Madonna And Lady Gaga’s Complicated ‘Feud’: How It Began And Ended

Did Madonna and Lady Gaga’s eight-year-old feud happen at all? Fans might have asked that question, given the “Like A Virgin” singer’s recent claim that, despite countless reports on the issue over the years, there never was any sort of enmity between them.

“People got very excited about [the thought of Lady Gaga and myself as] enemies, when we never were enemies,” Madonna told British Vogue in an interview. For confused fans, here’s a brief summary of their complicated relationship over the years.

February 2011: Gaga Releases “Born This Way”

Reports say that the feud between the two music artists started in 2011, when Gaga released her single “Born This Way.” People began comparing her song with Madonna’s song “Express Yourself,” which was released in 1989, and they noticed some similarities.

Gaga was also accused of heavily borrowing not only Madonna’s song but also her style. These include cone bras, the use of Catholic imagery in her works and LGBTQ shout-outs.

February 2011: Gaga Addresses The Issue

Gaga spoke about the controversy. “You know, there is really no one that is a more adoring and loving Madonna fan than me. I am the hugest fan personally and professionally,” the singer spoke on Jay Leno’s “Tonight Show.”

Gaga even added that Madonna seems supportive of her song. “The good news is, I got an email from her people sending me their love and support on behalf of the single,” she added. “And if the queen says it shall be, then it shall be.”

April 2011: Gaga Defends Herself Once More

Two months later, Gaga explained once more that if there were any similarities between “Born This Way” and “Express Yourself,” they were purely unintentional. “I swear to you. I am not stupid enough to put out a record and be that moronic,” the singer explained to NME Magazine.

“Listen to me. Why the f--k…? I'm a songwriter. I've written loads of music. Why would I try to put out a song and think I'm getting one over on everybody? That's retarded. What a completely ridiculous thing to even question me about,” she added.

September 2011: Madonna Speaks About Gaga’s “Obsession”

The “Material Girl” singer finally spoke, albeit indirectly, about Gaga supposedly copying some aspects of her “Express Yourself.” “As for Lady Gaga, I have no comment to make about her obsessions having to do with me because I don't know whether her behavior is rooted in something deep and meaningful, or superficial,” Madonna told French publication Le Soir.

January 2012: Madonna Says She Isn’t Annoyed

“There's a lot of ways to look at it. I can't really be annoyed by it … because, obviously, I've influenced her,” Madonna told ABC News on what she thought about the similarities. “When I heard it on the radio … I said that sounds very familiar.”

January 2012: Gaga Says Chord Progression Is The Only Similarity

Gaga admitted that the only similarity between “Express Yourself” and “Born This Way” is their chord progression. “If you put the songs next to each other, side by side, the only similarities are the chord progression,” the artist told NME.

“It's the same one that's been in disco music for the last 50 years. Just because I'm the first f---ing artist in 25 years to think of putting it on Top 40 radio, it doesn't mean I'm a plagiarist, it means that I'm f---ing smart. Sorry.”

February 2012: Madonna Incorporates “Born This Way” Into Her “Express Yourself”

Madonna shows her adaptability by mashing up “Born This Way” and “Express Yourself.” Of course, people can’t decide whether it was a tribute or a dig.

November 2013: Gaga’s Happy But Is Unsure Of Madonna’s Intention

Gaga admitted that she was flattered by Madonna’s mashing up both their songs. “I have to be really honest, I was completely kind of floored that Madonna was singing my song on her stage every night!” the artist revealed to Attitude magazine. “I mean, Madonna's … she's Madonna. I looked up to her for a long time.”

However, she had some doubts as to what the “Material Girl” singer’s actual intention might be. “I'm not quite sure what her intention was — to do that in the show, but I don't really care,” Gaga explained. “I think playing into the gossip of the tabloids and, I guess the fodder of the competition, that's just not what I'm about. She chooses to use her voice the way she chooses to use hers and I choose to use mine the way I use mine.”

And then she revealed she also wanted to piss Madonna off. “And as a punk-rocker from New York, I've basically been hoping that I would become so good that one day I would piss off Madonna!” Gaga exclaimed. “I don't need to take anybody's torch. I am over here and they are over there and if you feel connected to it the door is open for you to come in and enjoy this with us.”

November 2013: Gaga Says She’s Not Upset And Doesn’t Want Madonna’s Throne

“I think she's more aggravated that I'm not upset that she doesn't like me,” Gaga told Howard Stern. “There's this thing with some people that I'm a threat to the throne. I don't want your f--king throne, no thanks, I have my own. I actually don't want a throne at all, because I don't view myself as a queen, I view myself as one of my fans.”

December 2014: Madonna Says There’s No Feud

While she did not mention names, Madonna’s Instagram post implies that there is no feud between her and Gaga. “There are those who want to shut me up but they cannot!” the singer wrote.

“We still live in a world that discriminates against women. There are People that are so hateful. They want to create feuds between strong women that do not exist! I do not wish ill will towards any other female artist and i never have! The World is big enough for all of us! I will fight for my rights as an artist, a human and a woman till the end of my days!” she added.

2015: Madonna Now Thinks Gaga Ripped Off Her Song

“I don't think she wants my crown ... We live in a world where people like to pit women against each other. And this is why I love the idea of embracing other females who are doing what I'm doing,” Madonna revealed in an interview with Rolling Stone.

“The only time I ever criticized Lady Gaga was when I felt like she blatantly ripped off one of my songs. It's got nothing to do with ‘she's taking my crown’ or ‘she's in some space of mine,’” she continued.

2016: An Upset Gaga Goes Full Throttle

In her documentary “Gaga: Five Foot Two,” the “Born This Way” singer did not hold back and explained why she was hurt by Madonna. “But no matter how much respect I have for [Madonna] as a performer, I could never wrap my head around the fact that she wouldn't look me in the eye and tell me that I was reductive … I saw it on f--king TV,” the upset artist said.

“Telling me that you think I'm a piece of s--t through the media, it's like a guy passing me a note through his friend: ‘My buddy thinks you're hot.’ F--k you.” Gaga explained. “Where's your buddy f--king throwing me up against the wall and kissing me? I just want Madonna to throw me up against the wall and kiss me and tell me I'm a piece of s--t,” she added.

2019: Madonna And Gaga Kiss And Makeup

These days, however, the two controversial artists are probably over the drama. Madonna invited Gaga to her Oscars after-party, and the two even posed for Time magazine.