Lady Gaga: 'Critics are out to destroy me'

Lady Gaga is convinced her critics are out to ruin her after the star's latest single flopped and attracted a barrage of reports her career is over.

The singer released Applause, her first single for two years, last month (Aug13) but the record failed to replicate the chart-topping success of her previous releases, achieving a high placing of number three in France.

In many countries, it was beaten in the rundown by her rival Katy Perry's new song Roar, prompting suggestions audiences have tired of the Poker Face hitmaker.

The criticism was fueled by a series of publicity stunts in which Gaga stripped naked or flashed the flesh in skimpy clothes, and many critics are predicting her upcoming new album ARTPOP will signal the end of the singer as a major player in pop.

However, Gaga has now hit back at those expecting her imminent downfall, accusing them of trying to destroy her.

She tells British newspaper The Guardian, "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, but at the very same time they have no idea the album I've made... So it doesn't bother me, it's just an interesting observation of where we are as a society...

"It's literally not even been two weeks since my first single came out and it's all, 'She's over', or because I'm not Number One yet, 'She's finished'. 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."