My sincere apologies. I made a mistake to comment. I wasn't in the room when the #TIHTY was being written.
— LINDA PERRY (@RealLindaPerry) January 18, 2016
More importantly, I wish the focus to remain on the great importance of the song and the message of the film.
— LINDA PERRY (@RealLindaPerry) January 18, 2016
Update: Diane Warren has weighed in with some tweets of her own. Lady Gaga's representatives also pointed to them as her response.
Til It Happens To You was written for The Hunting Ground, an incredibly powerful documentary about sexual assault on college campuses
— Diane Warren (@Diane_Warren) January 18, 2016
The song is the result of a special collaboration between myself and Lady Gaga. As Lady Gaga and I have consistly said. Til it Happens
— Diane Warren (@Diane_Warren) January 18, 2016
To you was inspired by the countless survivors of abuse who need our support and love so they know they're not alone.
— Diane Warren (@Diane_Warren) January 18, 2016
There is definitely one person who doesn't agree with Lady Gaga's recent Oscar nomination. That person is songwriter Linda Perry.
Perry took to Twitter over the weekend to set the record straight about Gaga's recent Oscar-nominated song, "Til It Happens to You," from the documentary The Hunting Ground, which deals with campus rape in the United States. Specifically, she says that Gaga didn't write it.
In a series of tweets, Perry — who's written songs for Pink, Christina Aguilera, and Gwen Stefani — says "Til It Happens to You" was solely written by Diane Warren. "I have Diane's original demo with her singing," Perry claims. "The only line that has been changed 'Till you're at the end, the end of your rope.'"
Adding, "Originally was 'TIL YOU GOT A HOLE RIPPED IN YOUR SOUL.' So I guess technically one line was changed so sure Gaga possibly 'rewrote' a line."
Technically, rewriting one line is enough to receive a writing credit. And since Gaga is credited as a writer, she is eligible for the Best Original Song Oscar, along with Warren. Despite her respect for Gaga, Perry doesn't quite agree.
I love Gaga so much respect and love this song that has nothing to do with anything. Why did Gaga get credit? Maybe because ...
— LINDA PERRY (@RealLindaPerry) January 18, 2016
Diane wanted to ensure her support in promoting the song. Gaga is a very smart business women she knew a song written by Diane Warren
— LINDA PERRY (@RealLindaPerry) January 18, 2016
Would be up for an Oscar. And you know it's hard getting music out there and heard. Especially a song from a documentary , so Diane knew
— LINDA PERRY (@RealLindaPerry) January 18, 2016
If she gave Gaga writing credit it would ensure the support this song needed and deserved. And Gaga knows her power. I'm not putting anyone
— LINDA PERRY (@RealLindaPerry) January 18, 2016
Or anything down. I'm stating the truth . I credit Diane for writing this song, it is her experience her pain her words. That's it kids.
— LINDA PERRY (@RealLindaPerry) January 18, 2016
But that wasn't really it, since Gaga's Little Monsters weren't happy with Perry's claims that Gaga — a victim of rape herself — wasn't responsible for the track. This forced the songwriter to defend her claims, tweeting, "There's no bitterness, I've stated Gaga killed this song so powerful so blown away by her performance."
Lady Gaga hasn't responded to Perry's claims, and her reps did not reply to a request for comment at press time.
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