Lady Gaga defends puke performance

Los Angeles - Lady Gaga has no regrets about hiring a woman to vomit on her.

The 27-year-old star caused controversy when she brought so-called vomit painter Millie Brown on stage during her performance at South By Southwest in Austin, Texas last week to throw up a green liquid all over her, but she maintains it was ''art in the purest form".

She told the Today show on Friday: ''I guess we weren't completely surprised [by the controversy].

''Millie and I know that not everybody's going to love that performance, but we both really believe in artistic expression and strong identities. And I support her and what she does.''

The unusual performance was slammed by former bulimia sufferer Demi Lovato on Twitter, who accused her of glamorising eating disorders.

She tweeted: ''Bottom line, it's not 'cool' or 'artsy' at all. Putting the word ART in it isn't a free card to do whatever you want without consequences.''

But Lady Gaga argued: '''ARTPOP', my new album, is about bringing art and music together in the spirit of creative rebellion. And for [me and Millie], that performance was art in its purest form. But we totally understand that people won't be into it.''

She added: ''Did we want the controversy? I suppose it doesn't matter either way. We don't make things for any intention in particular, other than in the spirit of entertaining the crowd and creating something that was really for the moment.

''We sometimes think that there's a perception that what I'm doing is all a big show. And I really truly feel that it's just part of who I am.

"Every moment of my life is devoted to my music and to my fans, and it's really truly me.''