DWUW Timeline (via The Telegraph)

[SharkmanthaC 105,086]

I was searching on Snapchat the other day to see if there was an Enigma/Gaga story. (If there is I couldn't find it.) Anyway, I came across this article.  I found it interesting and even learned a few things.  It really explains how Gaga was feeling and her depression during the time.  

The link to the article is here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/artists/lady-gagas-song-r-kelly-bad-video-even-worse/

It is also behind a registration (which you can do for free), so I will post part of it here (I took some out for copyright...just trying to follow the rules, hopefully it was enough). The . . are where I skipped some parts, I would encourage you to read the entire thing if you're interested.

 

Do What U Want not only collided with a Gaga’s own heartache, but with a heightened awareness of the alleged wrongdoings of both of the men who made it a sensation: Kelly and photographer Terry Richardson. It caused a skirmish at the time – arguably one big enough to considerably augment Gaga’s career – but the notion of anybody collaborating with Kelly in the current climate is unthinkable.

But beneath the scandal, the headlines and the shame a woman was struggling to function. As she revealed on The Howard Stern Show in December 2014, Gaga was 19 when she was raped by a producer 20 years older than her. She has since come to own her experience, folding it into her life as a pop star survivor.

.

.

And she was telling us before the release of Do What U Want, too. A bizarre, primal song called Swine, inspired by Gaga’s rapist, was one of the first tracks to be heard on ARTPOP; we just weren’t quite prepared to listen.

The single was the second to be released off ARTPOP, nicknamed “Artflop” for its overblown concept and difficult production. But the record also came out during trying circumstances. In February 2013, Gaga cancelled tour dates after nearly breaking her hip during her Born This Way Ball Tour. She underwent surgery and a reclusive recovery. By the time she emerged, the world had moved on: the imperial throne she occupied during the heyday of her second album, Born This Way, had crumbled; she was mocked for meeting her fans in a gold wheelchair. Later that year, she would fire her manager after months of tension that had left her feeling “betrayed”.

Amid so much chaos, it’s difficult to remember that Do What U Want was rightfully celebrated as an invigorating pop hit – or the tumble of fortunes it, and its creators, experienced. Here’s how those bizarre months unfolded:  

2011

Gaga starts writing songs during her Born This Way Ball Tour. Producer DJ White Shadow, born Paul Blair, sends her a beat that will form the backbone of Do What U Want. While on tour, Gaga encounters headlines about her weight. She later said the song was inspired by her “obsession with the way people view me”.

.

.

September 2013

SwineFest arrives. Gaga, wearing a glittery pig mask, introduces the song by saying: “My heart, my skin and my *** felt like trash.” She is accompanied by dancers in porcine gas masks and boilersuits. Two days later, the Guardian runs an interview with Gaga. In it, the writer posits of the song: “It seems to hint at domestic abuse. Does this hint at Gaga's future direction? That she's ready to come out of hiding, to reveal herself?”

Gaga and Blair complete the lyrics and the recording of Do What U Want. Blair suggests a collaboration with R Kelly: “R. Kelly is one of the best writers in history,” Blair later told the Chicago Tribune. “He is a genius. I knew that [he and Lady Gaga] would sound good together.” Gaga would later describe the collaboration as “a mutual love”: “I have always been an R Kelly fan and actually it is like an epic pastime in the Haus of Gaga that we just get f----- up and play R Kelly.”

The pair discussed a remix of Do What U Want. Engineer Dave Russell mixed an album cut of their collaboration, rescuing it from being “a discarded track from a remix that was never going to see the light of day” into an album track.

October 2013

.

.

Gaga announces a last-minute switch: Do What U Want will be ARTPOP’s second single, rather than Venus, which was voted for by the fans. Gaga will later say that the change was made “without explanation”.

November 2013

Terry Richardson becomes the target of an online petition: “Vogue, H&M, Mango, Supreme and all other brands: Stop using ­alleged sex offender Terry Richardson as your photographer.”

Meanwhile, Do What U Want goes into a full publicity campaign. Gaga gives an interview to Marina Hyde for BBC 2. Hyde wrote about the experience at the time, saying that Gaga told her she was “having great sex”, although her “earlier sexual experiences ‘were quite perverted and scary, terrifying’”. As Gaga left the interview and faced the paparazzi outside, Hyde recalled, she was crying.

(A description of the SNL and AMA performance.)

During this month, Gaga splits from her management.

.

.

February 5 2014

 

During a Q&A interview with Harper’s Bazaar ostensibly about fashion, Gaga reveals the extent of her suffering over the past few months:

“I became very depressed at the end of 2013. I was exhausted fighting people off. I couldn't even feel my own heartbeat. I was angry, cynical, and had this deep sadness like an anchor dragging everywhere I go. I just didn't feel like fighting anymore. I didn't feel like standing up for myself one more time—to one more person who lied to me. But January 1, I woke up, started crying again, and I looked in the mirror and said, "I know you don't want to fight. I know you think you can't, but you've done this before. I know it hurts, but you won't survive this depression." I really felt like I was dying—my light completely out.

