the 2013 American Music Awards, Alan Carr: Chatty Man, Saturday Night Live, The Voice and The X Factor. Several remixes of "Do What u Want" were released, including ones with guest vocals from American singer Christina Aguilera and American rapper Rick Ross.

On January 10, 2019, Gaga decided to have "Do What U Want" removed from music streaming services after the airing of a television documentary, Surviving R. Kelly, exposed new allegations of sexual misconduct and assault by Kelly, who had previously been charged regarding similar accusations in 2002 but was acquitted in 2008. The song was removed from new vinyl and CD pressings of Artpop in November 2019.