Lady Gaga is the latest star to defend Miley Cyrus after her appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards. The "Applause" singer also took to the stage at the annual event and insisted those criticizing the "We Can't Stop" singer's controversial performance should "lighten up" and understand what pop music is all about.

"I don't like to pass judgement on Miley Cyrus. Generally, people need to lighten up about pop music, it's about entertainment. It is here to make you smile and make you happy. Especially in America there is an excessive dragging of female artists and I don't want to contribute to that. I do things that are polarizing sometimes but that's what it's all about," she said.

Gaga also defended One Direction after the "Best Song Ever" boy band were booed at the show last weekend, and has now insisted the group are making music for the right reasons: "I can't put the One Direction boys in order of my favorites, they are all equally cute in my book. Those boys are very special indeed, they are down to earth. I met them backstage properly at the MTV Awards and they are nice guys. They are totally in it for the right reasons and I love to see that. You can tell the difference."