I said to myself, "Whatever is left in there, even just one light molecule, you will find it and make it multiply. You have to for you. You have to for your music. You have to for your fans and your family." Depression doesn't take away your talents—it just makes them harder to find. But I always find it. I learned that my sadness never destroyed what was great about me. You just have to go back to that greatness, find that one little light that's left. I'm lucky I found one little glimmer stored away.”

.

.

December 2014

Gaga speaks about Swine on The Howard Stern Show: "I wrote a song called 'Swine'; the song is about rape. The song is about demoralization. The song is about rage and fury and passion, and I had a lot of pain that I wanted to release.

.

. 

A Star is Born may have made Gaga an Oscar favourite, but while other actresses delicately navigate the annual awards campaign season, she is issuing heartfelt apologies on Twitter. Kelly, meanwhile, went clubbing in Chicago.

[ProdigyARTPOP 3,882]

Reading this makes me so grateful to the universe that she found Tony, and that she was able to move past that terrible chapter. It’s no wonder she never looks back at the ARTPOP, it’s her most darkest era

[Sanne Godijn 2,203]

16 minutes ago, SamanthaC said:

I was searching on Snapchat the other day to see if there was an Enigma/Gaga story. (If there is I couldn't find it.) Anyway, I came across this article.  I found it interesting and even learned a few things.  It really explains how Gaga was feeling and her depression during the time.  

The link to the article is here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/artists/lady-gagas-song-r-kelly-bad-video-even-worse/

It is also behind a registration (which you can do for free), so I will post part of it here (I took some out for copyright...just trying to follow the rules, hopefully it was enough). The . . are where I skipped some parts, I would encourage you to read the entire thing if you're interested.

 

Do What U Want not only collided with a Gaga’s own heartache, but with a heightened awareness of the alleged wrongdoings of both of the men who made it a sensation: Kelly and photographer Terry Richardson. It caused a skirmish at the time – arguably one big enough to considerably augment Gaga’s career – but the notion of anybody collaborating with Kelly in the current climate is unthinkable.

But beneath the scandal, the headlines and the shame a woman was struggling to function. As she revealed on The Howard Stern Show in December 2014, Gaga was 19 when she was raped by a producer 20 years older than her. She has since come to own her experience, folding it into her life as a pop star survivor.

.

.

And she was telling us before the release of Do What U Want, too. A bizarre, primal song called Swine, inspired by Gaga’s rapist, was one of the first tracks to be heard on ARTPOP; we just weren’t quite prepared to listen.

The single was the second to be released off ARTPOP, nicknamed “Artflop” for its overblown concept and difficult production. But the record also came out during trying circumstances. In February 2013, Gaga cancelled tour dates after nearly breaking her hip during her Born This Way Ball Tour. She underwent surgery and a reclusive recovery. By the time she emerged, the world had moved on: the imperial throne she occupied during the heyday of her second album, Born This Way, had crumbled; she was mocked for meeting her fans in a gold wheelchair. Later that year, she would fire her manager after months of tension that had left her feeling “betrayed”.

Amid so much chaos, it’s difficult to remember that Do What U Want was rightfully celebrated as an invigorating pop hit – or the tumble of fortunes it, and its creators, experienced. Here’s how those bizarre months unfolded:  

2011

Gaga starts writing songs during her Born This Way Ball Tour. Producer DJ White Shadow, born Paul Blair, sends her a beat that will form the backbone of Do What U Want. While on tour, Gaga encounters headlines about her weight. She later said the song was inspired by her “obsession with the way people view me”.

.

.

September 2013

SwineFest arrives. Gaga, wearing a glittery pig mask, introduces the song by saying: “My heart, my skin and my *** felt like trash.” She is accompanied by dancers in porcine gas masks and boilersuits. Two days later, the Guardian runs an interview with Gaga. In it, the writer posits of the song: “It seems to hint at domestic abuse. Does this hint at Gaga's future direction? That she's ready to come out of hiding, to reveal herself?”

Gaga and Blair complete the lyrics and the recording of Do What U Want. Blair suggests a collaboration with R Kelly: “R. Kelly is one of the best writers in history,” Blair later told the Chicago Tribune. “He is a genius. I knew that [he and Lady Gaga] would sound good together.” Gaga would later describe the collaboration as “a mutual love”: “I have always been an R Kelly fan and actually it is like an epic pastime in the Haus of Gaga that we just get f----- up and play R Kelly.”

The pair discussed a remix of Do What U Want. Engineer Dave Russell mixed an album cut of their collaboration, rescuing it from being “a discarded track from a remix that was never going to see the light of day” into an album track.

October 2013

.

.

Gaga announces a last-minute switch: Do What U Want will be ARTPOP’s second single, rather than Venus, which was voted for by the fans. Gaga will later say that the change was made “without explanation”.

