Lady Gaga Won’t Tone Down Show, Says Manager

Lady Gaga’s manager Troy Carter said the pop star will not tone down her act, even if that prevents her from performing in certain cities during her Asian tour, the Associated Press reports. 

Indonesian newspaper The Straits Times reported today that Carter said that Gaga is not “provocative for the sake of being provocative,” and that she “plays the show as it is.” 

Carter’s statements come a week after Gaga was denied a permit and forced to cancel a sold-out concert in Jakarta, Indonesia, following protests from Islamic leaders and conservative politicians who feared Gaga’s performance would corrupt the youth. With threats of physical violence coming in, police said they were usure they’d be able to guarantee safety and recommended that the permit for Gaga’s show be denied.

Indonesia isn’t the only country where Gaga has faced pushback as she embarks on her Born This Way Ball tour. At an April show in Seoul, South Korea, similar protests from Christian groups forced authorities to make the concert adults-only. And last Sunday, the singer arrived in Manila to protesting members of of a group called Biblemode Youth Philippines. 

Protest leader Ruben Abante told the AP, “She declared a distorted view toward Jesus Christ and for us Biblical Christians it is offensive . . . Her music and everything about her is different from what our values are.”

Gaga has addressed the protests on Twitter, though her tone hints that she’s taking the backlash in stride. On Tuesday she Tweeted that if the Jakarta show does go on as planned, she will perform alone. Later she wrote, “And don’t worry, if I get thrown in jail in Manila, Beyoncé will just bail me out. Sold out night 2 in the Philippines. I love it here!”