Lady Gaga feels persecuted

Lady Gaga feels persecuted, but won't let her detractors bring her down.

The 'Applause' hitmaker recently tweeted a Michael Jackson quote reading ''the bigger the star, the bigger the target'' but feels happy she hasn't been brought down by people who are critical of her career. When asked if she felt persecuted by The Guardian newspaper, she replied: ''Yeah, for sure I do. Yes! I certainly feel that at this time it's almost as if people are surprised they haven't already destroyed me.

''It gives them a sense of pleasure when they believe that they've destroyed me or taken me down. ''It's almost entertainment for people to poke fun at Lady Gaga.'' Despite the criticism she has received - with detractors keen to point out how 'Applause', the first single from her new 'ARTPOP' album - Gaga claims chart success isn't a particular concern for her. She added: ''People focus less on the music and focus more on how the music's doing; how it's faring from a numbers perspective, from a financial perspective.

''If you think I give a damn about money then you don't know me as an artist at all. I think that once you've had a few Number Ones in your career that you've kind of proven yourself and I don't feel the need to prove anything anymore. ''[Detractors] have no idea what I put into this, they have no idea the work that I've put behind my performances and what I do.

In fact, people have no idea what it really took for me to get here. It doesn't bother me, it's just an interesting observation of where we are as a society.'' 'ARTPOP' is released on November 11.