November 2013

Terry Richardson becomes the target of an online petition: “Vogue, H&M, Mango, Supreme and all other brands: Stop using ­alleged sex offender Terry Richardson as your photographer.”

Meanwhile, Do What U Want goes into a full publicity campaign. Gaga gives an interview to Marina Hyde for BBC 2. Hyde wrote about the experience at the time, saying that Gaga told her she was “having great sex”, although her “earlier sexual experiences ‘were quite perverted and scary, terrifying’”. As Gaga left the interview and faced the paparazzi outside, Hyde recalled, she was crying.

(A description of the SNL and AMA performance.)

During this month, Gaga splits from her management.

.

.

February 5 2014

 

During a Q&A interview with Harper’s Bazaar ostensibly about fashion, Gaga reveals the extent of her suffering over the past few months:

“I became very depressed at the end of 2013. I was exhausted fighting people off. I couldn't even feel my own heartbeat. I was angry, cynical, and had this deep sadness like an anchor dragging everywhere I go. I just didn't feel like fighting anymore. I didn't feel like standing up for myself one more time—to one more person who lied to me. But January 1, I woke up, started crying again, and I looked in the mirror and said, "I know you don't want to fight. I know you think you can't, but you've done this before. I know it hurts, but you won't survive this depression." I really felt like I was dying—my light completely out.

I said to myself, "Whatever is left in there, even just one light molecule, you will find it and make it multiply. You have to for you. You have to for your music. You have to for your fans and your family." Depression doesn't take away your talents—it just makes them harder to find. But I always find it. I learned that my sadness never destroyed what was great about me. You just have to go back to that greatness, find that one little light that's left. I'm lucky I found one little glimmer stored away.”

.

.

December 2014

Gaga speaks about Swine on The Howard Stern Show: "I wrote a song called 'Swine'; the song is about rape. The song is about demoralization. The song is about rage and fury and passion, and I had a lot of pain that I wanted to release.

.

. 

A Star is Born may have made Gaga an Oscar favourite, but while other actresses delicately navigate the annual awards campaign season, she is issuing heartfelt apologies on Twitter. Kelly, meanwhile, went clubbing in Chicago.

This so sad i am so glad gaga is happy now

[Quartz 11,923]

This is why she is the greatest artist in my eyes. It's her heart, her light.

I came for the music, I stayed to be inspired by her dazzling heart.

[vinster13 3,545]

I honestly love ARTPOP with all my heart and it makes me sad that she was so depressed during that era, but I’m glad she’s moved past.

[derpmonster 22,412]

I really disliked it when they dragged ARTPOP's sound but they did their research and talked about what Gaga went through eloquently.

[Sanne Godijn 2,203]

6 minutes ago, derpmonster said:

I really disliked it when they dragged ARTPOP's sound but they did their research and talked about what Gaga went through eloquently.

Except for the part where they gaga fired troy because we all know troy left her

[Rat Boy 36,682]

23 minutes ago, ProdigyARTPOP said:

Reading this makes me so grateful to the universe that she found Tony, and that she was able to move past that terrible chapter. It’s no wonder she never looks back at the ARTPOP, it’s her most darkest era

And to this day people still wish C2C didn't exist.

[myluis617 5,200]

46 minutes ago, ProdigyARTPOP said:

Reading this makes me so grateful to the universe that she found Tony, and that she was able to move past that terrible chapter. It’s no wonder she never looks back at the ARTPOP, it’s her most darkest era

Her darkest era but literally the visuals were all her brightest and most colorful ones, such an irony. Its true though I sometimes miss the ARTPOP days but it was really hard dark times. 

[derpmonster 22,412]

1 hour ago, Sanne Godijn said:

Except for the part where they gaga fired troy because we all know troy left her

Ehhh how do you know? I'm pretty sure she fired him. She's fired people before and her conflict was simply too much at that point. 

[SCHEISSEMONTRE 2,783]

2 hours ago, SamanthaC said:

Blair suggests a collaboration with R Kelly

So it was him.......why is she still friends with him when he literally almost ruin her career 

[beaublue 3,865]

I’m just glad she found her light & recovered. I’m still trying to recover & find myself again after my battle with depression from 2014-2017. I hope I don’t go through it a second time because it honestly does feel like an anchor you’re carrying around, an anchor filled with all the abuse & pain you’ve been through & no one can unlock yourself from it except you.

[Glamourpuss 29,062]

Reading this makes me feel so bad for her.

[Glamourpuss 29,062]

10 minutes ago, SCHEISSEMONTRE said:

So it was him.......why is she still friends with him when he literally almost ruin her career 

Probably because he wasn't intentionally out to sabotage her career. He made a suggestion. She made the choice.

[SCHEISSEMONTRE 2,783]

Just now, Glamourpuss said:

Probably because he wasn't intentionally out to sabotage her career. He made a suggestion. She made the choice.

True but if that never had happened this wouldn’t be a problem but I see what you’re saying